to stay there. We must, however, be there at 8:45 a.m. On the 30th, we were to be there at 8:45 a.m. and come away only when He said so.

He then distributed the presents and photographs, and said, "To all you meet and see, give My love—the only thing worth receiving." He said to Mr. Hitaker, “You may become one of My chief workers in spreading My work in Japan and in other places, but you must first absorb Me and feel that you love Me. To tell others what we don't feel ourselves is hypocrisy. So feel, then speak with conviction. I will help you for I am in you. For the last seven nights I had no rest, but I am happy." He then embraced everyone and went away.

Wednesday, September 29

The first of the two great final days: it had rained heavily from 4 a.m. on Tuesday until 4 a.m. this morning; most of the time a so-called "elephant rain," with a very high wind from the northwest, so that part of the wall surrounding Meherabad was broken down, and the water leaked in the refectory, dormitory and elsewhere.

A large pandal had been erected just off the roadway near Meherabad, in which a thousand men could be seated. There were sleeping quarters, a place where they had their meals and a field kitchen. Owing to the heavy rain there was mud everywhere, and much discomfort must have been suffered by all the 948 devotees and workers for Baba who had come from all over India, at His invitation, to take part in the meetings.

The pandal was gaily decorated, with a platform at the end for Baba. Baba arrived early. When all had gathered in the Meeting pandal, Baba had this announced on the microphone:

"I called all you dear ones for the Meeting. What is meeting? Meeting means we meet. So before we begin anything, we meet in embrace for the last time. So meet Me with all your heart, but not so tightly so as to break My ribs!

"Last night, all the time I was thinking: Why the rains started especially on the 28th when you all were to arrive here; because all these 28 days there was sunshine and all the programs went off very cheerfully. The darshan program of 12th September, the explanations to the Western group here,