The Waltons (1971–1981): Season 4, Episode 1 - The Sermon - full transcript

JOHN-BOY: So much of what
we learned in those early years

was rooted in that small
schoolhouse on Walton's Mountain.

I remember it warmly and well

along with our teacher,
Miss Rosemary Hunter.

And long after
I left her school,

Miss Hunter figured prominently

in a special time of learning
for my mother and for me,

a time when each of us searched

for that most elusive of
persons, one's own self.

Hurry up, you slowpokes.

We're coming, Ben.



Bye-bye, Miss Hunter. Bye!

What makes you think
I'm finished with you today?

Aren't you? Not till
I get to your house.

Are you walking home with us?

I wanna talk to your
mother. It's very important.

She might not be home.

You crazy, Jim-Bob?

Mom most always is home.

Well, it just might be
a long walk for nothing.

I'll just have to
take that chance.

Well, see you at
home, then. Bye.

You and Mama got
a secret? Not yet.

You're not gonna tell
us, are you, Miss Hunter?

I just wanna talk
to your mother.



Yeah, well, I'm glad you're
walking home with us anyway.

Mama! Mama!

Miss Hunter is here.

Rosemary, how nice to see you.

Hello, Olivia.

She's got something
very important to tell you.

Yes, and I'd like
it to be private.

Well, that's kind of hard
to manage around here.

You girls take in the
laundry basket when you go.

Can't we stay? No.

ERIN: I knew she
wouldn't tell us.

It's nice over by
Drucilla's Pond.

Something private
and very important.

We've set the wedding
date, Matthew and I.

This Sunday right after church.

Oh, Rosemary, how wonderful!

Oh, I can hardly believe it,
even when I hear myself say it.

I'm so happy for you.
I'm so happy for me.

But this Sunday?

I thought you had to wait till
summer, till school was out.

I know. We thought so, too,

but last night, we began
to ask ourselves why.

But, Olivia, part of
it depends on you.

On me?

You see, we can't
have a honeymoon

unless you could take over
my classes while we're away.

Oh, my goodness, I don't know.

It's just a little
over a week, is all.

Well, I'd have to talk to
John and... and Grandma.

I mean, she'd have to pitch in to the
house more than she already does.

I just can't think who I
could turn to if you can't do it.

And there really
isn't very much time.

Of course, I know
what John's gonna say,

"Sure, Liv, if you want to."

And Grandma might sputter a little,
but I know she'd probably want me to,

so I guess there's really
no excuse to say no.

Oh, thank you,
Olivia. Thank you!

(BANJO PLAYING)

(SCATTING)

Jason, if you're gonna
practice on the road all the time,

why don't you
take up the ukulele?

Oh, you ought to be lucky I
decided not to practice the piano.

(LAUGHING)

(JASON PLAYING BANJO)

JOHN-BOY: Hey, Reverend, how
are you? JASON: Hey, Reverend.

John-Boy.

Jason, how are things
going at the conservatory?

Oh, first rate, thank you.

Which do you prefer by now,

playing for barn dances
or picking the classics?

Well, still picking
and grinning, I reckon.

It's like Grandpa says, "You
can take a boy out of the country,

"but you can't take the
country out of the boy."

John-Boy, may I have a
moment with you outside, please?

Certainly. Excuse me.

You got yourself working, I see.

Well, it stay ahead
of me, but I try. Yeah?

You know, you're almost
an answer to prayer.

Oh, I find that hard to believe.

Were you praying that I'd come
and help you with the yard work?

No, nothing so
small as that. Yeah?

John-Boy, Rosemary and I
are to be married next Sunday.

Miss Hunter and you?

Oh, that's wonderful.
Congratulations.

Thank you very much.
I know you mean it.

Oh, y-you know, I've always
thought the world of her. Oh.

Next Sunday, huh?
Right after church.

An old friend of
mine from Charleston,

Will Ewing, is coming
up to perform the service.

That's nice. Yes, yes, it is.

But Will can't return for the
sermon on the following Sunday.

What are you gonna do?
Give everybody the day off?

I'm asking you to take over
the service for me, John-Boy.

What?

Now, I've given it a
lot of prayerful thought.

And I know you're my answer.

You mean, preach the
sermon? Me? I... But I...

I mean, I'm flattered, but I couldn't
do that. I'd be so inadequate.

