The Waltons (1971–1981): Season 5, Episode 4 - The Baptism - full transcript

Ezekiel L. Henshaw
will conduct our revival.

Ben, I'm not gonna have
your soul lost to the devil.

You're gonna come to that
revival meeting, you're gonna listen!

Ma, the children have
minds of their own.

Well, then you should
be showing them the way.

John, you know how
much this means to me.

You have two choices!

Your house in heaven
or an eternity in hell!

We were a religious
people on Walton's Mountain.

The church was the center of our
social as well as our spiritual lives.

Each year, there would
come a great religious revival



when each of us
would be called upon

to examine our conscience
and to receive salvation.

It was a time of joyous reunion,

of intense religious fervor,
and it was looked forward to

with great anticipation by
everyone except my father.

Oh, there they come!

Get here! Come on,
he's waiting on the phone.

I had to go all the way to
Maude Gormley's, but I got him.

He can't wait all day. Come on!

Yes, we knew
John-Boy'd find you.

It must be splendid
news, Matthew!

Well, I'm not exactly
sure yet, Miss Emily.

He's staying at the Thomas Jefferson
Hotel in Richmond, Reverend. Hurry.

Y-Yes, so John-Boy informed me.



Erin's at the switchboard.
She's keepin' the line open.

Would you please? She's
waiting! Yes! Come on!

Get on the phone.

Well...

Maybe we ought
to let the Reverend

have his phone call in private.

I agree, Olivia. The
call was personal.

You're right, Sister.

Papa used to say,

"Eavesdroppers seldom
hear good of themselves."

I wasn't gonna
eavesdrop. I work here.

What's goin' on?

Reverend Fordwick is talking long
distance to a very important preacher.

Oh, okay.

What an interesting
hobby, collecting car parts.

Oh, no, it's not a hobby, ma'am.

He's takin' those parts and
making himself a real car.

Oh, we have a
spare tire on our car.

Perhaps he
would... Oh, no, dear.

We have to have that in
case we have a puncture.

Oh.

Oh!

Divine providence has
answered my prayers.

Ezekiel L. Henshaw
will conduct our revival.

Through friends at the
theological seminary,

I was able to
persuade him to stop by

on his crusade
through the South.

I can't believe my children are
gonna hear that wonderful man preach.

I hope you will see fit
to publicize this event

in your paper, John-Boy.

Oh, it's a front-page
story for sure.

Good. Now... Now what
we want to let everyone know

is that we will hold our revival
meetings where we seek commitments

next Sunday.

The following Sunday
we will have the baptisms.

Now, I'll bring you some background
material on Reverend Henshaw.

Oh, don't worry.
I'll get it all in.

You know, it was once
my great opportunity

to hear Reverend
Henshaw conduct a service,

and I doubt if there's
another minister of the gospel

who can bring converts
to the fold as he can.

Excuse me.

I'd like to think you'll join us

at the revival services, John.

I'm making no promises, Matt.

Takes a lot of work to feed
my family, pay my debts.

John, there is gain for everyone

in resting on the seventh day.

It's fine for them that
can afford it, Matt.

It'd be a great
comfort to me to know

that you've accepted Christ
as your personal savior.

Matt, I'm afraid you're gonna have
to get along without me this time.

Better luck with
the other lost sheep.

You are a challenge.

Oh, here comes
Mary Ellen, I bet.

Oh, Mary Ellen.

There she is.

Hi, honey!

Good to have you home.

Hi, Mama. Hi, Mary Ellen.

You're too thin!

Thanks for picking me up,
John-Boy. Anytime, sweetheart.

I gotta finish that article now.

Okay, Elizabeth. I
can't wait to get upstairs

and take this uniform
off. Yeah, yeah.

Give any vaccinations
or take out any tonsils?

No, all I do is study.

Hi. I missed you!

Hey! Jason.

Did you get to take
out any interns?

No, but one took me out.

David Spencer? Yeah!

Oh! Where's Jim-Bob?

