The minister of a city
church enjoyed a drink now and then, but his passion was
for peach brandy. One of his congregants would make him
a bottle each Christmas. One year, when the minister
went to visit his friend, hoping for his usual Christmas
present, he was not disappointed, but his friend told
him that he had to thank him for the peach brandy from
the pulpit the next Sunday.
In his haste to get the bottle, the minister hurriedly
agreed and left. So the next Sunday the minister
suddenly remembered that he had to make a public
announcement that he was being supplied alcohol from a
member of the church. That morning, his friend sat in
the church with a grin on his face, waiting to see the
minister's embarrassment.
The minister climbed into the pulpit and said, "Before
we begin, I have an announcement. I would very much like
to thank my friend, Joe, for his kind gift of peaches
... and for the spirit in which they were given!"