I think it's the word
"sermon" that's bothering you.

It's a lot like
writing, John-Boy.

They're both just thoughts
expressed in words.

Oh, but those thoughts
and those words

and standing up in front of
people and saying them...

You'll just be
talking to friends.

I don't know. I have
to think about it.

Well, don't take too long.
I need an answer soon.

See you later,
Jason. JASON: Yep.

Daddy.

JIM-BOB: Hi, John-Boy.
Where's Daddy?

Down by the mill.
Mama's down there now.

I think I'm in trouble.

What do you mean, you
think you're in trouble?

When I'm in trouble, I know it.

Well, Miss Hunter came and
took Mama off and talked to her.

Now Mama's down talking to Daddy

all because I haven't
written my theme yet.

Why haven't you
written your theme yet?

Well, it's supposed to be about my
favorite person, and I don't have one.

Wait a minute. I thought I
was your favorite person.

You're impossible, Jim-Bob.

Sure, Liv, if you want to.

I told Rosemary you'd say that.

Why'd you ask me, then?

To prove I was right. I'm
glad they're getting married.

Make a nice couple.

It's gonna be kind of
exciting, teaching school.

Yeah. It'll be a
change for you anyway.

Think I'll be any good at it?

Sure, Liv, if you want to.

(LAUGHING)

You two sure look pleasant.

Oh, we just had
some pleasant news.

Miss Hunter and
Reverend Fordwick are...

Getting married
next Sunday. I know.

Who told you?

Well, the Reverend waved
me down and told me about it.

You gonna tell him your news?

Miss Hunter wants me to teach
school while they're on their honeymoon.

That's... That's real nice.
You'll probably be real good at it.

What's the matter with you?

Well, um, Reverend
sort of asked me

to take over the church service

that he's gonna
miss while he's away.

You mean preach a sermon?

Well, no, you know, talk...

Yeah, preach a sermon, and I
told him I have to think about it.

I mean, it's a
little out of my line.

Why, you're gonna
be just wonderful,

and don't you dare
think anything different.

Can't wait to go tell Grandma.

Don't do that.

I thought we could
talk about it, at least.

We can talk about it.

Well, I wouldn't
know what to say.

I mean, that... that
sort of thing has been

very far away from my thoughts.

I... I wouldn't know
what to do about that.

Well, now, if the Reverend
asked you to preach, Son,

he must think you
have something to say.

If you do have
something to say, say it.

Well, I wish it was that simple.

Maybe you're making
something harder than it is.

Daddy, you could probably count

the number of times
that you've been in church

on the fingers of
both your hands.

Now, if you'll forgive
me for saying it,

that hardly makes you
an expert on preaching.

You got a point there, Son.

But I should tell you, there's no
use trying to be somebody you're not

or trying to say something
you don't believe.

Thanks.

You're welcome.

(SIGHING)

Oh, I don't know if I
can bear the joy of it.

John-Boy preaching?

Standing up there on the pulpit
and us all looking up at him,

I never pictured that.

Livie, what would you give if
John-Boy had the call to preach?

I'm so happy now, I
don't dare think about that.

I'm gonna pray on it.

(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

Oh, John-Boy,

I'm just so full of
pride and love for you.

Well, I wanna deserve
that. I'm gonna do my best.

Oh, I know you will, and
I'm gonna help you all I can.

Well, thank you.

(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

We're looking forward to
next Sunday, John-Boy.

Indeed we are.

I can remember Papa speaking
at the church on one occasion.

Well, that's an occasion that
should be forgotten, Sister.

Papa was asked to leave
the services prematurely.

Why is that?

The church had taken
a stand for prohibition.

Uh, prohibition
against what, Sister?

The spirits of
some sort, Sister.

Of course, you
wouldn't understand.

Well, at any rate, we're looking
forward to a splendid sermon.

Good.

Here they come!

ALL: Hurray!

(EXCLAIMING)

MAN 1: Here they come!

Happy honeymoon! MAN
2: Happy honeymoon!

(ALL CHEERING)

Happy honeymoon!

Happy honeymoon!
Happy honeymoon!

WOMAN 1: Have a nice
trip! Happy honeymoon!

Happy honeymoon!
WOMAN 2: What a happy day!

Bye-bye. Bye.

I mean, I understand
he's a fine boy.

I see him in church on Sunday.

