Cowboy Church #250

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

Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Whispering Hope. This beautiful hymn comes from the pen of Alice Hawthorne (the pen name for poet Septimus Winner), who is best known for her contributions to children's music with songs like, Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone? and Ten Little Indians.

This is followed by Wilf Carter with Let's Go Back to the Bible. The Bible is not just some ancient text. Rather it is full of words of wisdom that are just as true today as it was centuries ago.

Afterwards is Jimmy Wakely with Gonna Walk with My Lord. Life can be very difficult at times. Luckily though we don't ever have to walk through any of it by ourselves. Jesus is there with us step by step and be there to comfort us and give us the strength to make it through every single tough time.  

Then comes Johnny Cash with Welcome Back Jesus. This recording comes from John's 1973 album, Any Old Wind That Blows.

Next is Emmylou Harris with If I Be Lifted Up. This recording comes from Emmylou's 1987 gospel album, Angel Band. Backing up Emmylou on this recording and this album is none other than Vince Gill. Vince both plays guitar and songs backing vocals on this song. For those of us who feel like we are alone in the world, if we simply ask him to Jesus will be friend and family to us. 

Afterwards is Ray Price with Love Lifted Me. This hymn was written in 1912 by James Rowe and Howard E. Smith. Rowe's daughter would later state, “I can see them now, my father striding up and down humming a bar or two, and Howard E. playing it and jotting it down…The two huddled together, working line by line, bar by bar, composing this hymn in tandem.” This version of the hymn comes from Ray's 1976 gospel album, Precious Memories. 

Then is the Heavenly Gospel Singers with their 1940 recording of Have a Little Talk With Jesus. This hymn was written by Rev. Cleavant Derricks, a pastor of a small African American church in Alabama. During the great depression, his church was desperately in need of new hymnals. He had written hymns but none of them had been published. He contacted the publisher Stamps-Baxter in hope of giving them some of his songs in exchange for hymnals. They had little interest in most of the hymns, but they really liked Just a Little Talk With Jesus. For writing this beloved gospel song Derricks received 50 hymnals. 

Today's musical selection ends with The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1935 recording of One More River to Cross. 

Now comes one of our cowboy heroes, Tom Mix (as well as his horse Tony of course), arriving in England in this 1938 newsreel footage from Movietone News. 

Now comes the C.S. Lewis essay, A Slip of the Tongue.

Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor. Proverbs 22:9

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. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Romans 12:10

If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 1 John 3:17

Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. Ephesians 4:28

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:16

Walk in obedience to all that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess. Deuteronomy 5:33 

But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Romans 8:25 

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

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

 

Tom Mixville

Hello my friends, I love westerns as I am sure many of you do. Along with country music, they have helped give me a fascination and love of all things cowboy and western. It is true that many of these movies give us a very romanticized of the west, and that is especially true of the films with movie cowboys like Tom Mix, Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. Yet when I watch many of these films, I become like a little kid simply being drawn in by the figures I see on screen and having a desire to be a cowboy just like them. This was the way many kids (and even some adults) of the era would become watching these movies and I often join them. This may not be the real west, but it doesn't matter it is real to us.

The following 1921 article from Filmplay Journal talks about the similar effect Tom Mix had on movie fans of the time. If you have trouble reading any of the following pages click on them and use your touch screen to zoom in.

-Michael J Ruhland

Cowboy Church #2

Happy Sunday my friends and welcome back to cowboy church. 

For our musical selection we begin with the King of the Cowboys, Roy Rogers, singing A Cowboy's Prayer from his and Dale Evans' 1959 album, Jesus Loves Me. Next comes Waylon Jennings performing the classic gospel song Precious Memories from his 1976 album Are You Ready For the Country. Now comes Johnny Cash performing his self penned The Greatest Cowboy of Them All on his 1978 Christmas TV special. Next comes Gene Autry singing The Last Round Up, this version coming from his feature film, The Singing Hill (1941). This song was written by the one and only Cole Porter. Next comes Tennessee Ernie Ford singing The Old Rugged Cross. We end with Kris Kristofferson singing the self penned Why Me Lord and telling the story of how he wrote this great song.

The following is a 1949 article about Roy Rogers in Radio and Television Mirror.




Now for our feature presentation a silent western, Riders of the Purple Sage (1925). This film stars the legendary screen cowboy Tom Mix and is directed by Lynn Reynolds a regular director for Tom Mix during this period. This film was shot in Lone Pine, California. There have been tons of great films shot in Lone Pine and though it is not as common today, films still continue to be shot there. If you have ever been there (which I highly recommend), it is easy to see why. You immediately feel like you just stepped into an old western movie. Though Tom Mix did a lot of shooting in Lone Pine, it would usually just be a few scenes. Riders of the Purple Sage was the one time where the majority of the film was shot there. This film was based loosely around the 1912 Zane Grey novel of the same name. This was not the first time this novel would be made into a movie and it would not be the last. It had been adapted for the screen earlier in 1918, would be again in 1931 and 1941 for the big screen and finally as a TV movie in 1996. However this 1925 version remains my favorite. The novel had Mormons who practiced polygamy as the villains. However this film version and the other movie versions there was no mention of the Mormon religion and this part of the story was simply overlooked. This movie was in production from November 7, 1924 to December 13, 1924. Grey wrote a sequel book in 1915 called The Rainbow Trail. Later in 1925 a movie version of that book also starring Tom Mix and directed by Lynn Reynolds would be released. Without further ado enjoy Riders of the Purple Sage (1925).

       

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”2 Corinthians 4:16-18 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,  as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

1 Corinthians 10:13  No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

-Michael J. Ruhland 

Cowboy Church #1

Welcome to a new weekly instalment on this blog entitled Cowboy Church. A Cowboy Church post will go up every Sunday. Each post will feature some classic country gospel music, some bible verses and various items about one of more old western movies.

First up our music selection begins with one of country music's all time finest singer-songwriters Hank Williams, performing his own self penned I Saw the Light on one of his rare TV appearances, look for a young June Carter (before she married Johnny Cash) in this video. Next up comes Willie Nelson and Dyan Cannon performing the old gospel tune, Unclouded Day in the movie, Honeysuckle Rose (1980). How can you have Cowboy Church without Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. Here we have them performing a gospel song each. Gene sings a great gospel song written by Johnny Lange, Hy Heath and Sonny Burke, called Somebody Bigger than You or I. This version is from Gene's feature film, The Old West (1952). Roy sings the gospel classic Peace in the Valley. This recording comes from the 42nd episode (The Rene Eigen Case) of Roy's radio show.  After this comes Johnny Cash performing his self penned I Was There When it Happened on TV. Next Charlie Daniels Band's version of Somebody Was Praying For Me. We end with the Hee Haw Gospel Quartet (Buck Owens, Roy Clark, Grandpa Jones, Kenney Price) performing Where Could I Go but to the Lord on a 1980 episode of Hee Haw. 

“Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ‘For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’" Isaiah 12:2

"“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,  as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Movie preview for King of the Cowboys starring Roy Rogers.

     
An article from Hollywood Magazine About Gene Autry, from 1940.

Now to end with here is a silent short western film starring none other than Tom Mix. So enjoy, Sagebrush Tom (1915).




-Michael J. Ruhland