July 1953 marked the first issue of an American quarterly dedicated to Meher Baba. It was called The Awakener , and was edited by Filis Frederick and published by Warren C. Healy. In her first editorial, Filis wrote:
Speaking from the heart, from the heart's intuition and experience, we feel not only is Meher Baba the true Avatar of our age, but will prove to be one of the most extraordinary of all time; that never before has God let descend such an outpouring of divine love and grace, because mankind is at the most crucial juncture of its whole evolutionary and involutionary history.
We must either love or perish ... and God helps our choice through this man. May we choose with him to love — and to be Awakened!
On Sunday, 5 July 1953, it suddenly started raining heavily while Baba was seated with the mandali.
"People on the street must have gotten wet," Baba remarked.
He told Aloba to see how many people were on the street. Aloba reported that the streets were empty, but he found a man dressed in a loincloth and dhoti standing outside, soaked to the skin. Asked what he wanted, the man said he had come from Delhi for Meher Baba's darshan. According to Baba's instructions, Aloba told him that since Baba had stopped giving darshan, he had best return home. Leaving the bungalow, the man left weeping and stood on the roadside.
Aloba informed Baba, and the visitor was summoned. He was the same size as Nilu, so on Baba's direction Nilu gave him some dry clothes that would fit, and he went to the bathroom to change. He was given hot tea and a mango. Then the following conversation ensued.
Baba asked, "What is your name and what do you do?"
"My name is Hakumat Rai Kapil, and I am employed in New Delhi as a clerk."
"What do you want?"
"I have been reading your books for two years, and I obtained your address from a Mr. Adi K. Irani in Ahmednagar. From here I will proceed to Mussoorie, and thence to Rishikesh and Hardwar. I am thinking of spending a week in the Shiva Ashram and some time in Kali Kamliwala's ashram. I want to learn spiritual practices to make progress on the spiritual path."
"Are you married?"
"Yes, I am."
"Do you love your wife?"
"I loved her before, but since I have become interested in spirituality my love has lessened. My wife loves me very much, and though at first she did not approve of my spiritual inclination, now she herself is leaning toward it."