But he's still just a boy.

I mean, what's he know
about preaching the gospel?

Well, I can't think of anything
he'd have to say worth listening to.

As a sermon, I mean.

Because he doesn't...

How are you doing
on your sermon?

Well, right now, I'm somewhere
between the devil and the Red Sea,

and I don't know
which way to turn.

You'll find your way.

How about you? You all
excited about tomorrow?

I'm excited, and I'm scared.

It seems like you couldn't
feel both ways at once, but I do.

That's called ambivalence.

What do you take for it?

(CHUCKLING) What
are you scared of?

How to act, tests and papers,
what to wear, what to say.

You've done things before
that you were scared of.

That's not like you.

I know, but right now,
it's exactly like me.

Well, I'm sure Miss Hunter left some
kind of schedule of things for you to do.

Oh, yeah, and it all looks very
simple all put down on paper.

Well, all you have to do is just do there
what you've been doing here for years.

John-Boy, all I've been doing
here for the past 20 years

is having babies
and pouring coffee.

And you've brought every one of
those babies up from grade to grade,

and I'm sure you've read
those textbooks so many times

you know them by heart yourself.

You're gonna do just fine.

Well, you're very comforting.

Does my heart good to see a
son of mine studying the Bible.

Well, I'm trying.

It's the best
source book I know.

I have all the faith
in the world in you.

Thank you, Mama.

Here's the horde.

Bye-bye, Grandma. Bye, Grandpa.

Have a nice day, everyone!

Bye-bye. Come on,
scoot, scoot, scoot.

And don't slam the door!

(DOOR SLAMMING)

Oh, Grandma, I feel like I'm
leaving you with such a mess.

Oh, I have the whole silent morning,
and the work will keep me company.

Thanks.

I wish you well, Livie.
Good luck. Bye-bye, Livie.

I feel like I'm leaving
home for good.

Carry your books, ma'am?

I don't think I know
you well enough.

Have you decided on
your sermon, John-Boy?

Not yet, Grandma.

Well, I know not every
word. I understand that.

But I mean the subject. What
are you gonna talk about?

Well, I don't really know yet.

John-Boy, may I suggest you
take a firm stand against sin?

Sin, that goes a long
way with the Baptists.

He's right, now.

Now, you mind, I said
I'd help you all I can.

Okay, I'll remember it,
Grandma. Thank you.

Good-bye.

Hey! Don't leave without me.

Where's his mind these days?

JASON: Wait a minute!

In the heavens!

Now, old man, you... you
encourage him in this, you hear?

You help him to think right.

Well, you'll find a way, Esther.

I'm gonna write down
all my thoughts, yeah,

as they come to me.

Well, I'm glad to see you all.

And I'm glad we
all know each other,

so there's no need
for introductions.

Now, let's all do our
best for Miss Hunter...

I mean, Mrs. Fordwick.

Mrs. Walton. Yes, Martha Rose.

You and Mr. Walton had
a honeymoon, didn't you?

Why, yes, we did.

We went to Virginia
Beach just last year.

Well, why did you wait
till you were so old?

You're such a pain, Martha Rose.

That'll do, Mary Ellen.

Now, um, you were all
reading your themes aloud.

Martha Rose, why
don't you read yours?

Well, I did mine last
week, Mrs. Walton,

and I already got a B on it.

Don't you talk to her like that,

and don't laugh at her, either.

Well, just 'cause
she's your mother.

She's still just a substitute.
You better take that back!

Everybody knows...
Martha Rose...

Girls! Shut up!

Girls, now stop that. Stop it.

Well, she doesn't
have to act that way.

You're not helping
things, Mary Ellen.

No, you are not, Mary Ellen.

Now sit down, both of
you. That's enough of that.

This is just not
helping, Mary Ellen.

(STUDENTS CHATTERING)

Children, cut it out. Children.

Children!

Jim-Bob, let's hear your theme.

I don't have one.

(STUDENTS CHUCKLING)

What do you mean,
you don't have one?

I just don't.

Then you will stay
after school until you do.

(STUDENTS CHUCKLING)

Professor Ranney. Uh, John.

Yes, sir?

I can only hope
you've checked out

something that will elevate
your trigonometry average.

Well, actually,
no, not this time.

Comparative Religion,

Philosophy of Ethics,
Introduction to Religion.

