thcri
Gone But Not Forgotten
As a young minister, I was asked by a funeral director to hold a grave
> side 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. But 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, and 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," (they must have been Baptist). 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 long and 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 all
> would leave with a renewed sense of purpose and dedication, in spite of
> my tardiness.
>
> As I was opening the 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."
> side 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. But 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, and 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," (they must have been Baptist). 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 long and 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 all
> would leave with a renewed sense of purpose and dedication, in spite of
> my tardiness.
>
> As I was opening the 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."
