Gene Watson “Old Roman Soldier”

by Desmond Kelly ‘the Star of eLanka’

One of the latest recordings of a man who, in my opinion, can sing a “Country Song” that will bring tears to the eyes of anyone who loves the “music” that I always “promote” on eLanka. My sincere thanks to Neil Jayasekera, without whom eLanka would not exist, & you good people would not be able to instantly view these songs that we choose for you with NO financial reasons whatsoever. In this beautiful choice,

Gene puts himself in the place of the “Old Roman soldier” who stood at the foot of the tree”, a Gospel song, like no other, sung better than so many other Gospel singers anywhere, and there are dozens of them. Gene sings about Jesus Christ, the true Saviour of Mankind, was sent down to Earth, as we know it, by his Father,(God), to “live” as a Man, suffer, as a Man, & finally, die, as a Man, the only difference here being the FACT that HE died, hands & feet nailed to a wooden cross, in order to save mankind. This is no figment of anybody’s imagination. Jesus Christ WAS born of a Mother who was also known as “The Virgin Mary”, his father was Joseph, a carpenter, who, because of persecution, fled to Bethlehem with his young wife, who was expecting the Christ-Child, and the rest, of course, is history, FACTUAL HISTORY. Jesus was born on “Christmas day”, as we know it (there is speculation about the actual date & month), but He was born, lived for 33 years, as a Man, helped his “Human” Father Joseph with his carpentry, rebellious at times, as everyone knows, HE wasn’t too happy with crooked “moneychangers” who were using the “temple” (his Father’s house), for nefarious reasons, and threw them out, lock, stock, & barrels (of money).

He, then left home, to preach to the people of his Country, about God (his real Father), had a huge following, apart from his own Desciples, and closer “Confidantes”, the twelve Apostles, who followed Jesus everywhere, saw him perform many “Miracles”, and became known as the “Son of God”, who HE WAS, as every Christian knows. He never said so, himself, but when he changed water into wine, fed multitudes of people with a couple of fish, even raised a man (Lazarus) from being “dead” for two or three days, it is no wonder that his followers hailed him as the “King of Kings”& the “Son of God”. His Desciples gave Him these titles..

Finally, HE was “sold” by one one of these same Desciples (named Judas) for 30 pieces of Silver, was arrested, falsely accused, and sentenced to death, but not before he suffered some of the worst atrocities that could have been imagined, like a “crown of thorns” dug into his head, physical “beatings” inflicted on most parts of his body, He was “spat-on”, whipped, so severely, that it left deep, bloodied lash-marks on his back, stripped of most of his clothes and made to “carry” a heavy wooden cross to a hill on Calvary, the same cross on which they “nailed” both his hands & feet, leaving him to die a horrible death, still asking his Father to “forgive them Lord, for they know not what they do”. His Mother, Mary was there to help carry her Son down from that cross, to “bury” him in the sepulchre, from which He rose, after 3 days. Imagine how this Mother felt. Imagine the suffering she went through. He died on “Good Friday”, and “Rose” again, on the “Easter Sunday”, following, to be eventually escorted back to Heaven to sit at the right hand of His Father, Our Father, for all eternity.

I cannot ever claim to be a “good Christian”, but I do read avidly about these things and I thank God for giving me the privilege of “writing” about Him, the ONE TRUE GOD.

Let me now leave all you good people to watch & listen to Gene Watson, who, thru song, has become “The Roman Soldier”.

Desmond Kelly

Star of eLanka.