The victories of that crusade implanted the banner of
Bahá'u'lláh throughout the planet and the following Nine Year Plan reinforced
and extended the bastions of the Faith and raised the number of National
Spiritual Assemblies -- the supporting pillars of the Universal House of
Justice -- to one hundred and thirteen, a number increased to one hundred and
fifteen by the formation at this Ridvan of the National Spiritual Assemblies of
Hong Kong and South East Arabia.
- The Universal House of Justice (from a message tothe Baha’is of the world, Naw-Ruz, 1974)