Back Country Funeral

[bsinmich]

> A Country Funeral Service
>
> As a young minister in Kentucky , I was asked by a funeral director
> to hold a grave-side service for a homeless man, who had no family or friends.
> The funeral was to be held at a new cemetery way back in the country, and
> this man would be the first to be buried there.
> I was not familiar with the backwoods area, and I soon became lost.
> Being a typical man, I did not stop to ask for directions. I finally arrived
> an hour late.
> I saw the backhoe and the open grave, but the hearse was nowhere in
> sight. The digging crew was eating lunch. I apologized to the workers
> for my tardiness, and I stepped to the side of the open grave. There
> I saw the vault lid already in place. I assured the workers I would not
> hold them up for long, as I told them that this was the proper thing to do.
>
> The workers gathered around the grave and stood silently, as I began
> to pour out my heart and soul. As I preached about 'looking forward to a brighter tomorrow' and 'the glory that is to come,' the workers began to say 'Amen,' 'Praise the Lord,' and 'Glory!' The fervor of these men truly inspired me. So, I preached
> and I preached like I had never preached before, all the way from Genesis to Revelations.
> I finally closed the lengthy service with a prayer, thanked the men,
> and walked to my car. As I was opening the door and taking off my coat, I
> heard one of the workers say to another, 'I ain't NEVER seen nothin' like
> that before, and I've been puttin' in septic tanks for thirty years!'

[CLIFFTALL]

Heard the same one yesterday with a bag piper rather than the preacher.