God on the Hudson

So hot was the blast of revivalistic piety that swept upper New York State a century ago that the counties in which Mormonism, the Shakers, the Oneida Community et al. flourished are still sometimes called "the Burnt-Over District." Last week new religious thoughts were stirring in lower New York, at two points on the Hudson River.

In Briarcliff Manor, not far from Nyack where lives Oom the Omnipotent, onetime "love cultist," The Groups had an international house party. Glib, bright-eyed Dr. Frank Nathan Daniel Buchman, "soul surgeon," arrived on the S. S. Aquitania with a party of 22 "experienced" members of The Groups, many of whom had met with him at a house party in Geneva last January (TIME, Jan. 18).

The Press gave much notice to their doings. Soul Surgeon Buchman, who looks to the camera much like his good friend John D. Rockefeller Jr.'s cousin Percy (see p. 55), handed out envelopes full of clippings from British newspapers, said he appreciated the publicity he had gotten from "the Bishops" and the Press in England. He explained that "this is a peripatetic group, just as the disciples of Jesus. It goes wherever God guides it." He smiled amiably, as did his entourage, 17 of whom had prepared typewritten statements for the reporters, describing themselves and the manner of their conversions to The Groups. Typical was the account of Jonkheer Eric van Lennep, Knight of St. John of Holland, who said of himself: "He used to live behind masks; a mask for the office; a mask for his friends, a mask at home and another for his social activities; but he has found freedom from all that, and more, in a God-guided and unified life. And having found a good thing, who would not pass it on to his friends?"

Proprietor Chauncey Depew Steele of Briarcliff Lodge is sympathetic to The Groups. Two years ago all the bellhops, chambermaids, desk clerks attended a Group meeting. Last week the 425 members of the house party, each paying $4 per day during the ten-day stay, had the place much to themselves. They met first at a dinner, with much grinning and chuckling and calling of first names. Then Rev. Samuel Moor ("Sam") Shoemaker Jr. opened the first "experience meeting" with the story about the unemployed broker who hired out to a zoo to pose in a lion's skin, was scared by another lion who turned out to be another unemployed broker. The Groups laughed. "That's right, Sam!" cried Founder Buchman. "That's the way we're meeting unexpected friends here tonight." Then the meeting grew chummy, with much talk of "sharing" (mutual confession), "surrender" (conversion) and spiritual fellowship. There were preachers, athletes, college professors, brokers, an elderly gentleman described as a retired 'legger. socialites from Manhattan, Louisville, Holland, South Africa, England--all pleasant, engaging folk, none of them shabby or pasty or odd-looking.

Next day, first thing after breakfast, came "quiet time." Reporters watched The Group members assemble in the sunny ballroom, get out pencil & paper "to take down what God says." Some waited with poised pencils, others took down copious messages. After 15 minutes D. Scoville Wishard said: "Some will want to share what God said." There were many who did, all beginning "it came to me. . . ." Said Jonkheer van Lennep: "God has told me he is blessing this house party." Said Evershed Thompson of the Edinburgh Stock Exchange: "Jesus is here."

At Harmon, N. Y. where New York Central trains change from electric to steam engines, not far from Briarcliff, stands ready a retreat called Meherashram (Home of Compassion) where the pious of any & all sects may soon meet with a long-haired, silky-mustached seer who calls himself Shri (Mr.) Sadguru (Perfect Master) Meher (Compassion) Baba (Father). To his Indian co-religionists the Parsees, Meher Baba, 38, is the "God Man" or the "Messiah." To many another follower he is simply the "Perfect Master." His U. S. sponsors, Malcolm and Jean Schloss who await him at Harmon, think and write of him in uppercase: He, Him, His, Himself. Next week the God Man is to sail from England, will arrive at Meherashram May 16.

At 19 Meher Baba met a holy woman named Baba Jan (Angel of the Father) who died lately at Poona at the reputed age of 130. Meher Baba soon had a vision of his divine nature. For nine months he lay in a coma, came out of it "merged into God." It is explained that many people are in such a super-conscious state but few can remain in touch with the world, like Meher Baba, and help others to attain divinity.

For almost seven years Meher Baba has uttered no word. When he arrives at his U. S. retreat his lips will be unsealed with much ceremony. Meanwhile he carries a small board with letters and figures to which he points when he has something to say. He intends to found retreats in New Hampshire and California. Meher Baba is supposed to have performed many miracles but now he wishes only to make "Americans realize the infinite state which I myself enjoy." His method of accomplishing this is cryptic yet reassuring. "Let God flood the soul. What I am, you are."

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