The air of Carmel, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said, was the most wholesome he had ever breathed, and he had breathed the air of many places. The mountain enters the Bahá’í story first as beauty and quiet, a white mantle of peace above the bay, and then as the place where a prisoner pitched His tent in glory. Bahá’u’lláh, confined for years within the walls of ‘Akká, came at last through the city gate and up these slopes, and the spots where His tent stood were remembered and later purchased with care. Prophets had prayed in this wilderness before Him; Elijah waited here while his servant looked again and again toward the sea for the small cloud that promised rain [1]. Yet Carmel also keeps a harder memory: German settlers who wrote over their doors that the Beloved would soon come, monks who would not receive a message, neighbours who lived beside the fulfilment of their hopes and did not see it. From the mountain the journey leads back to Bahá’u’lláh’s banishment and life in ‘Akká, forward to the future foretold for Haifa, and into the long conversation between prophecy and its fulfilment.
In reality the air of Mount Carmel is most energizing. I have breathed in the air of many country-places and have seen many natural scenes but the air of this Mountain is most wholesome, most vitalizing and its scenery very entrancing. The purity of the air, the sublimity of the panorama and the beauty of the scene are united together on Mount Carmel, presenting to the eye a noble and inspiring spectacle of nature; especially now that this fine structure is built on its ascending slope containing the Holy remains of the Bab.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken on 1914-Sep-03 -- ABU1205)
02
Mount Carmel is enveloped with the white mantle of spirituality. Its atmosphere is permeated with an indescribable peace and tranquility.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken on 1914-Sep-06 -- ABU1430)
03
Some of the time Baha'u'llah would spend at the Mansion, and again, at the farm village of Mazra'ih; for a while He would sojourn in Haifa, and occasionally His tent would be pitched on the heights of Mount Carmel.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Tadhkiratu'l-Vafa (Memorials of the Faithful), 1916-Mar-25 -- AB00002)
04
Although He was a prisoner, He pitched His tent with glory on Mount Carmel.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to the Baha'is, spoken at 309 W 78th St on 1912-Jun-15 -- ABU3124)
05
By fate, this farman was later nullified because Baha'u'llah passed through the city gate and came up this very mountain - Carmel.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken on 1919-Dec-27 -- ABU1607)
06
His Holiness, the Blessed Beauty, has pitched His tent on various spots on this mountain. The tent of Baha'u'llah has been raised on this Holy ground."
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Latimer and Remey, spoken on 1914-Oct-08 -- ABU2076)
07
We have purchased for thee a blessed plot of land which was the site of the Blessed Beauty's tent and which He would frequently visit when He was in Haifa. This land is situated in the most noble spot in Haifa from all directions, and when a house is built upon it, it will command views of the east, west, south, north, the sea, and Mount Carmel.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1902 ca., to Marie Jackson -- AB12825)
08
The pavilion of the Lord will be pitched on the mountain and this was fulfilled. The pavilion of the Blessed Beauty was often pitched on Mount Carmel and the plain and hills around Acca while he was a prisoner.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Anna Kunz, spoken on 1921-Mar-27 -- ABU1810)
09
Tonight they are holding the Feast of Elijah on the top of Mount Carmel in memory of his ascent to heaven in a chariot of fire.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to the friends, spoken on 1914-Jul-18 -- ABU2271)
10
I once lived in a cave on Mount Carmel. One day I went to the Carmelite Monastery and asked to see someone, saying I had a message to deliver. They refused to see me or hear my message. I said, 'I will put it in writing if you will read it.' They still refused, so I returned to 'Akka in great sadness, walking the whole distance of nine miles.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Julia Grundy spoken around Jan. 1905 -- ABU3082)
11
Yesterday the Master looked at Mount Carmel and said:
"How many prophets longed to be here in these days of God. Many Germans left their homeland and settled here on this mountain, where they awaited the arrival of the One promised in the Holy Bible. They wrote over their doors that the Beloved would soon come. Despite all these actions and expectations, they had no success; but the dear friends in Germany, who did not leave their homeland and did not write such things over their doors, found their Beloved.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words of Abdu'l-Baha on 1916-Jul-12, related by Azizu'llah Bahadur to W. Herrigel -- ABU3681)
The available source contains an omission or incomplete wording; sentence boundaries need review.
12
The Prophets and Holy Men always went into the wilderness to pray. Many of the walked upon Mount Carmel and communed with God.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Julia Grundy spoken around Jan. 1905 -- ABU3486)
13
Syria is a most wonderful country. It is a world in miniature. All the trees of the hot climate such as date-palms, oranges, mandarins etc as well as the trees of the cold climate such as walnuts, pines etc are found in Syria. Tiberias is famous for its hot weather, while Mount Lebanon is a cool summer resort...
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken at House of the Master in Haifa, 1914-Feb-12 -- ABU0978)
The available source contains an omission or incomplete wording; sentence boundaries need review.
14
How fervently I long to go to Mount Carmel - the garden of the Lord! How inspiring is the matchless panorama spread before one's view! How quiet and spiritual is its very atmosphere! This is the best season of Mount Carmel. Those who have seen the sweeping, heavenly scene spread before their eyes from the Tomb of the Bab cannot forget it throughout all their lives.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken on 1913-Nov-11 in Port Said -- ABU2258)
15
In this day We have arisen through the grace of God, the Lord of the worlds, and directed Ourselves to another place which We have made the Most Great Scene of Vision for mankind. When We arrived, We revealed that whereby the stones soared, the trees cried out, and the hearts of the righteous were drawn in rapture.
(Bahá’u’lláh, 1307 ? [1889-1890], to Mirza Ali -- BH05451)
16
For some time the Seat of the Throne was in the land of Haifa, and in most times the voice of nature was raised. We said: What aileth thee, O Nature, that We hear thy cries in the nights, thy lamentations in the days, and thy moaning at dawn? Thereupon she raised her voice, crying out and saying: O Sovereign of existence! The idolaters have sunk Thy crimson ark and have hamstrung Thy white She-camel, and they desire to extinguish Thy light. Therefore have my cries and the cries of all things been raised, and my lamentations and the lamentations of those in earth and heaven.
(Bahá’u’lláh, 1309-03-24 [1891-Oct-28], to Ibn Asdaq (Hand of the Cause) et al -- BH00165)