* Originally in: Clean Comedy   
    * Originally on: 04-16-13 05:33   
    * Originally by: Daryl Stout #1 @0*1   
      
    A rich man went to his vicar and said, "I want you   
    and your wife to take a three-month trip to the Holy   
    Land at my expense. When you come back, I'll have a surprise   
    for you".   
       
    The vicar accepted the offer, and he and his wife   
    went off to the Middle East.   
       
    Three months later they returned home and were met   
    by the wealthy parishioner, who told them that while they   
    were gone, he had had a new church built. "It's the   
    finest building money can buy, vicar," said the man. "No   
    expense was spared."   
       
    And he was right. It was a magnificent edifice both   
    inside and out. But there was one striking difference.   
    There was only one pew, and it was at the very back.   
       
    "A church with only one pew?" asked the vicar.   
       
    "You just wait until Sunday," the rich man said.   
       
    When the time came for the Sunday service, the early   
    arrivals entered the church, filed onto the one pew   
    and sat down. When the pew was full, a switch clicked   
    silently, a circuit closed, the gears meshed, a belt   
    moved and, automatically, the rear pew began to move   
    forward.   
       
    When it reached the front of the church, it came to   
    a stop. At the same time, another empty pew came up   
    from below at the back and more people sat down.   
       
    And so it continued, pews filling and moving forwards   
    until finally the church was full, from front to   
    back.   
       
    "Wonderful!" said the vicar, "Marvelous!"   
       
    The service began, and the vicar started to preach   
    his sermon. He launched into his text and, when 12   
    o'clock came, he was still going strong, with no end in   
    sight.   
       
    Suddenly a bell rang, and a trap door in the floor   
    behind the pulpit dropped open.   
       
    "Wonderful!" said the congregation, "Marvelous!"   
      
      
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   --- Virtual Advanced Ver 2 for DOS    
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS (1:19/33)