The lovers then had lunch. Bill and Francis were called to meet with Baba privately, and discussed the work done in Baba's name in Australia.
Later, the group reassembled in the Meeting Hall. Seeing the different structures on the property, Baba appreciated the amount of work done to make the place ready at such short notice.
He gestured to Francis, "What daring!"
He asked Francis for the names of all who had helped, and Francis said he and Roy Baulch were the first workers, and then he named the rest. Each stood for a moment as his or her name was called. Reg Paffle — who had labored very hard on building Baba's House and furniture, had regularly driven back and forth 620 miles north from Sydney every weekend and spare time between his usual employment at the Australia Hotel.1 He had continued working humbly outside, but Baba called him in and made him sit at his feet throughout his time at the Meeting Hall.
Baba mentioned the Meherabad Sahavas, and how Pendu had been frightened that things would not be ready in time, yet within five days all the arrangements had been made for more than 800 men and women at the sahavas.
Francis then read Baba's discourse about Hafiz advising seekers to "step out of the boundary of one's own nature" and what it means to "become like dust" — in other words to completely obey. Baba interrupted several times to explain further.
At the end, Baba asked, "Can you all obey me during the sahavas and from June 10 to July 10, 1958? All who agree to obey me should raise their hands, but consider well what obedience means. Do you understand?"
Everyone raised their hands, except for the boys, Noel and Colin Adams, and a man named Lawrie Adolphus. Baba asked those three to come forward.
He inquired, "Didn't you know the terms of coming to the sahavas? Only those who were ready to obey me were to participate in it."
Colin said he had not understood, and the other two said they were really not certain whether they could obey him or not. Baba asked Clarice Adams if she had explained the conditions of coming to the sahavas to her sons. She had but said, "Evidently not adequately enough."
Footnotes
- 1.Reg Paffle was later one of the fortunate few whom Baba permitted to live on Avatar's Abode.