Malcolm Bertram Schloss

 

Image cropped & rendered by Anthony Zois
Image cropped & rendered by Anthony Zois

 

Born : 22nd October, 1895 - Manhattan County-Ward 12, New York

Died : 7th October, 1954 - New York

Married : 1)  Jean Robinson ( Adriel )

                2)  Mona De Vere

Parents : Benjamin Schloss - born in New York - Yiddish

                Theodora              - born in New York - Yiddish

( both of their parents were from Germanic backgrounds )
Parents Married : 1894

Siblings : Herbert Schloss - born in 1910

 

Nationality : American

 

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M5HZ-NHS

 

Malcolm & Jean had a bookstore in 1931 in Manhattan called "North Node".

Malcolm & Jean both moved to Los Angeles , California in the mid 1930s.

In 1940 they were living at 2434 Cheremoya Avenue, Los Angeles, California

 

Malcolm served in 1917 as a ambulance driver in France during World War 1, assigned to the French forces with the American Field Service. ( see more details near the end of page )

 

Young Malcolm - Courtesy of the Library of Congress Archives
Young Malcolm - Courtesy of the Library of Congress Archives

 

( Poet & co–founder with Jean Adriel of Meher Mount in Ojai, California in 1948 )

 

1938 : Nasik, India. Malcolm is on the back-step - tall
1938 : Nasik, India. Malcolm is on the back-step - tall
1954; Meherabad, India : Courtesy of "Meher Baba's Call"
1954; Meherabad, India : Courtesy of "Meher Baba's Call"
Malcolm & his wife Jean Adriel
Malcolm & his wife Jean Adriel
1931 ; Barn at Hancock, New Hampshire, USA. Courtesy of Lord Meher - p. 1464
1931 ; Barn at Hancock, New Hampshire, USA. Courtesy of Lord Meher - p. 1464

 

 

( L-R ) Malcolm, Chanji, Baba, Ali, Meredith

Site of Malcolm and Jean's New Life Experiment June, 1931.

Meher Baba visited the property in November 1931.

The "Hancock" property was owned by Catherine Gardner and she gifted the property to Meher Baba at the same time as his visit.

After a long period of correspondance, Baba returned the property back to Cath Gardner.

( see Cath Gardner's page in His Close Ones )

 

 

Courtesy of the Meher Baba Journal - May 1939 , page 53
Courtesy of the Meher Baba Journal - May 1939 , page 53
Image rendition by Anthony Zois
Image rendition by Anthony Zois
 Malcolm's 2nd wife ; Mona De Vere  ( b. 29th May 1904 - d. Jan.31st 1954 )
Malcolm's 2nd wife ; Mona De Vere ( b. 29th May 1904 - d. Jan.31st 1954 )
Mona's death certificate. Courtesy of Valerie McKean.
Mona's death certificate. Courtesy of Valerie McKean.

1954 ; Meherabad, India

Malcolm is on the right-front of Meher Baba at his tomb at Upper Meherabad, India. LM p. 4438
Malcolm is on the right-front of Meher Baba at his tomb at Upper Meherabad, India. LM p. 4438
India ; 1954
India ; 1954

The following pages are Malcolm's account of Baba's visit to America in 1931.

Courtesy of The Awakener Magazine - Vol. XIX No.1 Pages 45 - 59

1
1
MSI Collection -1937 - Trimbak, India
MSI Collection -1937 - Trimbak, India
2
2
The Awakener Magazine ; Vol.19, No.2 - Los Angeles
The Awakener Magazine ; Vol.19, No.2 - Los Angeles
3
3
MSI Collection -Nasik, India 1937 ;  Malcolm is seated 2nd from the far left
MSI Collection -Nasik, India 1937 ; Malcolm is seated 2nd from the far left
4
4
Courtesy of Lord Meher ; Bhau Kalchuri - p 1481
Courtesy of Lord Meher ; Bhau Kalchuri - p 1481

Photo was taken at Hancock, New Hampshire, not at Croton-Harmon as above mentioned.

