My Grandfather Benedict was a United Methodist circuit preacher in Wyoming during the Great Depression He had 4 different churches. They were quite distant from each other so he would do 2 one week and two the second week. He always kept a suitcase in the car, and books and other what not because in Wyoming a storm can come out of nowhere. It could blow for days, and a traveler would simply knock on a door and be taken in until everything cleared up. It is not good to be caught out in a Wyoming storm.

In 1935 one of the boxes in the car was full of United Methodist devotionals. These were hardbound and contained a meditation for each day of the year. Grandpa paid a penny for each of them. He sold them now and then to the people in his huge area of responsiblity to make cash money, since during the depression he was often paid by parishioners in salt pork, chickens or preserves.

Grandpa was known for being exceptionally outgoing and friendly. He was persuasive, as all good preachers are, and he didn’t limit his topics to the word. He also never passed on a meal, potential meal, or the chance to talk you into cooking a meal for him.

One day Grandpa was on the road when he saw a large group of cars at someone’s home. He stopped to visit. He was always welcome as the local man for weddings, funerals and dress up Sundays. It was a group of more well-to-do people from the area. They were having a bridge party.

After visiting with the group, and no doubt taking advantage of any meal being offered, Grandpa told the hostess he might have something that she would possibly enjoy having in her home. He went out to the car and brought in one devotional. After showing it to them all and describing it’s contents he told her it was only two cents. She bought the one she held in her hands.

He went out to the car and got the box. He put them into the hands of the man or woman of each household, suggesting that they might be interested in having what the hostess had just purchased for her home.

Grandpa Benedict drove on with an empty box.