All are able to send merit as long as you have smerit left. Since you are a newbie you won't be able to send merit unless someone send you a merit. Receiving 1 merit then you'll automatically earn 0.5 smerit which is what forum users send to other forum users. You must need 2 merits then you'll have 1 smerit. Smerit means Sendable Merit. Newbie can receive as much as other rank can. That really depends if they will send you merit by clicking the +merit near ths quote button.