5
5
6
6
( l-r ) Dana Field, Malcolm, John Ballantyne & Fred Frey
( l-r ) Dana Field, Malcolm, John Ballantyne & Fred Frey
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7
1931 - Cronton, NY : ( L-R ) Anita de Caro, Elizabeth Patterson, Norina Matchabelli and Malcolm.
1931 - Cronton, NY : ( L-R ) Anita de Caro, Elizabeth Patterson, Norina Matchabelli and Malcolm.
8
8
MSI Collection -1937 - Nasik, India - Malcolm is seated on the far right.
MSI Collection -1937 - Nasik, India - Malcolm is seated on the far right.
9
9
Malcolm standing behind Meher Baba. Courtesy of Lord Meher p2103
Malcolm standing behind Meher Baba. Courtesy of Lord Meher p2103
MSI Collection ; 1937 - Nasik,India - Malcolm ( possibly) standing with hat next to Jean Adriel ( his wife ) & Ruano
MSI Collection ; 1937 - Nasik,India - Malcolm ( possibly) standing with hat next to Jean Adriel ( his wife ) & Ruano
10
10
MSI Collection - 1937 : Nasik, India , Baba's birthday celebrations - Malcolm is seated on the far left
MSI Collection - 1937 : Nasik, India , Baba's birthday celebrations - Malcolm is seated on the far left
11
11
MSI Collection ; India - Malcolm is on the far left seated
MSI Collection ; India - Malcolm is on the far left seated
1938
1938
12
12
1931 ; Hancock, NH.
1931 ; Hancock, NH.
13
13
14
14
1938 - Cannes,France
1938 - Cannes,France
15
15
1954 - Upper Meherabad, India. Meher Baba with both his Eastern & Western followers. Malcolm is seated on the 2nd top row,far left. LM p.4500
1954 - Upper Meherabad, India. Meher Baba with both his Eastern & Western followers. Malcolm is seated on the 2nd top row,far left. LM p.4500
Meherabad, India ; 1954
Meherabad, India ; 1954
The Yoga of Meher Baba
by MALCOLM SCHLOSS

 

 

INCE MEHER BABA is an oriental by birth, and the practice of some kind of yoga is the oriental method of seeking union with God, the question often arises as to what kind of yoga BABA teaches.

 

The yoga that MEHER BABA teaches is the yoga of right living, and he teaches it, not by words and explanations, but by action and experience, which gives the control and direction of power, and the realization of truth. He has said that he has come to reveal the One Supreme Self which is in all. Accordingly, he makes his disciples realize that for them there must be no division in life. He does not say, "Don't do this; it is material. Do this; it is spiritual." Instead, he gives his disciples varied, simple tasks to perform, until they realize, through experience, that the burden of his teaching is, "Do whatever needs to be done, but do it as a spiritual being ... as one who knows he is divine by nature and united with the whole of life in essence. Do it as if you were doing it for me, or for God. Do it with equal consideration for the interests of all concerned, for God is equally in each. Do it with the utmost concentration, yet with utter detachment from the results of action. Leave the fruits of action to me, or to God. Do it as if it were the most important thing in the universe, yet let it be destroyed, or ignored, or ridiculed, without concern, or let it be praised without elation. Leave the response to me, or to God. Do it, in short, as if you were not doing it at all, but as if I, or God, were doing it through you."

 

In that way, he teaches his disciples to use the circumstances of their daily lives as a sacred thread to lead them to union with God ... that union which he has experienced, and which he is here to help others to experience. The consecration of the whole of life to God is the comer-stone of the Temple of Perfection he is rearing. Meditation ... the consecration of the mind; selfless service…the consecration of the heart; these are the pillars of the Temple.

 

The best thing that anyone can do, for oneself, for the world, for BABA, for God, is to realize, in oneself and in everything he contacts, the One Supreme Self which is in all, and to help others also to realize it. Those who lend their thought, their speech, their action to that purpose, will realize it increasingly, and will also help others to greater and greater realization.

 

Courtesy of ; The Awakener - Vol.1  No.2  1953

 



24th September 1954, Meherabad Hill, India : Malcolm is 4th from the left wearing a hat. LM p. 4500
24th September 1954, Meherabad Hill, India : Malcolm is 4th from the left wearing a hat. LM p. 4500

 

 

Check out this site :

http://mischievouspeeps.com/stories/suitcase-malcolm-schloss/

 

The following article was made possible with the generous assistance of Kendra Crossen, Alan Talbot & Kecha Kashouty.

 

 

The Lost Suitcase of Malcolm Schloss

by Clive G. Adams

Introduction

During November 2013, while on a sixty-day visit to Meherabad, I began work on a book detailing my life and Meher Baba stories, for my children, grandchildren, and future generations of our family. Initially, I didn’t see any major significance to any particular story, but as more details emerged, it became clear some stories may have broader interest. The following story about Malcolm Schloss and Filis Frederick seemed like a good a place to start, especially as the sixtieth anniversary of the Three Incredible Weeks Sahavas (September 1954) approaches.

