Among the few who later left Baba were three mentioned in this account. They loved Baba deeply and did much work in preparing for his first visit to the West — both before and after. They were Meredith Starr, Quentin Tod, (since passed on) and my brother Herbert. However, in playing their role of being an intermediary in bringing others to Baba, they no doubt benefited spiritually from their contact with him.

Concerning those who drift away, Charles Purdom writes: "We must expect to find a few of those who come to Baba as his disciples fall away. They are the most enthusiastic, who sound his praises loudest, and find no one like him, who, believing so greatly can believe no longer. It is a sad experience for the disciple and not without pain for the Master, though the pain is touched with joy for they who go away also do his work.

"The Master of spiritual things must so test the souls of his followers that they can resist every temptation to leave him."

Let us consider pride, — a test all have to face. Say, for example, one wishes to be the best beloved and receive admiration from Baba which Baba may give in earlier days to encourage and strengthen for the trials to come. Another may disapprove of the way the work is done and his pride leads him to think that in his hands the work could have been done better. A third is faced with spiritual pride that he is only second to Baba in spiritual achievement and expects this recognition from other disciples who do not give it — or he may be desirous of experiencing occult phenomena which is not Baba's way of guiding one to the Ultimate. With these desires it is hard to keep close in love.

Baba, on no less than three occasions, has given us all a timely warning. In his Message for June 30, 1960 from Meherazad — "I have repeatedly stressed while at Guruprasad that the time has come when I want you all to cling to my 'daaman* ' with both hands, in case the grip of one hand is lost your other hand will serve you in good stead."

In Baba's "Reminder" dictated by him at Pimpalgaon in September 1957 he says: "Be resolved to hold fast to My ' daaman' even when this cloud bursts; you will thereby share in My work." Then follows in the same article one of those hard sayings — so difficult to understand — "if it is destined that My ' daaman' should slip from your hands, it will. But it is for Me to warn and for you to remain alert." (The Law of 'Must ').

Also from the "Reminder": "I am infinitely Merciful and so repeat the same thing again and again so that you may remember My words and try your best to cling to Me."

*Hem of his garment.