Abdul Baha asks Manchester Baha'is to conceal their beliefs and act like Freemasons!

October 1921

In the Name of God!
O Sincere Servant of the Blessed Beauty!

Your detailed letter has been received, and has been the cause of the utmost joy and gladness. Praise be to God! The loved ones are all astir and active, but prudence is necessary. You have rent the veil too widely asunder. Explain to the loved ones that the rending of the veil to such an extent will be the cause of great agitation, and the harm thereof will reach to the Holy Land. Great caution is necessary. Discourses in churches and great public gatherings are in no wise permitted as in this place enemies, within and without, are lying in wait and are bent on aggression. Prudence requires that activity should, for the present, be concealed and carried on with the utmost moderation. Convey to the loved ones, one and all, on my behalf, the greatest longing, love and kindness. Give a spiritual message from me to Mr. Healds and say unto him: “Peruse the Gospel, how His Holiness Christ – may my life be a sacrifice to Him – says, ‘Conceal it, that the Pharisees may not be informed thereof.’ Now the same condition prevails.”

This matter is of the greatest importance. On no account let them contribute articles to the newspapers, and so long as they are not sure of any soul, let them breath no word to him. Consider how the Freemasons have for two hundred years carried on their work, and unto this day they have not openly declared it to any soul. Not until they find a hearing ear will they speak. The loved ones too must proceed with the greatest prudence, lest serious difficulties be created. If any one should travel to the Holy Land, he must on no account declare to anyone by the way that his purpose is to visit us. The loved ones must, in the presence of strangers, speak forth simply the teachings of the Blessed Beauty and mention no word of the belief concerning Him. Should anyone inquire, “What is your belief regarding the Blessed Beauty?” let them answer: “We regard Him as the foremost teacher and educator of these later ages and Abdu’l-Baha as the Centre of His Covenant.”

http://senmcglinn.wordpress.com/2014/08/31/undercover-bahais-abdul-baha-tells-the-manchester-bahais-to-lay-low/

Dr. Dhabih'u'llah Qurban

Bahá'í ties to Freemasonry

Baha'is also had ties with Freemasonry. Freemasonry was brought to Iran by Iranians who had seen the movement in other parts of the world.

Dr. Dhabih Qurban, was a well-known Iranian Bahá'í and also a Freemason. Moojan Momen tried to refute that no Baha'is were linked to the Freemasonry but his refutation with poor references has no value as the prominent Iranian Historian Abdollah Shahbazi has given numerous references that not only Dhabih Qurban but many other Baha'is were also active Freemasons.

See : Secret Societies in Contemporary Iran - Part 3 (Persian)


More about Dhabih Qurban : http://specialforce.blogfa.com/post-31.aspx

Baha'is on Wikipedia state that "The teachings of the Baha'i Faith expressly forbid membership in secret societies. Shoghi Effendi, the head of the Bahá'í Faith in the first half of the 20th century, asked all Bahá'ís to remove their memberships from all secret societies, including the Freemasons, so that they can serve the teachings of the Bahá'í Faith without compromising their independence."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_accusations_against_the_Baha%27i_Faith#cite_note-momenjournal-22

If some earlier Baha'is were not the members of Secret Societies then whom did Shoghi Effendi gave orders to remove their memberships?