Oh, more than likely he's off

gettin' some parts for
that new car he's building.

Call that a car, Grandpa, with
three wheels and no engine?

What's been happening
around here? Anything exciting?

Not much this past week, but on Sunday
we're gonna have a revival meeting.

I hope you'll be there.

Oh, sure, Mama.

Well... Oh, hi, Jim-Bob!

Hi, Mary Ellen.

Jim-Bob, you better get
washed up for supper.

Mama!

Sorry. James Robert.

All right, come on,
son. Look lively.

Dear Lord,

thank you for bringing
this family safely together

for the food on our table.

Especially bless those
who provide for us.

We ask you to bless
Reverend Henshaw

as we welcome
him to our revival.

And please, Lord,
open the hearts of those

who have not yet found
their way to salvation.

Amen. ALL: Amen.

Pass the beans. Looks good, Liv.

I'll have some stew.
Who's Reverend Henshaw?

He's gonna be the guest
minister at our revival.

Baptized people
halfway around the world.

He's a busy man.

He's a real crusader.

Mama, what's a crusader?

Somebody pass the bread, please.

A crusader is a man
who goes on crusades.

And he helps people find
the joy and comfort of living

once they've taken
God into their lives.

Oh, I don't know.
I was baptized,

and I didn't feel all
that much different.

Well, you don't play
the piano any better.

You wouldn't know good
piano-playing if you heard it.

I wish those of you who
haven't taken the step

would do some serious
thinking about this.

Oh, I think about
it a lot, Mama.

Well, I'm glad I was
baptized with John-Boy.

It was a beautiful experience.

Mama, I suppose you want
me to get dunked this year.

I want you to be baptized,

but I'm not gonna push
you into it. Thank you.

Just come to the
service and listen,

and if you feel the
call to accept Christ,

I'm sure you'll find it a
wonderful experience.

Well, a lot of times people's
lives are gonna depend on me.

If I'm gonna be a nurse,

I can use all the help anybody can send me.
- Amen.

Maybe it's time I
made my witness.

Mary Ellen, that would make
your mama and me very happy.

Mama, why would it
make you so happy?

Because I want this whole family
together, now and in the hereafter.

There's no salvation
in life beyond the tomb.

Turn or burn.

I don't even like
thinking about the tomb.

Isn't it time, Jim-Bob, that
the Lord touched your soul?

Me and my soul aren't too
happy about going in the water.

Might wake you up, Jim-Bob.

Now, just a minute here.

Jim-Bob and Ben
and everybody else

has time to make
up their own minds.

Finished, Daddy?

Yes, I am, honey.

Excuse me, Yancy and
I are going coon hunting.

You're telling me, son?
Last year, you asked me.

Oh, I'm asking, Daddy... Sir.

Seems to me you've got
better things to do with your time

than running through
the woods and gullies

with that crazy Yancy Tucker.

Liv, I don't see any harm in him
knocking around in the woods.

Wish I had time.

You be careful, Ben.
I will, Mama. Daddy.

And while you're out there,
give some thought to your soul.

I will. Good night, everyone.

- Good night, son.
- Goodnight, Ben.

That Ben.

Zeb, if you'd insisted that
John follow the Christian way,

Livie and I wouldn't be going
through this torment right now.

Old woman, with the
ever-blooming springs

comes this ever-blooming
argument about baptism.

Year after year after year.

Yeah, and we're gonna keep
right on trying until I get results.

Can we talk about
something else?

Arguments make my stomach growl.

Can I be excused, Daddy?
I don't want any dessert.

Yes, you can, son.

I even named John
after John the Baptist.

And what come of it?

A good man,

a Christian who
doesn't go to church.

He takes after his daddy,

and I try to take
after John the Baptist.

Grandpa, I thought
you liked church.

I do like church, Elizabeth.

I like to go there for the
singing and the gettin' together,

but I believe the whole
wide world is one cathedral

where you walk in silent hills

besides quiet waters.

