A rich man went to his pastor 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 pastor 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 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 outside and
in.
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 preacher.
"You just wait until Sunday." said the
rich man.
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 reach 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 Preacher,
"Marvellous!"
The service began, and the Pastor 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.
rich man went to his pastor 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 pastor accepted the offer and
he and his wife went off to the Middle East. 
