In the evening Baba went to see a comic film, A Night Like This , featuring Ralph Lynn.
Baba left for the retreat the next day at 6:30 in the morning accompanied by Adi Sr., Kitty, Zilla, Kim, Delia and Margaret. Before the other mandali departed, Baba had ordered them to put up with whatever Meredith said or did, and warned them not to create a disturbance on any account. The mandali no sooner had set foot in the Devonshire house when they eyed a notice posted on the wall of a planned schedule for Baba, themselves and the others. Baba's program was chalked out from 6:00 A.M. to late in the night, and each of the mandali was ordered to meditate in his room. For the other visitors, a regimen of silence and meditation had been drawn up. Much to their discomfort, according to Baba's wish, the mandali kept their opinions to themselves and began following Meredith's program.
When the mandali settled in, Meredith instructed them not to come with him when he went to receive Baba, but to keep at a distance. Reporters and photographers were waiting at the retreat for Baba's arrival, and Meredith did not want anyone other than himself to be given prominence, trying to impress others that even Meher Baba's Eastern disciples were under his instructions. But when Meredith was occupied in planning all this, Baba appeared much earlier than expected at 3:20 P.M., thus ruining Meredith's plans.
Minta received Baba, and Kenneth Ross enthusiastically played his bagpipes to welcome the Avatar of the Age. Asked if Baba would give any message on his arrival in Devonshire, Baba told the reporters, dictating from his alphabet board:
Coming to the retreat is like coming home. Here spirituality is made practical. I find the atmosphere and training here result in ideals being realized. Head and heart must go together. Physical, mental and spiritual equilibrium must be achieved to ensure permanent results. For the present crisis to pass away and matters to become normal again, the West must understand the importance of spiritual development and must realize divinity in every phase of life — in art, science and the daily routine.
That infinite consciousness must be expanded; then only, there can be peace in the real sense of the word. But if, as at present, only the material aspects continue to be stressed, then there will be still greater discord, which will cause untold suffering.