Church is where you find it.

Old man, don't you spread
sacrilege to this child, you hear?

Sacrilege?

Ma, the children have
minds of their own.

John, you know how
much this means to me.

Yes, I do, Liv.

I still have faith in Reverend
Fordwick and Reverend Henshaw.

After all these years, I've
just about given up hope.

So here's the article
on Henshaw right there.

I just set that up here,
and I take the type out,

and, you see, each one of these little
pieces of type's got a little notch in it

so that when you set
it in this part here, see,

you feel your fingernail go in there,
and you know you got it right side up.

Then you memorize where all the
boxes are for the different letters.

Your paper sure is
looking better all the time.

Yeah, well, I'm gradually
getting the kinks out of it.

Good Lord!

What was that?

I don't know.

I thought it was in here.

Like a lady yelling

or a wildcat or something.

Shh.

Get back.

Well!

Jim-Bob, that's a
peacock you got up there.

You're kidding.

No, he isn't kidding.

It's beautiful.

That is the ancient
bird of royalty.

Famous in song and story.

Well, what's it doing here?

Where on earth did you find it?

Walkin' around out in the woods.

It's not a wild bird, son.

You're gonna have
to find the owner.

Well, can I see him fly first?

I just wanted to see him fly.

I think you better take
him outside and let him go.

Well, he'll fly away.

I could put something
in the paper for you.

"Found, one screaming
peacock." Would that help?

It's a good idea, son.

I hope the owner can't read.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Praise the Lord!

Reverend Henshaw! Welcome!

We are honored
to have you with us!

Thank you, brother. Hallelujah!

Where's the jail?

Uh, well, it should
be closed by now.

Let me take your bags here.

Is the community ready?

Oh, yes. There'll be a
front-page story in the local paper.

The church should
be overflowing.

Where's the center of sin?

Uh, we don't have one.

There is always
a den of iniquity

given to the
wicked gratification

of the sensual and the weak.

Now, where is your
center of sin, Reverend?

Uh, well, there is a
roadhouse I have heard about.

It's called the,
um, Dew Drop Inn,

on Route 29.

There's some shady things
reported to go on there.

Drive me there.

Strike sin in the
garden in which it grows.

I hardly think it's a garden.

Mostly it's a place
where people go to relax.

I shall challenge the
devil on his own ground

and make known my
presence on this community.

Yancy, you bag
yourself a raccoon,

and I'll come by and
fix you the finest stew

with black-eyed peas and
collard greens and hushpuppies,

and for dessert,
you handsome devil,

I'll fix you a sweet-potato pie!

Oh, Sissy, you're
stirring up my appetite.

Aren't you the oldest
of the Walton boys?

No, I'm the third.

Well, you sure look
like you'd be the oldest.

Well, thank you.

Name's Texas.

Hello, Texas. My name is Ben.

You sure look like some redheaded
man with his feet on the ground.

Yancy, don't you think we
should start going after that coon?

Ben, I always like to
give him a little break.

Let him have a head start.

Oh, Yancy, you got a good heart.

True.

I am Ezekiel L. Henshaw,
a visitor to your community.

I implore you for
your own salvation

and the welfare of
your blessed families

to come to Walton's
Mountain Church this Sunday.

Wait! Be not afraid.

Let me lead you to the peace
that passeth all understanding.

Take this one day
out of your sinful lives

and find a new life in Christ.

Consider.

Consider with me the most
glorious of religious experiences.

Surrender your soul
to God. Then baptism.

Ben Walton. Reverend.

What in the name of peace and
goodness are you doing here?

Coon hunting? HENSHAW:
Be reborn, O my friend...

The lameness of your
excuse grieves me.

Ben Walton amongst card players

and drinkers of alcohol and...

And, Reverend?

Reverend Fordwick, this
is Sissy and this is Texas.

They work here.

This is Yancy. You know Yancy.

I know Yancy Tucker. Nae,
do not say it is too late...

