I was moved by these commonplace words beyond my powers of expression. I have never thought of myself as being a good Christian; indeed, many have said the exact opposite of me in my lifetime; yet the old man’s words brought me a strange inner peace although I knew how little I truly deserved them.
“If you will give me the address of your Society,” I said, “I will arrange for a sum to be sent annually to you for this purpose.” The old man put a printed card into my hand and once more smiled at me before he himself knelt to pray.
“If you have never been to the parapet of this church, dear sir,” he said, “please do so now. You will see the need for green peacefulness and rest.”
I went out from the church and climbed the stairway up to the parapet, passing under a broad squat archway below