And, uh, Selected
Writings of... Goethe.

You haven't changed
your major, have you, John?

No, no, this is just a little
something extracurricular.

Uh-huh. Let me commend
two volumes to you by Nielsen.

They're not heavy at all,
and they're very curricular.

Oh, good.

Logarithmic and
Trigonometric Tables

and the other titled
simply Trigonometry.

Thank you.

Hi, Daddy. Hi, Grandpa.

CHILDREN: Hi,
Grandpa. Hi, Granny.

Hey. Hi.

Where's your teacher?

Oh, she made Jim-Bob
stay after school,

so she had to
stay there with him.

What did he do? Well, it's
what he didn't do, Grandpa.

We were all supposed
to write a theme a

couple of weeks ago,
but he never wrote his.

So when Mama asked
him to read his, well...

Here, Pa. Give us a hand, Son.

GRANDPA: Hoister.

Something especially
tough about this theme?

Not that I know of.

We all had a different
subject to write about,

and Jim-Bob had to write
about his favorite person.

But he keeps on saying
he doesn't have one.

That sounds like a
flimsy excuse to me.

He better get himself
a favorite person.

Well, Mama says he has to
stay at school until he does.

Got it, Pa? Yeah, got it.

Mama has to stay after
school with Jim-Bob,

so I'm supposed to help you.

Grandma?

Oh, Erin, hello.
What is it, dear?

I have to help you get supper.

Oh, no, supper's most
ready. I won't need your help.

What I would like is a little quiet
around here to do what I'm doing.

It's an awful lot of writing.

Yeah, it's all to help
John-Boy with his sermon.

I've been thinking, Grandma.

What does John-Boy know
about preaching a sermon?

Likely not a great deal.
Well, that's why I'm doing this.

Here. You read that one.

"Put away from me
a forward mouth."

Jim-Bob, looking out that window

is not gonna put
words on your paper.

I don't know why I had to get
this dumb assignment anyway.

I'm probably the only
person in the whole world

that doesn't have
a favorite person.

Well, I can't change it. You'll
just have to think of someone.

One thing about Miss
Hunter, she tries to help you,

talks to you, asks you stuff,

and the first thing you
know, you're thinking.

I am not Miss Hunter.

You're sure not.

Hey, Sister. Hi, Jason.

Hi, Reverend Walton.

Every guy needs a funny sister.

When do I get to
hear your sermon?

Maybe Sunday. Maybe never.

GRANDMA: John-Boy.

I saw you drive up. Could you
come in for a minute, please?

Oh, okay, sure.
It won't take long.

Now, you... you just sit there

and make out like
you're in church.

All right.

(CLEARS THROAT)

"For dust thou art, and
unto dust shalt thou return!"

You see, that way you
get their attention right off,

and that's very important.

Yeah, it sure works. Yeah.

"For dust thou art, and
unto dust shalt thou return."

Oh, you... you remember
when God got so mad at Adam

and all that commotion
about Adam and Eve

and eating the forbidden fruit?

I remember. Yeah.

Well, I... I thought you might
like to talk against original sin.

Hmm.

(CLEARING THROAT) And...

Well, it goes on from
there, you know. Mmm-hmm.

And that all that begetting
went on for the longest time

until they peopled the earth.

And... And you
know what people are.

Yeah, and...

"And God saw the wickedness..."

Excuse me.

"And God saw that the wickedness
of man was great on the earth,

"and... and all the
imaginations of his thought,

"of his heart was nothing

(THUMPING) "but
evil continually."

And... Well, I
skipped a verse there.

"And God said, I
will destroy man

"who I have created
from the face of the earth."

Except Noah. Now,
he... he walked with God.

You're still in
Genesis, aren't you?

Yeah, well, then... then came
the flood, the ark, the animals,

and then all that
begetting started again.

So I... I skipped.

Yeah.

"If thou will do evil..."
Here it goes again.

Don't you do that on
the pulpit, you hear?

"If thou do which
is evil, be afraid!"

Now evil is one of those
words you can drive home.

And vengeance is another one.

(THUMPING) "Vengeance
is mine, saith the...

"Vengeance is mine, I
shall repay, saith the Lord!"

It... It's all here
for you, John-Boy.

Study it and...

Well, you know, I... I've listened
to the Gospel most all my life.