Ben wouldn't even be here if my
dog hadn't gotten tired and thirsty.

We're just waiting for him
to get his wind. That's all.

Yancy's got a good heart.

Fertile ground,
Fordwick. Fertile ground.

Ben, I want you to
return home immediately

and tell your parents all.

Do I have to, Reverend? I mean,
it looks much worse than it is.

Accept deliverance
in the name of Jesus

and find your eternal
home in heaven.

All my friends, bless
you, one and all.

Ben, tell your parents all.

Yes, sir. Come on, Yancy.

Tiger.

Tiger. Come here, Tiger.

Tiger, come here.

Hi, John!

Hi, Yancy.

Yancy, watch out!
The chicken coop!

Now, Yancy, you kind
of overshot, didn't you?

John, I'm sorry. I was
just hurrying Ben home

so I could take full blame.

Blame for what, Yancy?

I dropped by the Dew Drop Inn,

and Ben just happened
to stop by with me.

It's all right, honey.
They just overshot a little.

Ben, are you all
right? Yes, Mama.

Son, I don't ever recall seeing
a coon at the Dew Drop Inn.

Boy just happened to
come in to get out of the cold

while I said hello
to Sissy. That's all.

Ben, you know I don't like
you going into places like that.

I know, Mama. I just wanted
to see what it would look like.

I didn't do anything wrong.

No, Ben didn't do nothing wrong.

No, sir. I just
talked to this girl.

What girl? Well, her name is
Texas, and she's a waitress.

Comes from a fine old Texas
family. They got oil wells.

There wouldn't have been no trouble
if it wasn't for them Bible pounders

coming in there
looking for sinners.

Reverend Fordwick and
Reverend Henshaw saw you there?

All right, now, Yancy, get out
of here. Let me back up here.

You're right here
in the hen yard.

Ben, I'm not gonna have
your soul lost to the devil.

Now, you're gonna come to that
revival meeting, and you're gonna listen!

Yes, ma'am.

What you doing?

Storm's coming.

I was just watching
the clouds gathering

and the stars
getting covered over.

It gave me such a feeling.

Like what?

Well,

storms and clouds
and stars and mountains

are all part of the universe,

and I was trying to sense
where I fit with all of that,

and I realized

that there's something
wondrous in all of us

'cause we're all
part of a divine plan.

Liv, this gonna be a sermon?

Well, I didn't intend it to be,

but it's something I
wish you could share.

How long have you been
trying to save my soul, honey?

How long have I known you?

Well, beats me how you
could spend all these years

in the same bed with a sinner.

Well, I guess after 22 years,
it's just gotten to be a habit.

Oh... Gotta cover that lumber.

How come every time we
start to talk about religion

you find some way
to change the subject?

I didn't change the subject.
Someone up there did.

Well, why can't the
wood just get wet?

'Cause I can't saw wet lumber.

Good! We can all go
to church in the morning!

Jason, John-Boy, give me a hand!

Daddy! Is he all right?

I don't know. He's out cold.

Did it hit him?
Looked like it hit him.

I don't think so. I think
he's all right. Wait a minute.

He's all right,
Mama. I don't think...

God.

Maybe we should get a doctor.

His pulse is steady.

John? John?

John!

What a crowd, huh?

What are you all doing?

Don't you know what happened?

By the grace of the
Lord, you weren't killed.

You almost got hit by
lightning out there. Oh, Daddy.

You ought to see the ground
where it hit. You all right?

Well, yeah, I'm, fine.

No, you just stay right
where you are. I'm all right.

You need anything? We'll
get you what you need.

I'm all right. You need
some water or something?

I'm fine. I'm fine.

Are you sure you're all right?

I'm fine. I just fell
down. It was nothing.

"It was nothing"? You haven't
seen it out there, all the stuff it hit!

Everybody go to bed. I'm fine.
I really am. I really, really am.

I'm all right,
honey. Yes, I'm fine.

He's gonna be okay. He'll
be all right. Good night.

