“The master of the house pressed him to go in; and ordered food to be brought for him, and for a Christian lad who was with him. On the food being brought, he himself set it before them, and begged them to eat.
“Abd.—‘Excuse me; I may not eat of your dishes: not that I have any objection to eat with you, or with any one: but I am a Christian; and should I eat with you, your disciples would say you had lost caste.’
“‘You are, at all events, a good man, for thus explaining to me, and I am happy to see you. Pray, have the English any books beside histories and books of amusement?’
“Abd.—‘Yes, surely; they have the books of Moses, of the Prophets, and the Gospel. All the ancient books are in their possession.’
“‘Yes! the law, the psalms, the gospel, and the koran. I know there are four divine books.’
“Abd.—‘Well! all these are in the hands of the English; though of these there are many books which you include under the name of the law;’ mentioning Isaiah and Daniel, and saying that David was the author of the Psalms.
“‘Well,’ said the old man, ‘I never knew that before; and have the English any kind of worship among them?’
“Abd.—‘Certainly they have: but they are taught to shut their door, and to pray to their Father who seeth in secret. They place no dependence on outward observances for salvation. Why, if you are to be judged according to your opinions, by your works, you must be condemned. You are required to have on clean clothes when you worship; and that is easily obeyed: but then you are also to exclude the world from your mind, and to worship with the heart intensely fixed on God, (repeating a verse of the koran in proof.) Now, do you thus fulfil the precept?’
“The old man said, ‘Oh no!’
“Abd.—‘Then are you not an offender?’