THE GOD-MAN The Life, Journeys and Work of Meher Baba with an ...

186 THE GOD-MANfeeling the strain, when the total number of contacted men had reached 1,325. He said that thebad weather and everything else was unhelpful, but he did not care about difficulties orinconveniences so far as his work was concerned. As always, however, Baba enquiredcarefully about the health of everyone else daily.A circular was prepared on 21 March and ordered to be sent out to 350 special friends for acontribution to a fund for 35,000 rupees to repay Dr. Abdul Ghani Munsiff, one of thecompanions who was continuing the New Life away from Baba, in recognition of propertygiven to Baba in the old life, which sum Ghani felt himself bound to make good. This, saidthe circular, was to be treated as 'our "old life" a burden to be removed in the New Life'. Themoney was to be sent to Ramju who was to hand it over. 'I want everyone to understand thatthis is a special case concerning a New Life companion and the first and last of its kind for mein the New Life', explained Baba; as will be seen it proved to be not the last.Baba went away again the next day, as usual with four companions, to Hardwar to makefurther contacts. The rain was very heavy. They contacted 225 sadhus and returned toMotichur, going out again with the same object the next day and the next, in fact daily until 5April, when they returned to Manjri Mafi. The weather alternated between bright and sunny,and stormy with heavy rains. The work ended on 7 April. By that time 4,510 mahatmas,sadhus, and saints had been contacted.From 7 April there is no record. Certain companions (the Temporary Restricted Group)went to Delhi where they 'started a business'. They were recalled by 24 May. Donkin gave uphis practice at Dehra Dun.Towards the end of May Baba put to the companions the methods of carrying out the labourphase of the New Life. All ten companions decided to accept the proposal of life-long serviceto Baba, and to obey him as a servant obeys his master; he could order them to do any kind ofwork he chose, expecting nothing in return from him; all consequent hardships were to beaccepted; should Baba be dissatisfied with any servant-companion he could dismiss him,though the one dismissed would still be bound by the conditions of the New Life. Thisunanimous decision was taken on 24 May by Eruch, Pendu, Bariakaka, Baidul, Donkin, Nilu,Vishnu, Murli, Gustadji, and Ali Akbar, also Kaikobad Dastur, who was not permitted to beincluded in the servant-companions; he had previously been in the New Life at home.