Background

Following the 1969 Darshan, I spent considerable quality time with Filis Frederick, who lived near where I grew up. Through frequent contact and many shared interests, Filis became an important mentor and a spiritual (cosmic) mother to me. I didn’t see it so much at the time, but Filis and I had much in common, in terms of interests and outlook, and we both shared intense interest and curiosity about the hidden side of life and nature.

During the course of our relationship, Filis shared many stories about Meher Baba, the minor incarnations of the Avatar, her past life memories, and insights on the nature of the Spiritual Path.  Baba Lovers such as Bill Files, Peter Justin, Ursula Reinhart, Susan Herr, Jurgis Sapkis, Audrey Bowen, Teri Adams, Lyn Maguire, and numerous others also were recipients of Filis’s extensive archive of experiences and stories. Some of the stories were relatively short anecdotes, but others were more complex, involving a detailed backstory and historical context. After almost forty-five years, the following story is still quite vivid in memory.

Filis shares a Malcolm Schloss anecdote

One day Filis told me a remarkable story, which forms the backdrop for a larger story called “The Lost Suitcase of Malcolm Schloss.” At the time of Filis’s initial sharing, the basic facts became fixed in my mind, because part of the story involved Meher Baba’s “lost Book” and a theory as to a possible location for it! What follows is the gist of the story as I remember her reciting it.

Sometime in 1954, Meher Baba announced his intention to hold a special gathering, to be held from September 12 to September 30 of 1954, at Meherabad, India. The “Three Incredible Weeks,” as it became famously known, was to be an important gathering of Baba’s male “lovers,” as he called his followers, from East and West. The timing and purpose of the meeting, according to Meher Baba, coincided with crucial universal work He was doing of immense spiritual significance. This special work included the public release for the first time of His “Final Declaration” and other major formal public announcements.

As founder and editor of The Awakener Magazine, a journal devoted to Meher Baba, Filis Frederick required some eyes and ears on the ground at Meherabad, to record the daily happenings, during the three-week event with Baba. Filis intended to publish a detailed history of the Sahavas in The Awakener. The two men she recruited to report on the event were Malcolm Schloss and Charles Purdom. Charles and Malcolm were among Baba’s earliest circle of Western disciples, and each was a keen observer and experienced writer.

Filis confirmed with Charles and Malcolm their intention to attend the gathering in India, and they agreed to keep a daily diary of the event for posterity. Filis indicated to me that she had an understanding with Charles and Malcolm , in which they agreed to write up a collaborative story after their return, drawing from their notes and experiences, and allow The Awakener Magazine exclusive publication rights.

A combined diary of Malcolm Schloss and Charles Purdom’s notes, from the Three Incredible Weeks, was published in a “special issue” of The Awakener Magazine (vol. 2, no. 3), which was released in early 1955, devoted exclusively to their joint story. Additional reminiscences from attendees of the three-week Sahavas were  published in The Awakener Magazine (vol. 2, no. 4), in the spring of 1955, under the title “Facets of the Diamond.”  In 1979, Sheriar Press combined the Awakener accounts into a single book entitled Three Incredible Weeks with Meher Baba.

During 1954, Filis and Malcolm were living in the New York City area. Charles Purdom lived in England, where he was a respected drama critic, editor, and author. Malcolm Schloss was married to Jean Adriel, with whom he founded and ran a metaphysical bookstore called The North Node , located in NYC, during the 1920’s and early ’30’s. Malcolm and Jean parted ways sometime in the late 30’s, I believe. The North Node had been the main contact point for a number of sincere American seekers of God, forming a crucial link between the modern Avatar and His male and female Western “Circle” members. Most of His early Western Mandali, whom Baba contacted on his 1931–32 visits to the U.S. and England, came to Baba, directly or indirectly, through contact with Jean and Malcolm at The North Node bookstore.

Prior to Malcolm’s departure for the Three Incredible Weeks, Filis went to see him, to discuss the upcoming meeting and to give him some letters and gifts to deliver to the women Mandali and Baba. She may also have given Malcolm a small camera and some cash for the trip, if I recall correctly.

The next part of the story was extremely memorable the time I first heard it. According to Filis, after the Three Incredible Weeks came to an end, Malcolm made one, or more, unscheduled stops (in Paris, for example) on his return journey to New York. He arrived back in the U.S. almost one week later than expected, on October 6, 1954. Filis told me that after Malcolm’s delayed return, she had wondered if he had broken Baba’s order, by failing to come straight back following the gathering. When Malcolm finally did arrive back in New York, Filis had a strong premonition that she should immediately go to his apartment and get the notes and diaries and whatever else he may have been bringing back from Baba for her. I vaguely remember Filis mentioning that Malcolm was bringing letters and a “manuscript” of some kind, from Baba, for the Awakener archive.

