Cowboy Church #204

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

Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans singing In the Garden. This song was written by C. Austin Miles. As well as a hymnist, Austin's hobby was photography. He wrote this song in 1912 while waiting some film to dry in a cold and leaky basement. Miles had discovered earlier that he could read the bible in the red lighting of his darkroom and often did. This day he was reading John 20. He read about how Mary went into the garden to see Jesus' tomb. Her heart was full of sadness, but when she learned that Jesus had overcome the grave she was moved to great joy. This passage moved Miles as he read it, and this song started to come to him. Miles originally intended this song to be an Easter song and for it to be from the point of view of Mary Magdalene. Miles would later say about this song, “This is not an experience limited to a happening almost 2,000 years ago. It is the daily companionship with the Lord that makes up the Christian’s life.” Learning this story has made this song all the more powerful for me and I hope it enhances the power of this great hymn for you as well. 


This is followed by Roy Acuff with his 1946 recording of That Glory Bound Train.

Next comes The Charlie Daniels Band with The Business of Love. This comes from the group's first gospel album, 1994's The Door.   In his memoir, Never Look at the Empty Seats, Charlie Daniels wrote, "I think the most pressure I was ever under as a songwriter was when I wrote the songs for our first gospel album, The Door. It was such a special project to me. I wanted it to be much more than just another gospel album. I wanted the lyrics to have impact and hopefully speak to some of the people who, like me, had such a hard time understanding the gospel message and were falling through the cracks." 

Now for the Sons of the San Joaquin with Beyond the Sunset. This recording comes from their 1997 gospel album, Beyond the Sunset. It is important that as Christians, we always remember that our life here on Earth is not the end. In fact life is but a vapor in the grand scheme of things and we should spend our lives, knowing that when it is over we will spend entirety with our Lord and experience his full glory and blessings. We should live our lives accordingly and understand that spiritual things need to come first as they are the most important. 

Then comes Johnny Cash with When He Reached Down His Hand for Me. This comes from John's second gospel album, 1962's Hymns from the Heart. This album, while still sounding like a Johnny Cash album has a much more traditional gospel sound than his first gospel album, 1958's Hymns by Johnny Cash.  

Now for The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1935 recording of When I Leave This World Behind. Bob Nolan sings lead on this song and the wonderful fiddle playing is by Hugh Farr.

Afterwards is Tennessee Ernie Ford with I Love to Tell the Story. 

Today's musical selection ends with The Statler Brothers singing Standing on the Promises of God. This hymn was written by Russell Carter in 1886. Working as a sheep herder he developed a heart condition. This led him to pray much more often, and he began to get closer to God every day. When he was healed, he vowed to "stand on the promises of God" and wrote this song.

Now for a 1987 interview with some of our favorite movie heroes, Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and Gene Autry.

Now for a message from the Reverend Billy Graham.

 Rim of the Canyon (Columbia Pictures Pressbook, 1949)

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6

Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. Exodus 20:12

 Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. Psalms 8:2

And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. 1 Thessalonians 2:13

That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe. 1 Timothy 4:10

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

‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. Leviticus 19:18

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