When I was a girl, we used to go to
what they called "protracted meetings,"

where the preaching
went on for a whole week.

And sometimes, we had a
dozen preachers in or more.

Well, Reverend
Fordwick all right,

but I like those
old-time preachers.

And what I did was, I just
took the best of everything

they... they... they said and...

And well, I... I've
put it down for you.

Well, they're for you, John-Boy.

Thank you.

Did you hurt your hand?

Well, it'll work
out. It's, uh...

You know, maybe you ought
to practice that, that pounding,

because there must be
a knack in doing it right.

I will.

Grandpa.

"For in her tongue is
the law of kindness."

Proverbs, 31, Verse
20... Six. Six, yes.

All about a virtuous woman.

For her price is far
above that of rubies.

Oh, thank you, Zeb.

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

You two plan to spend the night?

We don't seem to
have any plan here.

It's time to come home, Liv.

I'd rather walk home.

Do some thinking
while you're walking.

(SIGHING) First day
didn't go too good, huh?

Any day I lose my
temper is not a good day.

I'm so ashamed.

Something must've
happened to start you off.

It seems like a lot
of things happened.

And when I called on Jim-Bob,
it was almost a cry for help.

And he failed you, huh?

It felt that way.

Now he's been sitting here telling
me how understanding Rosemary is

and how I'm not
the least bit like her.

You'll feel better when
you get home, Liv.

I'm mighty glad to see you.

Seems like a long, long
time since this morning.

GRANDPA: ♪ Oh, he walks with me

♪ And he talks with me

♪ And he tells me I am his own ♪

Ah, John-Boy.

Come on. Open up the
windows of your mind,

and let the cooling
breeze blow right through.

(PANTING) I'm sure trying.

You don't have to
try up here, John-Boy.

Sit down. It'll
take care of itself.

(CHUCKLING)

(GRUNTING)

I tell you, Grandma's
sure working hard for me.

Yes, in her own sweet way.

You know, she's always had
her own way with the man upstairs.

The Lord Almighty has been
mighty patient with her, too.

No, no, I understand
what she's been saying,

and she certainly
is a fine woman. It...

I don't know if I could...

I don't know if I could do it with
all that hellfire and brimstone and...

No,

I'm inclined to let the good Lord
take care of the big things in life.

I don't wanna bother him
with the little small things.

Let him take care of the
wars and the depressions

and the famines and
floods, catastrophes

and life and death.

And me, I... You know, I really only go
to church because of the hymn singing.

(GRUNTS)

BOTH: ♪ O Beulah
Land, sweet Beulah Land

♪ As on thy
highest mount I stand

♪ I look away... ♪

But you do pray
to him, don't you?

Oh, yes, yes. Yes, of course
I pray in my own fashion,

in thanks and gratitude.

We recognize one another.

Yes, I know he's always
around somewhere listening.

You know, I enjoy most of all
listening to him when I'm out fishing

or sometimes when the
old woman is haranguing me.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

And then, uh, I listen to him,

and I go about things
in my own fashion.

I know what you mean. Mmm.

But, well, like the way I
feel about something, it's...

It's so much of a feeling.
It's such a personal thing.

It's hard to make it come
out as a statement, a fact or...

You know what I
mean? Yes, I know.

Some of those spellbinding
preachers, they can get in the way

of your own feelings. Oh, yes.

Oh, I've heard them
on the radio, you know.

(LAUGHING) "Repent! Repent!

"You'll fall into the
deepest, darkest abyss

"of corruption and
infamy." I know.

"Repent! Repent or perish!"

Grandma must've known a
whole passel of those. Yeah.

I mean, they do know the right and
the wrong of it, though, and I just...

But they are men, you know.

Just men like the rest of us.

And you...

You know that man was only
created by God on the sixth day.

He created everything
else, you know.

Heavens, the stars,
the infinite spaces,

the grasses, the
herbs, trees, animals.

And he invented man.

And he had to rest a
full day for his labor.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

He did all that before man.

That ought to give us a rough
idea in the scheme of things

just where man belongs.

(LAUGHING)

Along with everything.

(HUMMING)

♪ He walks with me

BOTH: ♪ And he talks with me

♪ And he tells me I am his own ♪

(KNOCKING ON DOOR) Mmm-hmm.

Mama in here?

No, last time I saw her, she
was downstairs with Jim-Bob.

Are you reading all those books?

