First International Bahai Council

The First International Bahai Council was appointed by Shoghi Effendi in 1951 in the only Proclamation he ever issued, declared by him to be the embryonic Universal House of Justice. Mason Remey was appointed by Shoghi Effendi to be its President. It was never activated in his lifetime. Based on this appointment, Mason Remey declared he had been appointed second Guardian of the Baha'i Faith, since only a Guardian may be President of the Universal House of Justice even in embryonic form. Those few who followed Mason Remey became known as members of the Orthodox Bahai Faith and those who followed the Universal House of Justice (the vast majority) as members of the Baha'i Faith.