Laughter broke out and John Bass continued, "I always emphasize that those who met Baba in 1952 do not need any 'ism' — just to read and study Baba's own teachings."

Ivy replied, "Since Baba himself has designed and created a charter for Sufism Reoriented, it is silly to say no 'ism' is necessary. Baba wants his 'ism.' "

Baba intervened and said:

I want you all to bear in mind one thing. I now emphasize one point which I emphasized in India also when I called all together at the Andhra meeting [1954]. I said that for me, there is no need for centers for different places, nor different groups, with different heads or names. My center is the heart of every lover. Every lover with a heart that loves Baba is a center. The second point I would like to emphasize is that whoever wants to work spreading my message of Love and Truth absolutely needs a central office and groups of workers who can function from that central office. There is always a need for a group to have a center. You can have many such centers — Myrtle Beach is such a center — and it stretches for many miles!

But there should be cooperation, harmony, and the group heads should not try to win over other members from one office to another. Why? What for? When all work for Baba. There should be harmony, cooperation.

Ivy once said to me that if I ordered it, she would just dissolve the Sufi order and have nothing to do with it, but I said no. On the contrary, I gave her a charter to hold meetings, have an office, conduct affairs, which she does. I am the greatest Sufi of the past, present and future. I have ordered the Sufis to continue, and I have also instructed John Bass to hold his group meetings on Mondays, and told Dana Field that he can have his own group to bring together as many new lovers as possible.

There should be no competition. Each one, especially the group heads, should be an example to others — be humble as dust. One must become like dust to work for God. The ego should not be tickled about position and office and say, "I am a group head!" Those who work under certain group heads should not leave them.