A minister was completing a Temperance sermon, telling the congregation at the church service in no uncertain terms all about the demon drink.
With great emphasis, he called out to them, “If I had all the beer in the world, I’d take it and pour it into the river”.
There are a quiet “Amen” from a few people at the back of the church.
With even greater emphasis the minister said, “And if I had all the wine in the world, I’d take it and pour it into the river”.
This time, the “Amens” were a bit louder and a few more people in the congregation joined in.
Then, finally, shaking his fist in the air, he said, “And if I had all the whisky in the world, I’d take it and pour it into the river”.
This time, even louder “Amens” and also most of the congregation joined in.
His sermon complete, the minister sat down.
The choir master stood up very cautiously and announced with a smile, struggling to stop himself from laughing out loud, “For our closing song, let us sing Hymn #365, Shall We Gather at the River”.
I’d like to think there was thunderous applause from the congregation when they heard that.
Image used under a Collective Commons License from: https://pxhere.com/en/photo/562309
