Sunday, October 19, 2003
Sunday, October 19, 2003
Endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does
not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit
that has been given to us.
Will's longtime friend Eddie Canter explained what happened. He writes, "Will received a letter
from a clergyman. Here is what the clergyman said: (Now remember this is a different
generation.) The letter said, 'Relying on you to give the public nothing that could bring the blush
of shame to the cheeks of a Christian. I attended your performance with my 14-year-old
daughter, but was deeply embarrassed when you did the scene in which the father lectures the
son on the subject of his relations with an immoral woman. I took my daughter by the hand and
we left the theater. I have not been able to look her in the eye since.'"
Let me hasten to say that Rogers saw nothing wrong with the part he was playing in Ah
Wilderness. He never would have done the play if he'd seen something objectionable about it.
But it bothered him deeply that a family could not sit through a performance of that play without
embarrassment. And so Will Rogers closed down his very successful play rather than cause
offense.
Whether you agree with Rogers or not is not the point. The point is that he was a genuine
American hero who kept his principles. And such things are possible today.
(Roman 5.4-5
NRSV)
Once there was a man by the name of Will Rogers. Rogers, at one time, was the most popular
and the highest paid entertainer in this country, perhaps in all the world. He was Bob Hope and
Garrison Keeler and Steve Martin all rolled into one. He was so popular that when George M.
Cohen produced a Broadway version of Ah Wilderness, a part was written just for Rogers--to
take advantage of his popularity. The play was a smashing success. Mysteriously, though, in
about the 5th week, the play suddenly closed down. Some faint excuse was given that Rogers
was too busy with his burgeoning film career and other responsibilities. Friends knew better.
Rogers still had time for many other things that he wanted to do. Sometime later the truth came
out about why Ah Wilderness closed that 5th week.
Loving God, help me to be of high moral character. Amen.
