A widow said, 'I have kept my
husband's coat till now; I will sell it, and give half the price.'
And others made similar responses. Isaac, a poor old mountaineer,
gave two korans; and another said, 'I have nothing but the mat I
sit on: I give that.' It was a new one he had just finished. A
mother said, 'I have nothing now, but I will give the work of my
hands this winter--a tope [ten yards] of cotton cloth.' A pilgrim
said, 'When I was in Jerusalem, an Armenian and a Russian bid
against each other, and the Russian prevailed, giving five hundred
tomans to the Greek convent. If they had such zeal for error, we
ought to have more for the truth.' And one unaccustomed to come to
church gave the fruit and prunings of fifteen rows in his vineyard.
[The prunings of the vines are sold for fuel.] We were in the church
about four hours. Time was given for all to contribute, and then we
spent a season in joyful song and pleasant prayer.
"The report of what had been done spread quickly through the
village, and my mother-in-law sent word that she would give a
hundred and twenty-eight pounds of raisins. At evening meeting, the
house was full.
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