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Jul 4, 20215 min read

Cowboy Church #126

Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church. Since today's the Fourth of July, I feel it is appropriate to start off with praying for our country. Our country has been through a lot lately. There has been too much racial prejudice (some of which has resulted in terrible horrific violence), there has been a lot of political and social division and sin is running rampant. This country is my home and it is a part of me. I love it and hate to see these things taking place here. I believe that this country needs the hand of God upon it and for him to guide us each and every day. Therefore I pray that God will give the U.S.A. guidance and that he will lead us everyday away from hatred and towards love. Today's music selection starts with Gene Autry singing The Bible on the Table and the Flag Upon the Wall. This recording comes from an episode of Gene's Melody Ranch radio show dated March 5, 1949. The song was written by George J. Bennett, Paul Cunningham and Leonard Whitcup. Gene is accompanied on this recording by The Cass County Boys, The Pinafores, Johnny Bond and Carl Cortner's Orchestra. Next comes the King of the Cowboys and the Queen of the West, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Thank You God. This recording was the A-side of a Little Golden Record that Roy and Dale made in 1956 (the B-side was Let There Be Peace on Earth). They are backed up here by the Ranch Hands and Mitch Miller and his Orchestra. In the early 1960's Mitch Miller would have a TV show entitled, Sing Along with Mitch. The title is self explanatory and the show featured the words to each song at the bottom so everyone could sing along. This is followed by Eddy Arnold with his 1962 recording of I Love to Tell the Story. This hymn began with a woman named Arabella Katherine Hankey. At the age of 30 she was recovering from a long illness. During this recovery she wrote a poem about the life of Jesus Christ. Her poem was separated into two parts one entitled The Story Wanted and the other entitled The Story Told. Both parts were published in 1886 (the first in January and the second in November). The lyrics of this hymn come heavily from the second part. The music was written by William G. Fisher in 1869. When this version appeared in 1875's Gospel Hymns and Sacred Songs, it would become the definitive and most recognized version of the hymn. However it was not the only one. Both William Doane (Near the Cross, I Am Thine, O Lord, Pass Me Not) and Arabella herself would write music for these words, but both those versions are forgotten today. Next is The Charlie Daniels Band with Blessed Assurance. This hymn came about when Fanny Crosby visited her friend Phoebe Palmer Knapp. Phoebe played a tune she had written to Fanny. When she asked Fanny "What does the melody say to you?," Fanny replied, "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!" On the spot Fanny wrote the lyrics to this song and the song they performed then is the same one we sing today. This recording comes from CDB's 2001 2 disc gospel album, How Sweet The Sound. This in my mind is one of the band's best albums of the 21st century. The music continues with Kris Kristofferson and Larry Gatlin singing Help Me. That Kris would record this song with Larry is no mere coincidence. In 1971 Kris was invited by Connie Smith to Evangel Temple (a Church that was popular among Christian entertainers (especially country singers)). On that day a young man (who would later become a star) named Larry Gatlin sang a song he wrote entitled Help Me. Kris was extremely moved by this song and when there was an alter call he walked up. Kris later remembered this moment, "It was what I guess you'd call a religious experience, I've never had one before or since. To this I don't know why I did it. I think Jimmy [pastor Jimmy Snow] sensed that I didn't know what I was doing because he asked me if I was ready to be saved and I told him I didn't know. He put his hand on my shoulder and told me to get down on my knees. There were a number of us kneeling and I don't remember what he was saying. It was something about freedom from guilt. All I remember is that I broke into tears. I was weeping and when it was over I felt like I had been purged. I was carrying a lot of guilt at the time. I felt that I had disappointed my family, my friends, my ancestors and everybody who knew me." Kris and Larry would preform Help Me on Kris' 1972 album, Jesus Was A Capricorn. Kris later spoke about this. "I did it because I loved the song and was so grateful to the effect it had on me. To further demonstrate my gratitude, I put it as the B side of my single 'Why Me' instead of one of my own, giving Larry merchandising royalties on the biggest single I ever had." Next we join The Sons of the Pioneers with What You Gonna Say to Peter When You Get There. Today's musical selection ends with a song perfect for the Fourth of July, Johnny Cash with Ragged Old Flag. Johnny Cash introduced this song in concert by jokingly saying, "I thank God for all the freedom we have in this country, I cherish them and treasure them - even the right to burn the flag. We also got the right to bear arms, and if you burn my flag -- I'll shoot you." John wrote this song himself. While John acknowledged this country's faults and often did songs about them, he truly loved this country and what it could be. This song was written not long after Nixon resigned and many Americans found themselves disillusioned with the U.S. John wrote this song to state that the Watergate scandal did not take away his love for America. Though the song was only a moderate hit it has remained a favorite among many Johnny Cash fans.







For a bonus here is a patriotic episode of Roy Rogers' radio show (which aired on 11/18/54)

As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. 1 Peter 2:16 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 2 Corinthians 3:17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. Matthew 6:14 Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends. Proverbs 17:9 The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him. Daniel 9:9 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. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 Do everything in love. 1 Corinthians 16:14 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men. Colossians 3:23 Thank you for joining me come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church.

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