Cowboy Church #174

 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 wonderful version of the classic hymn, How Great Thou Art. In the book, Happy Trails: Our Life Story, Roy tells of a story that had to do with this song. "I'll tell you about one time we nearly got into a real war with the promoters: at the World Championship Rodeo at Madison Square Garden in 1952. During the first rehearsal I started to practice 'How Great Thou Art,' a religious song I wanted to make the centerpiece of our musical act. There's a line in that song that goes, 'Then sings my soul my Savior God to Thee...' Someone in the front office heard the rehearsal and came to me that night to tell me I wasn't allowed to mention Christ at the rodeo. 'It might work for the kids in Houston, Texas' he told me, 'But this is New York. You can't preach to kids here.' I told him I wasn't preaching but that the Savior was a part of the song and I fully intended to sing that song in New York or anywhere else we performed. They suggested that I could change the words of the song, so it didn't mention Him. I'm not one for grandstand plays but I told those fellas that if I couldn't sing 'How Great thou Art' just how it was written, Dale and I would pack up and leave town. The song stayed in the show. That year we did forty-three performances over twenty-six days and broke all Madison Square Garden attendance records."

Up next is Connie Smith with He Set Me Free. This song was written by Albert E. Brumley (I'll Fly Away, Turn Your Radio On) and first published in 1939. Many consider this song to be the inspiration for Hank William's I Saw the Light and anybody familiar with that song will surely notice the similarities. This recording of the song comes from Connie's 1966 gospel album, Connie Smith Sings Great Sacred Songs.

Afterwards is The Chuck Wagon Gang with their 1941 recording of I'll Be No Stranger There. 

Now for Anne Wilson with Southern Gospel. This recording comes from her 2023 album, Rebel.

This is followed by a very early recording for Bob Dylan. This is a 1960 recording of the Woody Guthrie song, Jesus Christ. As many of you know Woody Guthrie was one of Bob's heroes and his influence can be heard all over Bob Dylan's first few years as a singer. In this recording he is not only doing a Woody Guthrie song but is obviously trying to emulate the folk singers' singing and playing style. 

Then comes The Blue Sky Boys with their 1946 recording of When I Reach That City On The Hill.

Next comes George Jones singing Leaning on the Everlasting Arms. This hymn began with a man named Anthony Showalter. As a fan of gospel music and an elder in a Presbyterian church, he held many "singing schools" at various churches in the south. One day he received two letters from former students who were struggling after their wives had passed. To respond to these letters, Showalter consulted scripture. He came across Deuteronomy 33:27, "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." After reading this verse lyrics for a song chorus went through his head and he wrote down, "“Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.” After using this in the letters to his former students he sent this chorus to his friend hymnist, Elisha Hoffman. In the letter he also wrote, “Here is the chorus for a good hymn from Deuteronomy 33:27, but I can’t come up with the verses.” Hoffman then wrote the rest of the lyrics to which Showalter put to music. The hymn was published in 1887.

Today's musical selection ends with The Sons of the Pioneers with The Boss is Hanging Out a Rainbow. This song comes from their new 2024 gospel album, Campfire Spirituals.  

Today's movie is the Buster Crabbe B-western, Fuzzy Settles Down (1944). Comedic sidekicks were a staple for B-westerns. Every kid who watched these films knew Smiley Burnette, Gabby Hayes, Snub Pollard and Pat Buttram just as well as they knew the stars of the movie. Fuzzy Settles Down is a rare occasion when the sidekick takes center stage. This sidekick is Al St. John as Fuzzy Q. Jones. This was a character he played that not only served as a sidekick to Buster Crabbe but also to such B western stars as Bob Steele, Fred Scott and George Houston (The Lone Rider). Al St. John is a name that should be familiar to my fellow silent comedy fans as well. He was the nephew of Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle and got his start appearing in many of his uncle's best short films. This includes the Arbuckle shorts which featured Buster Keaton (just starting his movie career). 

Now for a message from the Rev. Billy Graham.

 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him. Exodus 15:2

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 1 John 4:16

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24

Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

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