Trying to. Most of it.

Now, if you're gonna read all that,
you'll be talking so much Sunday,

I'll be hard put to stay awake.

(LAUGHING)

I just want it to be good.

Why won't it be good?

(SIGHING) I don't know. I...

I've been to Reverend
Fordwick's sermons,

and he always seems to have
something real thoughtful to say.

He knows just what to
say and how to say it.

Reverend Fordwick's been
studying preaching for years.

I know. That's just it. How am I
supposed to be a preacher in a week?

There's no way you can become
a preacher in one week, Son.

Well, at least I'd like to be
what people expect me to be,

but... but I don't even
know what that is.

They all want
something different.

I mean, even in these books
here, I don't know who to please.

You know, maybe it's time
you put away these books,

stop listening to everybody
including your Grandma,

get real quiet and
figure out how you feel.

You got a way with words.

Once you know how you feel
about things, it'll come out real good.

You're right.

Ma's having her problems, too.

She's not Miss Hunter, but
she's a pretty good teacher.

I bet you come up
with a good sermon.

Hey, wait up.

JOHN-BOY: Neither one
of them is gonna give in.

JOHN: He's been
writing something.

Yeah.

(WHISPERING) "My favorite
person is parts of a lot of people.

"If you put them
together, they'd be swell.

"Orville and Wilbur Wright,
on account of the airplane.

"Grandpa, the way he
laughs and makes you laugh.

"John-Boy is a good big brother

"when he doesn't treat
me like a little brother.

"Mama's pretty and nice mostly
when she's just being a mama.

"And then Daddy, the
way you can go to him

"and ask and always
get an answer."

Over there in the
shade of those trees.

We'll be a lot more
comfortable there.

Good idea.

(GIRLS CHUCKLING)

All right, now, everybody
form a half-circle here.

You all right, Elizabeth?
ELIZABETH: Yeah.

Lots cooler here, Mrs. Walton.

Seems so to me.

Ah, feel that breeze, children?

Now, let's get on
with our lesson.

You all remember we were talking
about the Virginia Convention and...

Martha Rose, what is it?

Well, I don't have to sit on
the ground with everybody else.

No, you don't.

You can stand there, or
you can lean against that tree,

or you can sit on
that log over there,

but what you can't
do is disrupt the class.

(BOTH CHUCKLING)

Now, when you two
have finished giggling,

we'll get on with our lesson.

This will be your good
deed for the day, John-Boy.

Another star in your crown.

Well, shall I put these
in the back? Yes.

Thank you.

(GRUNTING) One and two.

Thank you. You're very welcome.

Dare we ask how
the sermon is coming?

Well, I'm a little
bit nervous about it.

Oh, Sister and I have
every faith in you.

We do understand, John-Boy.

It is a grave responsibility,

and your experience at preaching must
certainly be limited, to say the least.

I agree.

Afternoon, Mrs. Brimmer.

Oh, John-Boy, ladies.

Nice, warm afternoon.

A bit stifling, though.
Try not to overdo.

I will.

Uh, about the nervousness
you mentioned...

Well, it's not
really nervousness.

I just don't seem to be able
to get my ideas organized.

Sometimes, when one
is on edge, so to speak,

a bit of the recipe has
the most quieting effect.

Why, Sister, I've always found the
recipe more stimulating than quieting.

I can't agree with you, Sister.

It was very quieting to me the last
time I recited at the Shelley Society.

And as I recall, you were
quite good, Miss Emily.

Oh, thank you. I was told
so by many in attendance.

Well, you can always
trust the recipe.

(LAUGHING)

Yes, well... Well...

Here, I'll get the door for
you. Thank you, John-Boy.

You're welcome. Just one
minute. I'll get the door for you.

I don't know. It sounds to me
like Olivia's got a good idea,

teaching those kids outside
where the air's stirring around.

Well, in the school where I
attended, there was discipline.

We were made to sit in our
seats like a little row of soldiers.

You'd think she
was having a picnic.

Well, it's revolutionary,
there's no questioning that.

Exactly my feeling,
revolutionary.

Another of those
modern educational frills.

CORABETH: Well, now, we don't
actually know that she was teaching.

I mean, you weren't
close enough to hear

what she was talking
about, were you?

I mean, what do you think
she was talking about?

Well, I'm sure I wouldn't know.

