The King of the Cowboys – and God’s Faithful Servant
ByNext week I am going to write a little more about the rich young ruler and God’s economy, but I wanted to take a moment out to tip my hat to the King of the Cowboys, Roy Rogers. You may have seen this week that lots of Roy Rogers memorabilia was auctioned off at Christie’s because the museum that had been in the family’s hands in Branson, Missouri, closed last year. You may not be aware who Roy Rogers and his wife, Dale Evans, were, both as celebrities and as people.
I found out because when my son was about 2 years old, my husband videotaped a documentary about Roy Rogers for him, thinking he’d like seeing Trigger. My son fell in love with the tape, but what drew him was Roy himself. All I could think of was, kids know who loves them, and my son was fascinated with this man as were boys and girls decades before.
Roy Rogers made musical cowboy movies with his exceptional trained horse, Trigger, and the singing group, the Sons of the Pioneers, during the mid-20th century. He stood for fair and honest values and the kids loved him. He made countless appearances everywhere for his young fans, including Madison Square Garden. Dale Evans was cast in his movies and they fell in love and married, continuing to work together in movies, later in TV, and in public appearances.
The story of Roy’s own children was marked with heartache. He and his first wife, Arlene, adopted two girls. Then Arlene died within days of giving birth to his son, Roy Jr. Later, when Roy married Dale Evans, they had one child, a girl with Down syndrome who only lived a year. Dale wrote the famous book, Angel Unaware, about her life. They adopted many more children, but two of them were also killed in accidents.
Their strength came from their deep faith in God. Roy was more quiet about his faith, but it was he who encouraged Dale’s faith in the beginning, and she was more outspoken. Behind the pleasant scenes of their public life, they had to put real trust in the God of the Bible to keep going. They truly believed in the values they were imparting to their young audience, teaching kids right from wrong, to brush their teeth and say their prayers.
I think there was a little concern before the auction whether that many people would still remember and care. Would the collection be forgotten as it became split up? No one should have worried. Everything sold, and well above the prices estimated before the auction. When a museum bought a piece, which meant that the item would be publicly displayed once again, the audience cheered. At the end of the auction, the crowd broke out in the song “Happy Trails to You,” the Roy Rogers theme song.
Of great interest to all concerned was the fate of Trigger, who had been stuffed and mounted after his death. The man who bought Trigger owns a TV station. He says that Trigger will be on public display at the station; moreover, he plans to show Roy Rogers movies on his station with new introductions from Roy’s son so that a new generation will be exposed to these values.
At that news, a smile crept on my face. I was imagining the Lord having a talk with Roy and Dale in heaven. “This generation of children is not hearing the kind of messages with good values. Through the wonder of video, you can come back and tell kids again. Now, this isn’t without cost. Your prized possessions from your museum will be sent to the four winds. They will leave your family’s hands. But you can tell thousands and thousands of children that My values are strong and solid and the ones they can really trust.”
Without a moment’s concern, God’s two choice servants who were faithful in the good and bad times during their long years on earth answer, “Do it, Lord, at any cost.” And they saddle up their horses once again.
Were God’s purposes in the auction? I’d like to think so. But take a moment this weekend to dwell not on the memorabilia of celebrity but on the memorable lives of these two saints.
