During the British advance from the south, field batteries were placed in…
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When in Bahá'í history
Haifa (today: Haifa, Israel)
During the British advance from the south, field batteries were placed in position on high ground immediately to the south-east of Mount Carmel, the intention being to shell Haifa at long range over Mount Carmel itself. Some of the Eastern Bahá’ís living on the northern slopes of Mount Carmel becoming agitated, went to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s residence and expressed fear as to the tragic course of possible events. According to an eye-witness of this scene (from whom I obtained the story when I reached Haifa), ‘Abdu’l-Bahá calmed His excited followers and called them to prayer. Then He told them that all would be well, and that no British shells would cause the death or damage to the population or to Haifa and its environs. As a matter of historical fact, the range of the field batteries in question was inaccurate, the shells passing harmlessly over the town and falling into the Bay of 'Akká beyond.
Source: Lady Blomfield, The Chosen Highway
Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: prayer).
Discuss this story
For adults
- If you were to share this story aloud at a devotional gathering, which sentence would you read first?
- How does this story complicate or deepen your understanding of prayer?
- Where do prayer and patience meet in this story?
For teens
- How could the spirit of prayer show up in your week?
- What does this story say about how to face hard moments?
Reflection
- If you could bring one quality from this story into your next conversation, what would it be?
- What single image from this story will stay with you?
- Where in your own life are you being asked to practice prayer?
Comprehension quiz
Which source is "During the British advance from the south, field batteries were placed in…" drawn from?
Where does this story take place?
What period of Bahá'í history does this story belong to?
Which historical figure is featured most prominently in this story?
Which virtue does this story most clearly illustrate?
Cite this story
Various. *bahaistories.com archive*. https://bahaistories.com/subject/prayer
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