[Lonesome in Massachussets]

WWRL used to be "The Voice of Harlem", pretty much all soul music, all the time. I still remember Reverend Ike's Sunday night broadcasts. "GOD DOESN'T WANT YOUR ONE-DOLLAR BILL, God doesn't want your five-dollar bill, your ten, your twenty. GOD WANTS YOUR FIFTY, YOUR HUNDRED DOLLAR BILL!" He more or less promised that in return God would reward you seven fold. If you gave God fifty dollars, you were certain to win the numbers game (this is before the state muscled the mob out of the numbers racket) for $350 dollars! Actually, Reverend Ike's choir was quite good.

Conveniently, God had a mail drop at 4140 Broadway, New York, NY 10033, where the devout and pious could send cash.

[okie01]

"GOD DOESN'T WANT YOUR ONE-DOLLAR BILL, God doesn't want your five-dollar bill, your ten, your twenty. GOD WANTS YOUR FIFTY, YOUR HUNDRED DOLLAR BILL!"

Around 1980, I used to catch a black preacher out of Macon, GA whose sermons advertised his "Prosperity Kits".

"Now, brothuhs and sistuhs, Ah'm openin' yore letters...and there's no MONEY in theah. If you be wantin' yo' Prosperity Kit, you has got to put some money in theah."

"Always remember, brothuhs and sistuhs, NUTHIN'...gets yo'...NUTHIN'! But...SUMPTHIN'...gets you...SUMPTHIN'!"

Thass the way...GOD...works!"

Ever since, I've found that "NUTHIN' gets you NUTHIN'!" is a very useful expression of guiding philosophy...