Cowboy Church #200

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

Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with A Christmas Prayer. This recording comes from Roy and Dale's 1967 Christmas album, Christmas is Always. 

This is followed by Gene Autry with An Old Fashioned Tree. This recording comes from an episode of Gene Autry's Melody Ranch radio show, that aired on December 5, 1948.

Afterwards comes Tennessee Ernie Ford with his 1971 recording of Hark the Herald Angels Sing. This hymn was written by Charles Wesley. Wesley stated that what he hoped to achieve through his hymns was to teach sound doctorine to the poor an illiterate, who may not be able to read the Bible for themselves. His brother John Wesley, who was a famous theologian and one of the founders of Methodism, stated that Charles' hymnal was the best book on Theology there was out there. Charles wrote the words to this hymn as he heard the church bells ringing on his way to church on Christmas Day. He intended this to be a poem that would be read in Church on Christmas Day. This poem first appeared in print in 1739 in Hymns and Sacred Poems. In 1753 George Whitefield, put these words to the music we know today. Whitefield also added the term “newborn king.” 

Next comes Merle Haggard with Santa Claus and Popcorn. This song comes Merle's 1973 Christmas album, Hag's Christmas. It is important to remember that no matter how we celebrate this Christmas to remember that the reason that we celebrate is because of Jesus Christ and that Jesus loving us is something that we must never forget. It may be the simplicist piece of theology, but it is something that must be instilled and us and something that we never forgot on our Christian walk. 

Now for the Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Power in the Blood. 

Then comes The Petersens with O Holy Night. This hymn was written in 1847. The lyricist for the song was Placide Cappeau. Cappeau was a poet who rarely wrote about Christian subjects, however the local priest asked him to write a poem for Christmas mass. He didn't know what to write so he looked at the story of Jesus' birth in the book of Luke and tried to place himself there. He then asked his friend Adolphe Charles Adams (who had composed over 80 operas) to write some music. This hymn would gain controversy in France, when the church learned of its writers. Cappeau had left the church and joined the socialist party. Adams was not Christian, but rather Jewish. The idea that neither of the writers of a Christian hymn were in fact Christian, upset many church leaders. These church leaders denounced the song and deemed it not fit to sing in a church. Yet despite this the hymn was one of the most popular Christmas songs in France at the time. 

Then comes The Sons of the San Joaquin with It Came Upon a Midnight Clear. The song was written by Edmund H. Sears. This hymn first appeared in Boston's Christian Register, on December 29, 1849 (yes after Christmas). That version has a verse that does not appear in this version, "But with the woes of sin and strife the world has suffered long; Beneath the angel-strain have rolled Two thousand years of wrong; And man, at war with man, hears not the love-song, which they bring: O hush the noise, ye men of strife, and hear the angels sing!" This verse reflects the state if America at the time this song was written. The Civil War was approaching, and Sears found himself concerned with the division in our country. Unlike many Christmas songs, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear is not a song about peace on Earth but rather a plea for it. With the division and anger that is so prevalent today, this is a perfect Christmas song for our time. This song has been put to different tunes over the years and the two most prevalent are Carol (by Richard Storis Willis in 1850) and Noel (by Sir Arthur Sullivan in 1878). Carol is the preferred version of this song in the U.S. and is the one Willie performs here. The tune had been used for other lyrics dating back to when it was written in 1850, and was first used to accompany, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear in 1878.

Today's musical selection ends with Johnny Cash singing God is Not Dead. This recording comes from John's 1968 gospel album The Holy Land. This album was inspired by a trip John and his wife, country singer June Carter Cash, took to Israel and as well as music also including some recordings of John narrating what sees while in The Holy Land. If you ever get the chance to go to Israel, it will become very clear to you that God is definitely not dead, as you can fully feel his presence with you while you are there. This song was written by John himself and fully reflects the sentiments of any Christian who visits Israel.  

Today's movie trailer is for a fun and silly little B-western, Gold Raiders (1951). This film stars George O'Brien and The Three Stooges. Today George O' Brien is probably best remembered for his role in F.W. Murnau's Sunrise (1927). However he had a very prolific career in Westerns. He rose to prominence in John Ford's landmark silent western, The Iron Horse (1924). He went on to star in a large number of B-westerns in the 1930's as well as having supporting roles in A-Westerns including the John Ford and John Wayne masterpieces Fort Apache (1948) and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949). Naturally, I don't need to tell you who The Three Stooges are. This is the second and last feature film that features Shemp as a member of The Stooges. The other feature films with The Three Stooges had either Curly or Joe DeRita in the role of the third stooge. The movie was directed by Edward Bernds, who was a regular director of The Stooges short films if this era. The film was written by Elwood Ullman (a regular writer for The Stooges) and William Lively (who wrote a good number of B-westerns). 

Next is the C.S. Lewis short story, The Man Born Blind.

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 1 John 5:14

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:18

You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows. Job 22:27

They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. 1 Peter 3:11

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. Isaiah 12:2

 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23

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

Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:9

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