Good night. Good night, Daddy.

It's all right. Oh, I'm fine.

You sure do know all kinds of
ways to scare the life out of me.

You could have
been killed out there.

Come on, Liv, a miss
is as good as a mile.

Oh, John, don't do that.

Come on, sit down.

Don't you think the Lord
was telling you something?

He might have been, honey, but I
didn't hear anything till I woke up.

I wish you'd come to
church with us tomorrow.

Hmm. The lumber's all wet now.

Can't work anyway.

All right, I'll go.

♪ Stand up, stand up for Jesus

♪ Ye soldiers of the cross

♪ Lift high His royal banner

♪ It must not suffer loss

♪ From victory unto victory

♪ His army shall He lead

♪ Till every foe is vanquished

♪ And Christ is Lord indeed

♪ Stand up, stand up for Jesus

♪ The trumpet call obey

♪ Forth to the mighty conflict

♪ In this His glorious day

♪ Ye that are men now serve Him

♪ Against unnumbered foes

♪ Let courage rise with danger

♪ And strength to
strength oppose ♪ Amen ♪

The congregation will be seated.

Dear friends, we are
delighted and honored today

by the presence of
Reverend Ezekiel Henshaw.

Few have accomplished
so much for Jesus.

He has led thousands
into a new life with Christ,

and now he comes to share his
inspiration with us on this holy day.

Reverend?

Gather we now in
the name of the Lord.

Oh, my friends,

what a privilege to be among you

on this Christ-blessed morning.

Walking down your pasture
lanes, over your greening hills,

between budding trees,

I thrilled at nature's rebirth.

I marveled at the message.

God, through his other creations,
is guiding us to personal rebirth.

Will we heed the message and
walk within God's divine light?

How many of us deny ourselves
the glorious experience of God's love

and his plan for our hereafter

because we are sinful?

For all have sinned and
fall short of the glory of God.

Amen.

Romans 3:23.

The Bible tells us

that in the last days,
there will be famines!

There will be pestilences! There
will be earthquakes at diverse places!

A sore depression has
already been visited upon us!

If there ever was a day and age

when America
needs a heaven-born,

God-sent, Jesus-brought,
angel-sought,

devil-fought, Bible-taught
revival meeting, it is today!

Hallelujah! Amen!

Jesus,

give me that wayward
daughter who has gone astray.

Amen! WOMAN: Hear, hear!

Jesus, give me that
son who trembles in fear,

yearning for thy healing grace.

Amen.

That sinner
longing for salvation.

Jesus, give every
sorrowful sinner

strength to confess
his sins to thee,

that he might come forward

and be cleansed of sin and evil.

Hallelujah!

Touch them, O God!

- Make them whole!
- Hallelujah!

- Touch their hearts!
- Hallelujah!

Give them glory!

- Touch them, O God!
- Hallelujah!

Give them glory!

Won't you come forward as
the choir sings Just as I Am?

Come forward, just as you are.

Jesus is waiting.

Amen.

♪ Just as I am ♪

Come forward, brothers.

Come forward, sisters.
Come forward. ALL: Hallelujah!

Bless you, sister.

Hallelujah, sister. Hallelujah!

Amen.

Bless you sister.

I am without sin,

but I seek God's grace.

Let Jesus touch you.
Pray with me now.

Amen. HENSHAW:
Hallelujah, sister. Hallelujah.

Who else among us wishes to
know they will be granted the comfort,

the life and fire of love of the
Almighty while here on Earth

and know that heaven
is to be your home?

Come forward! Jesus,
touch them! Jesus, save them!

Kneel and pray
for salvation, Judith.

Bless you, William. Bless you. Pray
with me now. Let Jesus touch you.

Through me, feel the hand
of Jesus on your shoulder.

I pray for you, whatever
your transgressions!

Hallelujah, sister. Hallelujah!

God bless you, Mary Ellen. I'm
so proud of you. Pray with me now.

Those of you who have not
stepped forward, know this.

