Wellll…two hours later, he was still trying to tell me why they don’t use chocolate pie and milk. I said, “Now, we could talk another two hours, BUT until…you…tell…me about this chocolate pie and milk, I am not about to tell you about instrumental music. And here’s my reason, my man: The very reason you do…not…use the chocolate pie and milk is the reason we don’t use instrumental music, and that reason is that God said, through Christ, to use the bread and the fruit of the vine. That’s what we use. He also said to sing in the worship of the church, and that’s what WE do, but you are doing something that is not taught of God AND it would be as wrong to use it and it would be like using the chocolate pie and the milk.”

He went his way. We were friends; we had a good time…no problem. Years go by. I’m at [David] Lipscomb [College / University] in a lecture program. A young fella comes up with a fine looking young wife and two children. Now, I don’t know if you’ve had this happen, but when people start off, “You don’t know me, do you?” I’m in real trouble, [laughter] because I can’t lie about it. He’d have had me up [He would have known that I was lying if I said that I did know him.].

Had a fella ask me two summers ago—I was at a place near Nashville—and he said, “You don’t know me, do you?”

And I said, “I’m sorry, I don’t.”

He said, “I heard you preach your first sermon!”

And I said, “I’m sorry, I don’t…”

And he said, “Do you not remember me!?”

I said, “No, sir.”

He said to someone, “Come here! This man doesn’t remember me! I heard him preach his first sermon…48 years ago!” And he said, “I’m surprised at you.”

“Face it, man. I’m getting old!”

So, well, here’s what this young man [with the wife and two children] did. He said, “You don’t remember me, do you?”

I said, “No.”

He said, “Do you remember that chocolate pie and milk?”

I said, “I gotcha!! You’re ringing my number, man!” [Laughter]

And he said, “I thought a lot about that.” And he said, “When I found out, when I got to thinkin’ about it, that it’s not right to use that chocolate pie and milk, because God didn’t TELL us to…” And then he said, “I began to see about this matter of instrumental music.” And he said, “I have given it up. I’ve left that religious group, and my wife and I have now become members of the church of Christ in our town, and I’m doing some preaching; and I want to become an elder and a deacon in that church.”

Well, now, do you think that made me feel good? You better know it!! I went home and told my wife about it, and I said, “Don’t you think I’m the smartest man in this town?”

She said, “No.” [Laughter]

I said, “How many smart men are there in this town?”

She said, “I don’t know, but there’s one less that you THINK.” [Much laughter]

Well, there you go.