It seems a man in Topeka, Kansas decided to write a book about churches around the country. He started by flying to San Francisco and started working east from there. He went to a very large church and began taking pictures. He spotted a golden telephone on a wall and was intrigued by a sign that read: $10,000.00 a minute.
Seeking out the pastor he asked about the phone and the sign. The pastor answered that this golden phone was, in fact, a direct line to Heaven and if he were to pay the price he could talk directly to God. He thanked the pastor and continued on his way. Visiting churches in Seattle, Boise, Denver, Minneapolis, Chicago, Milwaukee, New York, and other places, he found more phones with the same sign. From each pastor he received the same answer.
Finally, he arrived in the northeastern part of the U.S. Upon entering a church, low and behold, he saw the usual golden telephone, but this time the sign read; "Calls: 25 cents."
Fascinated, he asked of the pastor, "Reverend, I have been in cities all across the country and in each church I have found this very same golden telephone, and I have been told it is a direct line to Heaven and that I could talk to God. However, in the other churches, the cost was
$10,000.00 a minute. Your sign reads 25 cents a call. Why?"
The pastor, smiling benignly, replied; "Son, you're in Maine now. It's a local call".