As sure as that spring rain
that has just begun to fall again,

there is a life
beyond the grave...

Amen! Amen!

A hell to lose, a
heaven to gain!

Hallelujah! Let it come down,
O Lord! Let it come down, now.

Dear Lord,

we are grateful for those who
have promised their souls to thee,

but there are among us some who
have not yet accepted this deliverance!

Many of our younger generation
have turned from Jesus

and sunk into sin
and loose living!

Bless you, Benjamin.
Kneel down and pray.

For in the great
span of eternity,

there is a heaven
for the righteous

and a hell for the wicked!

Whosoever's name is not
written in the Book of Life

will be cast into the lake

that burneth with
fire and brimstone!

Shall it be the promised
land of milk and honey

or the eternal prodding of the
devil's pitchfork in the pits of hell?

Yeah!

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord! HENSHAW:
There are yet those among us

who have not surrendered
their souls to Jesus.

There are yet those among
us who walk the devil's highway,

who have not accepted the
Lord as their personal savior.

For what should man profit, if
he shall gain the whole world,

if death should bring him
only a vast, endless hell?

Yes! MEN: Yep.

If ye be reborn again,
confess thy sins!

Be cleansed by the waters!

Yes! Yes, praise the Lord.

Ye shall surely die!

You have two choices!

Your house in heaven
or an eternity in hell!

John!

I'll not be shouted at.

It's your soul
he's fighting for.

I'll do my own fighting.

If he just hadn't walked out...

Mama, you should have
known what was gonna happen

the minute the Reverend
started with that fire and brimstone.

I know.

I was just so glad to see your
father in church in the first place.

I just think it's a shame they never got
a chance to talk quietly with each other,

but my father is never gonna
make a decision on this business

with somebody yelling at
him and pounding the Bible.

Reverend Henshaw's gonna
to be here through the baptism.

I'll just hope for a miracle.

Need any help?

I can manage.

What's your mama doing in there?

I don't know. I think she's
kind of hoping I'll come out here

and help you see the light.

If I could've seen the light, I
would've seen it a long time ago.

The last thing in the world I
wanna do is hurt your mama.

Had to get out of that church. I
couldn't stand another minute.

I'm lucky. I did
it when I was 12.

Saved myself the trouble of
having to go through all this bad time.

That's just what it
is, son. Bad time.

Maybe I am some kind of heathen,

going fishing and hunting
and working on Sunday.

I'd like to go to
church with you all,

but it makes me
feel like a hypocrite.

You know, you don't
have to explain it to me.

I understand exactly
how you feel about it.

I'm glad your mama
has her religion.

I mean, it brings
her joy. I just...

I'm just not made that way.

I can't help you. I'm sorry.

I've just been in the middle
of it all my life, I guess,

and to tell you the truth, the
only time it gets rough for me

is when you two fight about it.

Boy, he sure would look
funny without his feathers.

Sort of like a turkey. I
guess we could eat him.

Nobody's eatin' Rover.

Rover?

Yeah, what's wrong with that?

Ben had a pig named Rover. Why
can't I have a peacock named Rover?

Here, why don't we
let him walk outside?

No, don't do that!
He'll fly away.

But you want it to fly.

Yeah, but not away.

Jim-Bob, you're strange.

Thanks.

First corn of the season
always tastes the sweetest.

Cooking might have
something to do with it.

Sorry I'm late. I had to drop some
papers off down at the bus depot,

and there's always someone
down there wants to talk.

Reverend Fordwick dropped by to
thank you for the article on the baptism.

Good.

Fresh corn, I see.

Mmm-hmm. Well,
can't wait to try that.

Can I have the butter, please?

Erin, you've got the
butter. Hand it here.

Ben? Gonna get baptized? Maybe.

I know why Ben wants to get
baptized, because he's guilty.

Of what?

You name it.

You just better watch
your step, Jason.

All right, you two,
that's enough.

But it's true! Pure guilt.

