Cowboy Church #2

Happy Sunday my friends and welcome back to cowboy church. 

For our musical selection we begin with the King of the Cowboys, Roy Rogers, singing A Cowboy's Prayer from his and Dale Evans' 1959 album, Jesus Loves Me. Next comes Waylon Jennings performing the classic gospel song Precious Memories from his 1976 album Are You Ready For the Country. Now comes Johnny Cash performing his self penned The Greatest Cowboy of Them All on his 1978 Christmas TV special. Next comes Gene Autry singing The Last Round Up, this version coming from his feature film, The Singing Hill (1941). This song was written by the one and only Cole Porter. Next comes Tennessee Ernie Ford singing The Old Rugged Cross. We end with Kris Kristofferson singing the self penned Why Me Lord and telling the story of how he wrote this great song.

The following is a 1949 article about Roy Rogers in Radio and Television Mirror.




Now for our feature presentation a silent western, Riders of the Purple Sage (1925). This film stars the legendary screen cowboy Tom Mix and is directed by Lynn Reynolds a regular director for Tom Mix during this period. This film was shot in Lone Pine, California. There have been tons of great films shot in Lone Pine and though it is not as common today, films still continue to be shot there. If you have ever been there (which I highly recommend), it is easy to see why. You immediately feel like you just stepped into an old western movie. Though Tom Mix did a lot of shooting in Lone Pine, it would usually just be a few scenes. Riders of the Purple Sage was the one time where the majority of the film was shot there. This film was based loosely around the 1912 Zane Grey novel of the same name. This was not the first time this novel would be made into a movie and it would not be the last. It had been adapted for the screen earlier in 1918, would be again in 1931 and 1941 for the big screen and finally as a TV movie in 1996. However this 1925 version remains my favorite. The novel had Mormons who practiced polygamy as the villains. However this film version and the other movie versions there was no mention of the Mormon religion and this part of the story was simply overlooked. This movie was in production from November 7, 1924 to December 13, 1924. Grey wrote a sequel book in 1915 called The Rainbow Trail. Later in 1925 a movie version of that book also starring Tom Mix and directed by Lynn Reynolds would be released. Without further ado enjoy Riders of the Purple Sage (1925).

       

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”2 Corinthians 4:16-18 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,  as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

1 Corinthians 10:13  No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

-Michael J. Ruhland