Acting on her premonition, Filis went to Malcolm’s apartment the same day he arrived back in the U.S., and after he handed over to her his notes and diaries of the gathering, she quickly took her leave. The very next day (October 7, 1954) Malcolm dropped dead of an apparent heart attack. Filis was almost certainly the last Baba person to see him alive. It turned out that the same day Malcolm died, Baba formally gave up the use of His alphabet board, and Baba was quoted by Filis as saying that Malcolm was “fortunate” to have died when he did because of the significance of the October 7th date. Why this was fortunate I never found out.

As Filis proceeded with the story, she dropped a second bombshell. She said she had always wondered if, by a strange quirk of Avataric fate, Malcolm’s unscheduled stops on the way back from the Three Incredible Weeks was in some way connected to Meher Baba’s so-called, lost or missing Book, or some other secret errand he may have been sent on by Baba. This idea was partly fueled by the mystery surrounding the timing of his death, plus the fact that Filis couldn’t believe Malcolm would intentionally break Baba’s order by randomly stopping on the way back from such an important Baba gathering; thus, she felt, he must have been carrying out some kind of secret instructions from Baba.  This comment made a deep impression on me.

Filis then went on to state that she and Ivy Duce had often speculated that Malcolm may have been carrying Baba’s famous Book (i.e., the manuscript for it) back from India or Europe, with specific instructions as to its final destination in either Europe or America. This part of the story had a powerful impact on my imagination for a number of years. It caused me to bookmark as many facts as possible from the story in case I would ever have the opportunity to investigate further.

Filis then said that after Malcolm died, a number of Baba lovers (including Filis and Ivy) tried unsuccessfully to gain possession of his belongings, especially his Baba treasures. But for whatever reason, Malcolm’s relations and heirs were totally uncooperative in this regard, in spite of repeated attempts by Sufism Reoriented and others to get hold of them. Filis ended the story by saying that Malcolm’s personal effects, along with his Baba treasures, had seemingly disappeared and were probably lost forever.

Note: Malcolm died so soon after arriving back in America, that whatever Baba treasures he may have been bringing back from India were likely to have remained in his suitcase(s). This likelihood appealed to my treasure-hunting sanskaras, especially the remote but nonetheless real possibility that Baba’s famous manuscript could have been brought back by Malcolm and was either in Europe or lost in America!

The Lost Suitcase

Now we fast-forward to the late 1970’s, when I was living with my then-wife, Teri Scott Adams, in a beautiful adobe ranch home in Corrales, New Mexico, along with our three children Merwan, Raina, and baby Eruch (Katie came later, in 1981). In those days we had our own Indian jewelry business, called Meher House of Heishe, located 40 miles to the north, in a 500-year-old Spanish village by the name of Peña Blanca.  It was 10 miles off the I-25 Interstate, located midway between two Indian reservations by the name of Cochiti and Santo Domingo pueblos. The area is frequented by tourists, sitting as it does between Albuquerque and Santa Fe, and well known for its custom jewelry, pottery, ceremonial dances, and a famous geological anomaly known as Tent Rocks.

We were the only trading post in New Mexico that specialized in Native American heishe jewelry exclusively. The Indian word heishe means ground rock or shell;the jewelry is an ancient form of ceremonial necklace, made of hand-ground precious and semiprecious stones and/or shell beads, an art form also well known to the Polynesian, Egyptian, and Tibetan cultures. From 1973 to 1980, Meher House of Heishe traded in American Indian arts and jewelry while also producing a line of custom heishe-style necklaces for jewelry stores all over the U.S. (Another Baba lover, Peter Busse, became a business partner of MHOH after Kitty Davy sent him to NM to connect with me.)

Artisans from the nearby Santo Domingo Pueblo are among the most famous heishe makers in the world. We developed a close relationship with many Native Americans from various pueblos, and many came to hear of Meher Baba through our store and the large “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” poster that hung prominently on the wall of our store for many years. 

One day in 1977, I was working alone in the store when a larger-than-life gentleman in his forties or fifties, with a thick, ruddy beard, walked in, appearing somewhat dazed. He glanced furtively around the store as if looking for something, then spied the “Don’t Worry, Be Happy“ poster, at which point he turned and said, “I thought this place must have something to do with Meher Baba, so my girlfriend and I [who initially stayed in the car], stopped to find out. Somehow, we got lost on our way from Santa Fe to Albuquerque and ended up passing by your store.”

