The next ones to meet Baba in the Lagoon Cabin were two newcomers, Joanna Smith and Olivia Maugham from New York.Joanna was a large, strapping German Jewish woman who had seen Hitler speak during World War II and fled the country.She was a longtime member of the Ramakrishna Center, but said that lately she felt that Ramakrishna's teachings were "leaving her empty."She wanted more and believed she had found it in Baba.
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When she came into the Lagoon Cabin to meet Baba, he asked her, "Tell me all about your studies of spiritual things."
Joanna, who was intellectually inclined, began speaking about Vedanta and related subjects.But, as she was talking, her mind seemed to get more and more scrambled.Her hair became ruffled, her glasses slipped crookedly down her nose, her speech became confused.It was amazing to those who had brought her how "unglued" she became.
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Finally, Baba interrupted her, "These are all words, words, words! Nothing else! Don't you know that all that matters is God and love for God?"
With that, Joanna threw herself at his feet and was on the verge of tears.Her heart had spontaneously taken over.
Olivia Maugham had found out about Baba through pure chance, just in time before she too joined Vedanta.One day, while shopping at the grocery store, Olivia spotted a copy of Jean Adriel's book Avatar held by a woman shopping in the store.Olivia eyed Baba's picture on the cover and asked, "Who is that?"The woman told her a little about Baba, and soon after Olivia became a devoted follower.She was to have been initiated into Vedanta the very next day and was not sure it was really the path she wanted to follow.Thus she came to Baba and followed him.
After meeting others, Baba was carried in his lift-chair on a tour of the Center from cabin to cabin, and several followed close behind.Margaret's dancers and other men, such as Harold Rudd took turns carrying Baba's chair.At two cabins, Baba got down and walked to the doors.Afterward, he left for his house at 3:00 P.M.
being carried in the lift chair by Margaret's dancers
On Saturday morning, 24 May 1958, Baba, upon entering the Barn, asked what time it was.
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Then he stated: "It is nine o'clock, Baba's time.Join me again today in the Prayer of Repentance, with all sincerity, and God in His infinite compassion will forgive all your sins, weaknesses, shortcomings and failures up to date.Let the prayer sink deep into you and concentrate on me."
Everyone stood up, and Harry Kenmore recited the prayer.
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