Note 68 — BOOK II THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE FAITH
Reading edition
The last clause is a very important one. It tells us that to the collections made in the assembly for the poor and needy, even the poorest artisan and slave contributed, and positively fasted for two or three days that they might save the necessary few coins to help those poorer and more sorrowful than themselves.
On this beautiful act of Christian charity, see, too, such passages as Hermas Shepherd, Simil. iii.