Scattered Pearls — Page 19
18 to atmosphere of any lack of respect; the hearts of all present remained full of a deep seated reverence towards him, no matter how and where the Promised Messiah might have been seated. (Seeratul Mahdee and Silsilah Ahmadiyya and Shamail by 9. Irfaanee. ). The Promised Messiah's hospitality was such that during the earlier days, when as yet the number of guests was not so large as it came to be later, and when, moreover the general health of the Promised Messiah admitted it; it was usual with him that he took his meals in the male portion of his home, sitting down with all his guests seated alongside; and during the meal he conversed freely on topics connected with religion and his Mission. On such occasions the Promised. Messiah looked carefully to the needs of all present. If more than one dish happened to be served, he took care that it should come in a quantity that all should have a share. It was usual for him to inquire from his guests if there was anything they specially fancied with their meals. If he came to know that one or the other guest happened to have a fondness for pickles, for instance, or any such thing, he would often rise in the middle of the meal, go inside his house, and return with a sauce or a pickle fancied by some guest. . Himself he ate very little, but he remained at the meal long enough, nibbling slowly small bits, or chewing small mouthfuls extremely slowly; so that all should have their fill, and no one have to rise from the meal before he had really finished. Ah, those meals must have been indeed unusually rich in many higher things besides the material repast of which the guests partook. . Similarly when a close friend took leave after a stay in Qadian with the Promised Messiah, Hazrat Ahmad. I would walk out with him along the way even a mile, or two miles, before he finally said good-bye, which he always did with remarkable feeling and prayer for the departing guest.