Joke: The Young Minister

[DogLover]

As a young minister, I was asked by a funeral director

to hold a graveside service for a derelict man who

had died while traveling through the area with no

family or friends. The funeral was held way back in the

country. This man would be the first to be laid to rest at

this cemetery As I was not familiar with the backwoods

area, I became lost. Being the typical man, I didn't stop

for directions. I finally arrived an hour late. I saw

the crew and backhoe, but the hearse was nowhere

in sight.

The workmen were eating lunch.

I apologized to the workers (who

looked puzzled) for my tardiness.

I stepped to the side of the open

grave to find the vault lid already in place. I

assured the workers I would not hold them long,

but this was the proper thing to do.

As the workers gathered around, still eating their lunch.

I poured out my heart and soul. As I preached, the

workers began to say "Amen," "Praise the Lord," and

"Glory!". I preached

and I preached, like I'd never preached before. I

began from Genesis all the way to Revelation. I

preached for two hours and 45 minutes. It was a

very lengthy service. I closed in prayer and it

was finished.

As I was walking to my car, I felt that I had done

my duty and could leave with a renewed sense

of purpose and dedication, in spite of my tardiness.

As I was opening the car door and taking off my coat.

I overheard one of the workers saying to another,

"I've been putting in septic tanks for 20 years, and I

ain't never seen anything like this before."