Then he asked if Meher Baba still had an active following and was most surprised to learn there was a growing movement of Baba people all over the world. He apparently assumed that interest in Meher Baba had died out long ago. Teri and I recall that he introduced himself as Matthew, but we’re not sure of his last name.

When Matthew said he had become lost on his way from Santa Fe to Albuquerque, I knew that it was almost impossible to “‘accidentally’” end up in front of our store in Peña Blanca, except through divine intervention, or else copious quantities of drugs and alcohol. Matthew went on to make the startling announcement, “My uncle, was the poet and writer Malcolm Schloss. That’s how I came to recognize the name ‘Meher’ on the outside of your store.”.

He then said that he also had become a writer, due partially to Malcolm’s example and encouragement. He stated how much he loved and respected Malcolm, and at some point he said he had inherited Malcolm’s belongings—including his Baba treasures—mainly because he was the only one in the family who had a deep connection with Malcolm. I remember at the time trying to wrap my mind around the fact that Matthew, a non–Baba lover, ended up with all Malcolm’s stuff, in spite of the repeated efforts of Filis Frederick and Ivy Duce to get hold of his possessions back in 1954, and now Matthew is here in my store twenty-three years later, telling me his uncle was Malcolm Schloss and that Matthew actually inherited the missing stuff. Wow!

I began to gently press Matthew with questions to clarify the history, and found out that Malcolm’s belongings were currently stored in the attic of another relative’s house, who lives in Connecticut! Oh my God! My mind was reeling with this news. For a moment I thought I was dreaming the whole thing up. I couldn’t get out of my mind the idea that Baba’s missing Book, and other spiritual treasures, might be hidden away in that attic in Connecticut. How and on what pretext could we gain access to Malcolm’s long-lost belongings?

When Matthew said that his inheritance of Malcolm’s personal effects had been stored, unseen, for twenty-five years in an attic in Connecticut, all I could think of was:  How can I delay Matthew’s departure? I wondered if Matthew would be amenable to some kind of agreement, to give us the missing belongings. The instant Matthew said his uncle was the poet Malcolm Schloss, the details of Filis Frederick’s story flooded back into my mind. I felt in a quandary: on the one hand, here was the link to Malcolm’s stuff standing right in front of me, but on the other hand, he was about to leave for California, where he was heading when he became “lost.”

In those days, I had a fairly active imagination and all things seemed possible. The crazy idea that Meher Baba’s lost Book could actually be within our reach acted as a motivating force to invite Matthew and his girlfriend to have dinner that evening with our family. I felt an inner excitement, as if on the verge of some great discovery, the sort of feeling one might have when breaking the seal on a door to a 4,000-year-old tomb of Ancient Egypt. So in order to make the dinner invitation more compelling, I offered in addition a place to stay for the night. I called Teri to confirm the arrangements and seem to recall deciding to serve a traditional  English-style roast beef dinner for our illustrious guests. I closed the business early, and Matthew and his girlfriend followed me the 40 miles south to our home in Corrales.

Matthew had initially balked at accepting the dinner invitation, because he had to reach San Diego, some 1,200 miles distant from where we were then standing, because of an important engagement he had to make. This created a sense of urgency and unpredictability around the problem of how to raise the issue of Malcolm’s belongings.

Matthew talked it over with his girlfriend and they finally decided to accept our invitation for dinner and staying the night. On the way back home from the store, I was trying to fathom the question of how one might go about obtaining Malcolm’s possessions. As the question turned over and over, I came to the conclusion that if a deal was possible, it must be struck while Matthew was at our house. Otherwise it would likely never happen. The greater risk, to my mind, was in not finding out what Malcolm had left behind when he passed so suddenly in 1954! I had to make an effort; otherwise Filis might never forgive me. . . .

In those days, we didn’t have much extra cash (who did?) in order to make an offer for Malcolm’s things, so the question arose, how could one create urgency? Teri served a wonderful English roast (with Yorkshire pudding, no doubt) and we drank some good wine, after which I awkwardly broached the subject of Malcolm’s  possessions. I had already made up my mind that I wasn’t letting Matthew out of the house without making a serious effort to acquire the items he had inherited from Malcolm’s estate.

