Hello my friends and welcome back for 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."
This is followed by Rivky Van Shelton with I Shall Not Be Moved. This recording comes from his 1992 gospel album, Don't Overlook Salvation.
Next comes Johnny Cash singing Let the Lower Lights Be Burning. In the notes for the box set Unearthed, John wrote, "This is a very special song for me, and I'll tell you what it means to me now. When my father was dying, he was in a coma, and all my brothers and sisters and I were gathered around the bed, and we felt like telling him goodbye. But my oldest sister Louise said, 'Let's sing to him.' So we started singing 'Let the Lower Lights be Burning.' At some point I looked at him and, though he had been sound asleep in a coma for days, his lips started moving and he started singing that song along with us. The more we would sing it the more he sang. And he opened his eyes and he looked around at us as we were singing. Ad of course everybody had a good cry as watched him and listened to him as he sang 'Let the Lower Lights be Burning' with us."
Afterwards is John Seagle & Leonard Stokes with their 1929 recording of Will There Be Any Stars in My Crown.
This is followed by Gene Autry and Dinah Shore with their 1950 recording of In The Garden. This song was written by C. Austin Miles (who also wrote Dwelling in Beulah Land). 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. The same day Gene and Dinah recorded this song (April 20, 1950), they also recorded a lovey version of The Old Rugged Cross.
Then is Chosen Road with Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.
Afterwards is Bob Dylan performing With God on Our Side. Though Bob Dylan has been long associated with protest songs, he was a protest singer for only a very short period in his long career. This period mostly consisted of the singer/songwriter's second and third albums. His third album, 1964's The Times They Are a Changin' marked his most political album, it is also one of the Pulitzer Prize winner's best works.
Today's musical selection ends with The Sons of the Pioneers with Power in the Blood. This recording comes from their recent 2024 gospel album, Campfire Spirituals. Though none of the original members may be alive today, the current line up does a wonderful job of keeping the legacy of one of country music's finest groups alive. Their new album is a wonderful example of this, and this version of Power in the Blood is simply wonderful. The Sons of the Pioneers have previously recorded this hymn in 1937 and 1948. This song was written in 1889 by Lewis Edgar Jones while at a camp meeting taking place at Mountain Lake Park, MD.
Now for an episode of the Red Ryder radio show.
Now for a message from the Reverend Bill Graham.
Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Acts 16:30-33
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had. Romans 15:5
But the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. Matthew 24:13
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
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