I wouldn't eavesdrop, you know.

Well, you know, I was surprised

when I heard that they
had asked Olivia to teach.

My goodness, I have more
of an education than she has.

Corabeth, I... Well,
you know I have.

And discipline is another thing.

MRS. BRIMMER: That's the word
I was trying to think of, "discipline."

Why, she has no more...
Why, John-Boy, my goodness!

Just getting my
mother's order here.

Yeah, got it right
here for you, John-Boy.

I imagine you're hard at work
on your sermon, John-Boy.

MRS. BRIMMER: We, uh...
All of us imagine you are.

Seems to me I get new
ideas for it all the time.

(GRUNTS)

(IMITATING WHIRRING)

(SIGHING)

You know, the sound of that machine
makes things seem even hotter.

Everything about this day,
Pa, makes it seem hotter.

Yeah.

It's always cooler up there.

Yes. I've never known a day

when there wasn't an easy breeze
blowing up there on Walton's Mountain.

Pa, let's close up shop.

Whatever Ma's got
cooking for supper,

we're going to eat up
there on that mountain.

Come on! Hallelujah!

Grandma.

Yeah, honey? Be
careful, it's heavy.

Remember?

That chicken should be covered.

Stop that. Put it back.

Here you go, Grandma.

Oh, John-Boy, how's
the sermon coming?

You boys are pigs!

Now they got it.

GRANDMA: Set the
table. ERIN: Okay.

MARY ELLEN: And get the knives.

You feeling tired?

Everyone seems to think so.
They won't let me help much.

How's it coming along?

Much better.

Hot as sin, of course, but a
lot easier than the first day.

Yeah, it'll get easier and
easier as you go along.

How's your work coming?

Well, it's... It's coming
pretty slowly actually.

Mostly it's just the thoughts.

You know, I've got to
sift them out in my mind

and sort them out
and organize them.

I've got to have some reason to
stand up there and talk to those people,

and they've got to have some
reason to sit there and listen to me.

It's coming. I knew it would.

It's like him to think of
coming up here for supper.

Yeah, he comes up here
every chance he gets.

Feel that breeze.

I can feel the ragged
edges just smoothing away.

Land and the pine trees is
a sermon in itself, all right.

It's the summing
up that's hard for me.

ELIZABETH: Daddy!

Oh, honey, you broke
it, huh? Or it broke itself.

Let's see here. Oh, yeah, I see.

I hope her problems
are always that small.

I hope he's always
there to solve them.

There it is.

Thank you. All right, baby.

Hey, Daddy. What?

Can we go down to the creek?

You know, I used to
hunt frogs down there.

Yeah, we're gonna
get some frogs. Okay.

We eat in a little
while, so don't be long.

Okay. Thank you. Okay.

Catch any big ones
now, you gotta eat them.

JIM-BOB: Be right back.

It's my turn.

What you been doing?

Admiring the view.

Something to see, isn't it?

Mmm-hmm.

Something wrong?

Liv, I can hardly wait for
these hard times to be over,

and we can start
building our house.

Once that house is built, I
bet I don't get anything done.

Probably just stand here
staring off into all this space.

We can just put windows
all across the front.

No use shutting out this view.

We are standing on the
front porch, aren't we?

No.

Now you are.

You just made our
living room bigger.

It was a little skimpy,
didn't you think?

Now I'm gonna have
to get new furniture.

Anything you want, me
and the boys will build you.

New benches around the kitchen
table with nice soft cushions.

Now, there's my dream.

Gonna need two or three extra
benches for the grandchildren.

You build it,
the kids will fill it.

It's gonna be a fine
house, Liv, someday.

I think it already is.

We're keeping it out, Grandma.

I thought you'd have
the table set by now.

It is. We're all ready. They
can just come and get the plates.

Get them all together. We
don't wanna set them down.

GRANDPA: "Like my heart beats
for you..." How does that poem go?

Tell me how that poem goes.
"My heart beats for you..."

(ALL CHATTERING)

CONGREGATION: ♪
Faith of our fathers, living still

♪ In spite of dungeon
♪ Fire and sword

♪ Oh, how our hearts
beat ♪ High with joy

♪ Whene'er we hear
♪ That glorious Word

♪ Faith of our
fathers ♪ Holy faith

♪ We will be true
to thee ♪ Till death

♪ Faith of our
fathers ♪ Holy faith

♪ We will be true
to thee ♪ Till death

♪ Amen ♪

You may be seated.