It was going to be tricky to achieve the right balance, but no doubt Teri’s excellent cooking, the wine, the atmosphere—and of course, Meher Baba’s intervention—all contributed to making it possible. It was no doubt a somewhat clumsy attempt on my part, but it was up to us to find a way to make this happen while we still had the opportunity. If Filis hadn’t brought up the subject of Baba’s missing Book in relation to Malcolm’s untimely death, I may not have felt so much urgency around the affair, but as it was I simply couldn’t get the idea of finding the famous missing Book out of my mind, no matter how remote the possibility might be.

We found out earlier in the evening that Malcolm’s precious Baba treasures had been consolidated into one small suitcase. As the evening progressed, it became clear that Matthew wasn’t going to let go of this little piece of luggage without some kind of financial exchange, so I offered him five hundred dollars and hoped for the best. (An online inflation calculator indicates that five hundred dollars in the late 1970s equates to about eighteen hundred dollars in 2014 money.) Even after this generous offer, Matthew was still reluctant to part with Malcolm’s possessions, but he did agree to call his relatives in Connecticut and obtain an inventory of the suitcase’s contents. He made the call and asked them to do a quick inventory and get back to us. This is when things got even dicier, because no one except me saw any reason for urgency, and the earliest his relations in Connecticut could get back to us with the inventory was the next day. Matthew was in a big hurry to leave for California, so it began to seem impossible to reach an agreement before his departure. This led me to conclude that there was nothing to be done but sweeten the offer and try to finalize an agreement with him while I had the chance.

At this point I recall asking Matthew what would motivate him to cement a deal for the suitcase, and he pointed to two beautiful handmade Navajo blankets (or rugs), which were hanging on the walls of our home. Yikes! We didn’t want to part with these precious keepsakes, but for the purpose of a quick resolution, I agreed to throw in the rugs. (I don’t think Teri was very happy about letting Matthew have the rugs, but neither was I!) After sweetening the offer, Matthew seemed far more motivated and it seemed a deal was imminent.

The following morning, with the inventory in hand, I drew up an agreement and we both signed it. The items on the inventory list were not very specific, so we had to make a leap of faith as to the value, if any, of the contents of the suitcase. But one thing that was particularly interesting on the inventory was the notation of an unfinished manuscript or a book having to do with Meher Baba!

It took several weeks for the suitcase to finally arrive. Unfortunately, as you’ve already guessed, Baba’s lost Book was not among the contents of the suitcase, but by that time I had already prepared myself for that eventuality, although I still held out some hope.

When the suitcase arrived, the first surprise was how humble a suitcase it was. The initials M.S. were embossed in gold on the front of the suitcase, and it had the appearance of an antique relic left over from the World War I era. I realized Malcolm had gone all over the world with this suitcase for decades, and he must have traveled incredibly light, because the case was quite small. When we first opened it, we were not overly impressed at the contents, because there weren’t a large number of items. The suitcase contents in part, were as follows:

•    A bedside folding photo case, containing a lovely photograph of Jean Adriel Schloss from the 1920’s and another photo of Malcolm and Jean together.
•    An envelope of old black and white snapshots, taken during World War I.
•    An unfinished manuscript of a book Malcolm was working on, called “When the Master Is Ready.” (We gave the manuscript to Filis to publish initially, in The Awakener Magazine, which she did, not long after we received it. The original manuscript now resides at Beloved Archives in New Jersey and has also been published in the Glow International.) Malcolm was working on the full history of The North Node bookstore and all the early contacts with Meher Baba, at the time of his death, but the manuscript appeared only about half finished.
•    One 11 x 14-inch photo signed by Meher Baba and one 5 x 7-inch photo signed by Him (each with the handwritten words at bottom, “I am the Highest of the High”), which were apparent gifts from Baba to those who attended the Three Incredible Weeks Sahavas. The former signed photo was unusual for its large size, and it was unclear why Malcolm would have received two photos, both signed by the Avatar, instead of the usual single signed phtotgraph? I thought at the time that maybe Baba (who knows everthing) sent one to me as a gift. Wishful thinking, maybe . . .
•    Two handmade etchings, given to Malcolm by Roger Vieillard, a well-known French artist who was married to one of the early Western members of the Circle, Anita de Caro. The two etchings were from a famous 1951 series of thirteen etchings by Roger  entitled L'Ecclésiaste (Ecclesiastes).  These were almost certainly given to Malcolm when he stopped over in Paris on his way back from the Three Incredible Weeks. It appears he must have stayed at the Vieillard home on his way back from India. We have heard that Roger Vieillard is among the most famous twentieth-century French artists.
•    Notes and diaries of World War I and earlier.
•    Other diaries and notes.
•    Letters and correspondence from Ivy Duce on behalf of Sufism Reoriented, regarding their wish to obtain Malcolm’s personal effects.
•    A list of all those invited to the Darshan by Meher Baba that took place in Hollywood in 1952. A number of famous people were on this guest list, the most famous of whom was none other than God Himself!There were a few other miscellaneous items, which I have now forgotten.

