THE SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHA'IS OF HONG KONG INCORPORATION
FIRST SCHEDULE
CONSTITUTION
Ord. No. 42/88
A191
[ss. 2 and 6.]
1. In this constitution, unless the context otherwise requires- "Assembly" means the Spiritual Assembly for the time being elected by the members of the Baha'i community of Hong Kong in accordance with the constitution; "authorized area" means a locality the boundaries of which have been or from time to
time may be defined or redefined by the Assembly;
"local spiritual assembly" means the assembly elected by voting members in any authorized area by the Baha'is resident therein and recognized by the Assembly; "recognized" means—
(a) in relation to a person, recognized by the Assembly as a member in good standing of the Baha'i Faith by virtue of possessing the qualifications set out in paragraph 3;
(b) in relation to a local spiritual assembly, recognized by the Assembly as duly
and validly elected by voting members from within its authorized area; "Trust" means the exhortation of Baha'u'llah that the elected members of the Assembly shall strive to achieve the exalted religious standard established by Baha'u'llah: "Be ye Trustees of the Merciful One among men";
"voting member" means any person of the age of 21 or over recognized by either the Assembly or a local spiritual assembly, including citizens of foreign countries whose transfers to the Baha'i community of Hong Kong have been recognized by the Assembly.
Interpretation.
2. The Assembly, in the fulfilment of its sacred duties under this Trust, shall Powers of have exclusive jurisdiction and authority over all the activities and affairs of the Assembly. Baha'i Faith throughout Hong Kong, including paramount authority in the adminis- tration of this Trust. It shall endeavour to stimulate, unify and co-ordinate the manifold activities of the local spiritual assemblies and of individual Baha'is in Hong Kong and by all possible means assist them to promote the oneness of mankind. It shall be charged with determining whether local spiritual assemblies shall be recogn- ized, the scrutiny of all membership rolls, the calling of the Annual Meeting or special meetings and the seating of delegates to the Annual Meeting and their apportionment among the various electoral districts. It shall appoint all regional Baha'i committees and shall supervise the publication and distribution of Baha'i literature, the reviewing of all writings pertaining to the Baha'i Faith, the construction and administration of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar and its accessory activities, and the collection and disbursement of all funds for the carrying on of this Trust. It shall decide whether any matter lies within its own jurisdiction or within the jurisdiction of any local spiritual assembly. It shall, in such cases as it considers suitable and necessary, entertain appeals from the decisions of local spiritual assemblies and shall have the right of final decision in all cases where the qualification of an individual or group for continued voting rights and membership in the Baha'i Faith, community or institution is in question. It shall furthermore represent the Baha'is of Hong Kong in all their co-operative and spiritual activities with the Baha'is of other lands, and shall constitute the sole electoral body of Hong Kong in the election of the Universal House of Justice provided for in the Sacred Writings of the Baha'i Faith. Above all, the Assembly shall ever seek to attain that station of unity in devotion to the Revelation of Baha'u'llah which will attract the confirmations of the Holy Spirit and enable the Assembly to serve the founding of the Most Great Peace. In all its deliberations and action the Assembly shall have constantly before it as Divine guide and standard the utterance of Baha'u'llah-
"It behooveth them (i.e., members of spiritual assemblies) to be the trusted ones of the Merciful among men and to regard themselves as the guardians. appointed of God for all that dwell on earth. It is incumbent upon them to take counsel together and to have regard for the interests of the servants of God, for His sake, even as they regard their own interests, and to choose that which is meet and seemly."