Today is Sunday,

and once again, we are
privileged to come together

in the warmth and the
fellowship of the house of our Lord.

I think this morning,
all of our thoughts

are with our Reverend
Fordwick and his bride Rosemary

as they start their
new life together.

And I'm sure that our
prayers are with them also

that their new life
may be a happy one.

What does a young man know?

And how does a young man learn?

I don't have to remind you
all that I am not a minister.

And, uh, to many of you,

what I have to say this morning
will not seem like a real sermon.

But Reverend Fordwick asked
me to be here in his absence

and to speak to
you, so I'm gonna try.

While I was preparing to
speak with you this week,

I learned things that
I did not know before,

and I was reminded of some
things that I had forgotten

or at least
misplaced for a time.

And I would like to share
these things with you.

I learned some of the
many different ways

that people have
of worshipping God.

And I think I learned
that everybody,

in his own way,
has a different way.

Now, I... I don't know the
Bible as well as most of you,

and I'm sure that
all of you in here

could quote me back chapter
and verse to prove your belief,

which I might not be able to do.

But I'll bet that if we
really looked into it,

we'd find that each of your
beliefs is in some way different

and special from
everybody else's,

just as... just as
you all, as people,

are different and special
from everybody else.

Now, I'm... I go to college.

I'm a college man, and I... I
tend to read a lot of books,

and I tend to, uh, feel that the
answers are gonna be in the books.

So I went to college this week, and
I took out a lot of big, heavy books,

and I looked through them,
and I looked for the answer.

And I found a lot of answers.
I didn't find the answer.

But I also found an answer

in an afternoon walk with my
grandfather on the mountain.

Now, he told me that God
is everywhere all the time

and that all we really have to do
is just acknowledge that and listen.

I spoke with my grandmother
who knows her gospel,

and she knows the right of it,
and she knows the wrong of it

in her own special way.

She is a fine woman.

This week, I didn't have too
much chance to talk with my mother

because she was busy herself

and she had things
of her own to do.

I watched her,

and I found out

that the Lord guides her in her
footsteps in ways that are unique to her,

in ways that make her
different from everybody,

whether it's the way
she tends a sick baby

or the way she chooses to
conduct her class at school.

This week, I looked over the
shoulder of my younger brother,

and I saw these words that
he had written about our father.

"You can always go to him
and ask and get an answer."

Now, you all know
John Walton, our father.

Now, you don't
necessarily know him

from seeing him in
church every Sunday,

but let me tell you that
what Jim-Bob said is right.

You can always go to him
and ask and get an answer,

and he is always there for us.

And just as he has his special
way of being with his family

and giving them his answers,

he also has a special
way of being with his God

and getting answers
from his God.

We are all blessed
by our families

and by our loving friends, who
help us and who give us support.

And we can be daily
examples to each other

and nourish each other
and help each other

in spite of our differences and
also, many times, because of them.

Just as my earthly father
is always with his family,

so our Father in heaven
is always with his family,

which embraces all of mankind.

And it seems to me
I've learned this week

that our Lord must be
very, very great indeed

to be able to encompass so
many different kinds of feelings

and so many different kinds
of people in his everlasting love.

Will we now turn to hymn
number 335 in the hymnal,

Amazing Grace?

CONGREGATION: ♪ Amazing Grace

♪ How sweet the sound
♪ That saved a wretch

♪ Like me ♪ I once was lost

♪ But now am found ♪ Was blind

♪ But now, I see

♪ T'was Grace that taught

♪ My heart to fear ♪

JOHN-BOY: I was never again
to stand in for Reverend Fordwick.

But it was a humbling
experience and a growing time,

one that I learned much from

and have had occasion to
recall many times during my life.

JIM-BOB: Mama, do I get an
A on my favorite-person theme?

OLIVIA: You deserve it, Jim-Bob.

ERIN: But he wrote
about five favorite persons.

So I ought to get
five As. Grabby.

ELIZABETH: I think you deserve
them, Jim-Bob. Thanks, Elizabeth.

You stayed after school
longer than anyone else ever did.

You're a champion record-holder.

OLIVIA: Good night, Elizabeth.

Good night, Mama.
Good night, Daddy.

JOHN: Good night, honey.