During and for a short period after this adventure occurred, I had a strong sense of Malcolm’s presence, from time to time; I never met him, but somehow I knew it was him. He carried an aroma of Baba.

This sums up the adventure of the Lost Suitcase of Malcolm Schloss. I never had any regrets over the affair, or the material cost of obtaining Malcolm’s treasures. After receiving the suitcase, we never heard from Matthew again. Teri Adams has one of the signed photographs, and I have the other, both of which we regard as priceless artifacts of the Three Incredible Weeks Sahavas. The 11 x 14-inch signed photo was professionally mounted and framed using archival materials, and it should last many generations. The two Roger Vieillard etchings are similarly framed and preserved.

Someday, God willing, we would like to establish a Baba Museum in Asheville, NC, to house Baba treasures, from our own and other Baba lovers’ collections. My personal collection includes a precious sadra worn by Meher Baba, which was a gift from Mani and Mehera and handed to me in person by Mehera J. Irani in 1971, along with her love blessings. But that is another story, for another time!

Avatar Meher Baba ki Jai!
 
Clive Gordon Adams
June 1, 2014
Point Richmond, CA

 

 

 

1937, Nasik, India - Malcolm standing in the background. Courtesy of Lord Meher p2101
1937, Nasik, India - Malcolm standing in the background. Courtesy of Lord Meher p2101



The following was contributed by Robert Ahrens :


Courtesy of Lord Meher, online addition, p. 3650 (http://www.lordmeher.org/rev/index.jsp?pageBase=page.jsp&nextPage=3650):  


John Bass cabled Baba that Malcolm Schloss had died in New York on the 7th of October. Baba had told his Western lovers to go straight home after leaving India, but Malcolm had stayed in Paris for a few days and again in New York, instead of returning directly to Hollywood, California.


Baba instructed Meherjee to send these two telegrams in reply:

"Inform all concerned that most fortunate Malcolm passed away from you all on most important day of seventh in unique circumstances after embracing Baba and completing Baba's work".


"Baba stopped using board from the 7th, but conveyed by gestures specially send this message for Malcolm's group that Malcolm very fortunate passing away on the 7th and has come to Baba. Baba wishes you send autographed pictures to Malcolm's group, according to his list, and Baba's robe [sadra] to person taking charge of his group. Baba wishes you let Baba lovers in America, Europe, Australia know both my cables."

1937; Courtesy of Lord Meher ( 1st Edition )  p2071
1937; Courtesy of Lord Meher ( 1st Edition ) p2071

 

 

 

BOOKS PUBLISHED

 

 

SONGS TO CELEBRATE THE SUN

 

1930

 

Published by : New Life Association, New York, USA

 

59 pages

 

250 copies

 

POETRY

 

Hardcover



MEHER BABA


- a biographical sketch

 

1941

 

Self published in California

 

20 pages

 

Softcover / pamphlet

 

THE INFINITE GLORY

 

1945

 

Published by : Sufism Reoriented

 

2 printings ( Covers have different coloured text )

both 80 pages

 

POETRY


Hardcover

 

PROCESSIONAL OF JOY

 

1946

 

Self published in California

 

78 pages


There were 2 printings of this book, hence the different covers.


 

POETRY


Hardcover

 

WAYS TO ATTAIN THE SUPREME REALITY BY MEHER BABA

 

1952 & 1972

 

Published by : Sufism Reoriented

 

2 printings ( Covers have different  text )

 

both have 75 pages

 

Hardcover


1972 cover shown left

 

 

THREE INCREDIBLE WEEKS WITH MEHER BABA

September 11 - 30, 1954

 

2nd Printing ; 1979

 

Co-written with Charles Purdom

 

Published by : Sheriar Press

 

165 pages

 

Softcover

 

THREE INCREDIBLE WEEKS WITH MEHER BABA

SEPT. 11 - SEPT. 30, 1954

 

Malcolm Schloss & Charles Purdom

 

3rd Printing ; 2021

 

Published by : Sheriar Press

165 pp.

 

 

 

TRES INCREIBLES SEMANAS

( THREE INCREDIBLE WEEKS )

 

MICHAEL SCHLOSS & CHARLES PURDOM

 

SPANISH

 

 

 

Published & Translated by :
Friends Foundation for the Arts of Avatar Meher Baba

 

89 p.

