Cowboy Church #189

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

Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with It is No Secret (What God Can Do). This song was written by cowboy singer and actor Stuart Hamblen. Before turning to God, this man's life could hardly be considered Godly. He often drank and fought, and this often landed him in jail. When in 1949 Hamblin went to a Billy Graham crusade, he turned his life over to God. The drinking and fighting were put behind him and his whole life changing. One day he was talking about this change to his good friend John Wayne (yes that John Wayne) and that it was no secret what God had done for him. John Wayne said that he should write a song with those lyrics. Stuart Hamblen had also had a brief movie career and appeared in the Roy Rogers film, The Arizona Kid (1939).

This is followed by The Statler Brothers with His Eye is on the Sparrow. This hymn was written in 1905 by lyricist Civilla Martin and composer Charles H. Gabriel. Martin would describe the writting of this song,  “Early in the spring of 1905, my husband and I were sojourning in Elmira, New York. We contracted a deep friendship for a couple by the name of Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle—true saints of God. Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for nigh twenty years. Her husband was an incurable cripple who had to propel himself to and from his business in a wheelchair. Despite their afflictions, they lived happy Christian lives, bringing inspiration and comfort to all who knew them. One day while we were visiting with the Doolittles, my husband commented on their bright hopefulness and asked them for the secret of it. Mrs. Doolittle’s response was simple: ‘His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.’ The beauty of this simple expression of boundless faith gripped the hearts and fired the imagination of Dr. Martin and me. The hymn ‘His Eye Is on the Sparrow’ was the outcome of that experience.” (source: https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-his-eye-is-on-the-sparrow)

Afterwards is Vernon Dalhart, Carson Robison, and Adelyne Hood with their 1927 recording of Where We Never Grow Old. 

This is followed by Elvis Presley with his 1957 recording of Peace in the Valley. As much as Elvis is known as the King of Rock and Roll, perhaps no other type of music was nearer and dearer to his heart than gospel music. This was the music he grew up with and that continued to have a major influence on him through all the years. Elvis has been quoted as saying "I know practically every religious sing that's ever been written." There is no doubt that these songs moved him very deeply. After Elvis had made his first two appearances on TV's The Ed Sullivan Show, he was clearly a very controversial figure. These performances consisted of pure rock and roll music and Elvis shook his hips to them in a way that was considered much too suggestive for the 1950's. Many groups were quick to condemn this as a horrible influence on the kids and some even claimed it to be demonic. Yet Elvis' third appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show was quite different. This time Elvis did not perform rock and roll but instead did a gospel number in a slow and traditional manner. The song was Peace in the Valley and the performance was a huge success. Elvis had never done a studio recording of any gospel songs, but fans of the performance quite writing letters requesting a recording of Elvis singing Peace in the Valley. RCA quickly rushed Elvis to make a four-song gospel EP entitled Peace in the Valley. This EP of course included the title song, as well as Take My Hand Precious Lord, It is no Secret and I Believe. The EP was a huge success and gospel music would soon play a major role in Elvis' singing career.

 This is followed by Johnny Cash with When I Take My Vacation in Heaven. This song was written by Herbert Buffmun, a Pentecostal Evangelist who lived from 1879 to 1939. Writing gospel music was a passionate hobby for him and he is said to have written around 10,000 songs with around 1,000 of them being published. Ripley's Believe It or Not claimed that he once wrote 12 songs in one hour. However songwriting can hardly be said to have made a living for him. Most of his songs were sold for $5 or even less. This did not stop The Los Angles Time from calling him, “The King of Gospel Song Writers” upon his death. This recording of the song comes from John's 1962 gospel album, Hymns From the Heart. This album featured a number of gospel songs, John grew up with as a child including this one.

Up next is The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Leaning on The Everlasting Arms. This hymn began creation 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.

Next comes Dailey and Vincent with My Savior Walks with Me Today.

Today's musical selection ends with Woody Guthrie with Old Time Religion. 

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Now for a message from Billy Graham. 

Now for an episode of the Red Ryder radio show. 

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalms 23:4

Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land." Joshua 8:1

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

Be strong and courageous, for the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. Deuteronomy 31:6

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 

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalms 18:2

Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. Jeremiah 32:17

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