Cowboy Church #192

 Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church. 

Today’s musical selection begins with Roy Rogers singing What a Friend we Have in Jesus. One of the most wonderful things about being a Christian is that we can have a personal friendship with our lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We can always talk to him personally about anything that is happening in our lives, whether that is something that is making us happy or something that we are struggling with. 

This is followed by Hank Snow singing Lord It’s Me Again.

Next comes Anne Wilson with That's What We Need. Mark 8:36 states "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Nothing this world (even the most wonderful things) can offer can compare to what God offers us every single day. There is no problem with enjoying the creation, but the creation is not what we need in this life. What we need is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This recording comes from Anne's 2022 debut album, My Jesus. 

 Next comes The Carter Family's classic 1927 recording of Can The Circle Be Unbroken. This song was based off of the 1907 Christian hymn (written by Charles H. Gabriel and Ada R. Habershon), Will the Circle Be Unbroken. Uncle A.P. Carter reworked this song changing the lyrics to be about the death of a mother. Though this version would be covered by an incredible amount of artists, many of them would change the title back to Will the Circle Be Unbroken as well as changing that one word in the chorus. However these cover versions would use A.P.'s lyrics for the rest of the song. This is one of my all-time favorite songs, because it is a sad song, but one which also finds hope within its darkness. This is a song about trusting in God in times when it is very difficult to, which is something many gospel songs don't cover but which many Christians struggle with. 

Now for Randy Travis with Which Way Will You Choose. This recording comes from Randy's 2000 album, Inspirational Journey. This was his first, but certainly not his last, gospel album. 

Afterwards is Johnny Cash with The Old Rugged Cross.  This version of the song comes from John's 1975 album, Johnny Cash Sing Precious Memories. This album (which entirely consists of traditional gospel songs) abandons John's traditional sound for a more lush and orchestrated sound. Much of this was due to arrangements by Bill Walker, who had been the musical director for John's TV show. This album was dedicated to John's late brother Jack, who had died at the age of 15 in a sawmill accident. His death took its toll on John and affected him for the rest of his life. This is written on the back of the album, "Dear Jack, We lost you one sad day in May 1944. I was twelve years old. Some of these songs were the songs we sang at your funeral. As you were dying you gave us a description of heaven and singing angels. Could these be some of the songs the angels were singing? See you later. Your little brother J.R."

Then comes The Sons of the Pioneers with How Will I Know Him. This song was written by one of the group's founding members, Bob Nolan. Roy Rogers (who was another founding member of the group) once stated about Bob Nolan, " I just don’t think he liked show business to start with. He was just that type of guy. He was his own man and he didn’t particularly enjoy it like the rest of us did. Bob was kind of a private man. I’ve known him since 1932 and he was a very quiet man. He didn’t like groups, crowds, or anything. I’ve seen him sit out and gaze off into the sunset and he was writing a song all the time but you didn’t know it. When you go over some of the lyrics he that wrote, he really did a lot of deep thinking about it." 

Today's musical selection ends with The Sons of the San Joaquin with It is Well with My Soul.  Though this is a hymn of hope and peace it was written in a time of great sadness. The song was written by Horatio G. Spafford in 1873. He had planned a European trip for himself, his wife and four daughters, however because of his work he was unable to go, and he let his family go without him and after he finished his work, he would meet them there. However, the ship was hit and quickly sank. Though his wife was saved all four of his daughters had gone down with the ship. Amazingly he wrote this hymn when approaching an area near where his daughters had sunk. 

 

This week's movie trailer is for a true classic John Ford's Stagecoach (1939). Today this is often remembered as the film that rocketed John Wayne from starring in B movies to major A pictures and that established him as one of the most iconic movie cowboys. This was also the first western director John Ford had made in 12 years and helped establish him as one of the finest directors the genre ever had. This was also his first movie to be shot in Monument Valley (located on the border between Airzonia and Utah), where he would shot many of his best films. In fact the area is now sometimes called John Ford Country. Coming out in what was considered Hollywood's greatest year, it would have been easy for this film to completely get lost among the score of great movies realesed in 1939. However with incredible perfromances, an intellgent script and great direction this movie rised above much of its competion to be considered a truly great film. At this time westerns were known as B movies and not something Hollywood took seriously. This film did a lot to change that. In fact this movie was even nominated for Best Picture (it lost to Gone With the Wind (1939)). This was not its only Oscar nomination. Joh Ford was nominated for Best Director, Bert Glennon for his cinematography, Alexander Toluboff for his art direction, Otho Lovering and Dorothy Spencer for their editing and Richard Hageman, W. Franke Harling, John Leipold and Leo Shuken for their music. Thomas Mitchell won for Best Supporting Actor. This was a great year for him as he also starred in the year's Best Picture, Gone with the Wind. This was a huge step towards Western films being taken seriously as an art. 

The following is an article from a 1968 issue of Hollywood Studio Magazine. If you have any trouble reading the pages click on them an use your touch to zoom in.

Next is C.S. Lewis' essay, The Horrid Red Things.

Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 1 Peter 1:13

Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Galatians 6:8

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5:5

 You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder. Isaiah 9:3

The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing. Proverbs 10:28

 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. Luke 15:17

So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. John 16:22

A person finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word! Proverbs 15:23

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6

Thank you for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again. 

Resources Used

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

https://www.tumbleweedtrail.net/rogershopper-1980

1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die edited by Steven Jay Schneider