1937 ; Nasik, India - Courtesy of Lord Meher ( 1st Ed. ) p2099
1937 ; Nasik, India - Courtesy of Lord Meher ( 1st Ed. ) p2099

 

 

 

LETTER

 

Courtisy of ; HEART TALK – Adi K. Irani Secretary Collection – Fifty Ninth Letter
Avatar Meher Baba PPC Trust, Archives, Meherabad

The letter in this week's Heart Talk is to Malcolm Schloss from Carl E. Reinecke and dated 28 February 1932. He heard of Baba from Malcolm. Baba is to arrive in New York on 19th May 1932 on His second trip to the West, go to Harmon on 23rd May and leave for Cleveland (and later Hollywood) on 25th May 1932.

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1931 : Malcolm at Hancock, NH. ( cropped imaged by A Zois )
1931 : Malcolm at Hancock, NH. ( cropped imaged by A Zois )

 

 

American Field Service

 

 

Malcolm served in 1917 as a volunteer ambulance driver in France during World War 1, assigned to the French forces with the American Field Service.

 

The following images show the typical ambulances that Malcolm would have been assigned to and the uniform he would have worn including the various field hats and the medal he would have received for his service.

HOUSES LIVED IN

 

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK


1910

 

325W 122nd STREET, NEW YORK

1917

 

226W 122nd STREET, NEW YORK

 

 

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

Map courtesy of Jeanne Kassof

 

 

1934

 

1840  CAMINO  PALMERO  STREET,  HOLLYWOOD,

LOS ANGELES, CA.

 

 

The address of the house in this photo that Malcom and Jean Schloss rented is 1840 Camino Palmero, Los Angeles, California 90046, December 18, 1934 through January 7, 1935.

 

The train arrived in Pasadena, California on the morning of the 18th of December, 1934. Baba was delighted to be in California. Jean and Malcolm Schloss greeted Baba and his group at the train station. They drove to a rented house in Los Angeles at number 1840 Camino Palmero where they were to stay for a month.

Once settled in, Baba warned the group, "We should not spend more than is necessary on food, so arrange the meals in ways that they may not be costly." Rather than eating at restaurants, they hired a woman to do the cooking and Ruano began to manage the shopping. Baba wanted spinach every day and Ruano washed it herself before having it cooked.

 

Lord Meher Volume 6, Page 1934

 

CHECK OUT THIS PAGE FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT THIS HOUSE.

http://www.meherbabatravels.com/location-gallery/usa/los-angeles-ca-usa/

 

 

 

1937

 

1764 PROSPECT DRIVE, HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES, CA.

 

 

 

1940

 

2434 CHEREMOYA AVENUE, HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES, CA.

BUILT 1924

 

 

 

1940s

 

6238 TEMPLE HILL DRIVE, HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES, CA.

BUILT

 

 

 

1950s

 

2425 CHEREMOYA AVENUE, LOS ANGELES, CA.

BUILT

1930S

 

 

 

 

NORTH  NODE  BOOKSHOP -

 

30 E 60th St New York, NY 10022, USA

 

BUILDING ENTRANCE OF THE LA SALLE HOTEL
BUILDING ENTRANCE OF THE LA SALLE HOTEL

1910 CENSUS ( New York )

 

THE SCHLOSS FAMILY APPEAR AT THE VERY TOP OF THE PAGE.

THEY LIVED AT 325 W122nd STREET

 

Courtesy of Jeanne Kassof

 

 

 

SHIPS  MALCOLM  TRAVELLED ON

 

SS ILE DE FRANCE

Departed  29th October 1936 from Plymouth, England and arrived in New York on 4th November 1936.

He was travelling with 6 other Americans who had also been to India.

 

 

SS ELYSIA

Departed 25th November 1936 in Europe and arrived in Bombay, India 8th December 1936

The other Westerners he sailed with were ; Norina, Elizabeth, Jean, Rano &  Nonny.

 

 

RMS  STRATHNAVER

Departed 31st July 1937 from Bombay and arrived at Marseilles, France 13th August 1937.

The other Westerners he sailed with were ; Margaret Craske, Elizabeth, Audrey Williams, Norina Matchabelli, Nonny & Rano Gayley, Jean (Adriel) Schloss and Tom Sharpley.

 

 

RMS  QUEEN MARY

The following is the passenger list from RMS QUEEN MARY that sailed from Cherbourg, France on the 10th November 1937 to New York, USA.

 

Courtesy of Jeanne Kassof