THE BIBLE SALESMEN.

   BIBLE SALESMEN

A minister concluded that his church was getting into serious financial troubles. Coincidentally, by chance, while checking the church storeroom, he discovered several cartons of new bibles that had never been opened and distributed; So at his Sunday sermon, he asked for three volunteers from the congregation who would be willing to sell the bibles
door-to-door for $10 each to raise desperately needed money
for the church.
 Peter, Paul and Louie all raised their hands to volunteer for the task.
 
The reverend knew that Peter and Paul earned their livings as salesmen
and were likely capable of selling some bibles, but he had serious
doubts about Louie who was just a little local farmer who had always
tended to keep to himself because he was embarrassed by his speech
impediment.
 Poor little Louis stuttered badly. But, not wanting to discourage poor
Louis, the reverend decided to let him try anyway. He sent the three of
them away with the back seat of their cars stacked with bibles and asked
them to meet with him and report the results of their door-to-door
selling efforts the following Sunday.
 When they got together, the reverend immediately asked Peter, "Well,
Peter, how did you make out selling our bibles last week?"
 Proudly handing the reverend an envelope, Peter replied, "Pastor, using
my sales prowess, I was able to sell 20 bibles, and here's the $200
collected on behalf of the church."
 "Fine job, Peter!" the reverend said, vigorously shaking his hand. "You
are indeed a fine salesman and the Church is indebted to you."
 Turning to Paul, he asked "And how many bibles did you manage to sell
for the church last week?"
 Paul, smiling and sticking out his chest, confidently replied,"Reverend,
I am a professional salesman and was happy to give the church the
benefit of my expertise. Last week I sold 28 bibles on behalf of the
church, and here's $280 I collected."
 The reverend responded, "That's absolutely splendid, Paul. You are truly
a professional salesman and the church is also indebted to you."
 Apprehensively, the reverend turned to little Louie and said, "And
Louie, did you manage to sell any bibles last week?"
 Louie silently offered the reverend a large envelope. The reverend
opened it and counted the contents. "What is this?" the reverend
exclaimed. "Louie, there's $3200 in here! Are you suggesting that you
sold 320 bibles for the church, door to door, in just one week?
 Louie just nodded.
 "That's impossible!" both Peter and Paul said in unison. "We are
professional salesmen, yet you claim to have sold 10 times as many
bibles as we could."
 "Yes, this does seem unlikely," the reverend agreed. "Please explain how
you managed to accomplish this, Louie."
 Louie shrugged. "I-I-I- re-re-really do-do-don't kn-kn-know f-f-f-for
sh-sh-sh-sure," he stammered.
 Impatiently, Peter interrupted. "For crying out loud, Louie, just tell
us what you said to them when they answered the door!"
 "A-a-a-all I-I-I s-s-said wa-wa-was," Louis replied,
"W-w-w-w-wouldy-y-y-you l-l-l-l-l-like t-t-to b-b-b-buy
th-th-th-this b-b-b-b-bible f-f-for t-t-ten b-b-b-bucks
---o-o-o-or--- wo-wo-would yo-you j-j-j-just l-like m-m-me t-t-to
st-st-stand h-h-here and r-r-r-r-r-read it t-to y-y-you?"