Come Sunday, all those roadhouse
sins are gonna be washed away.

Jason, I have
nothing to wash away.

Oh, yeah? I know
your Texas dish.

She may be from the Lone Star
State but she's not alone much.

You two wanna leave
the table? Yeah, I do.

Jason, I got no
reason to be baptized.

Look at Daddy. He never was.

I just may not.

Ben,

I'm worried about you.

There's no need to be, Mama.

I think there is.

Something's bothering you,

and I do think you're spending
too much time with Yancy.

Maybe I am.

That doesn't mean
they have to pick on me.

I know you didn't mean
what you said in there.

Mama, I'm not a sinner.

I know that.

Well, if I go in the
water on Sunday,

they'll say I'm washing away
something I'm ashamed of,

and I'm not!

Ben, it's not like that at all.

All it means is that
you've accepted the Lord.

Well, I accepted him.
You saw me last Sunday.

Then you'll be baptized?

I don't know.

I just gotta think about it.

How come your feathers
are falling out, Rover?

Not feeling well?

Maybe Elizabeth was right.

Maybe you are getting kind of
sick from being cramped up in here.

Jim-Bob... Uh, I'm sorry.

James Robert, there's an
answer for your newspaper ad.

Well, there goes Rover.

The man says that he's missing this
peacock from his farm outside of Westham,

and if it's the same peacock
as the one we've got,

he says he's always been a
free spirit, and if you fence him in

he's gonna take
off and fly away.

I told you. Will you
just wait a minute?

He says his peacock has
always had a wild streak in him.

He loves roosting in trees
and so on and so forth.

Anyway, the short
and the long of it is,

this man says if Rover likes it here
he'd be happy to have him stay with us.

Did you hear that,
Rover? You get to stay.

Jim-Bob,

don't you think you ought to take the
bird outside and let him decide for himself

whether he wants to stay or not?

Well, he'll fly away.

What are you gonna do, Jim-Bob,

leave him in here in the dark
till all of his feathers fall out?

Well, okay, but can I have a few
minutes with him before I let him go?

Yeah.

Well, Rover,
looks like this is it.

Come on, Jim-Bob. Come on.

Come on. You gonna put him down?

Now, don't anybody
scare him. Don't worry.

Come here, Esther. This bird
reminds me when I was in my prime,

a year or two back.

There he goes!

Looks like he wants
the tree house.

Yeah, just like the man said in
the letter. He likes to roost in trees.

He can have the
tree house, can't he?

We don't play up there anymore.

He can have anything he wants.

Isn't that something?

Coming to bed, Liv?

Soon.

I'm sorry about Ben.

I have a feeling he'll be
at the baptism tomorrow.

I hurt for him.

So young, being
pulled this way and that.

One of the things pulling
him the wrong way is me, huh?

That's right.

Grandma has breakfast ready.

Mama?

Daddy? Breakfast is ready.

John-Boy, have
you seen your father?

No, I haven't.

Maybe he went for a
walk, make up his mind.

You're never gonna
give up, are you?

♪ Yes, we'll gather at the river

♪ The beautiful,
the beautiful river

♪ Gather with the
saints at the river

♪ That flows by
the throne of God

♪ Shall we gather at the river?

Livie, I know what you're
thinking. It's all right.

♪ With its crystal tide forever

♪ Flowing by the throne of God

♪ Yes, we'll gather at
the river Sister Corabeth!

♪ The beautiful,
the beautiful river

♪ Gather with the
saints at the river

♪ That flows by
the throne of God ♪

Do you accept Jesus Christ
as your Lord and savior?

I do.

Turn around.

Put your hands over your face.

I baptize thee in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah, sister.

Oh, bless you, Corabeth.
Hallelujah, Corabeth.

God bless you, sister.
Return to the bank.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah, sister.

Hallelujah!

Glory be!

Hallelujah! ALL: Glory be!

Sister Judith!

Hallelujah!

Okay, Andrew.

Do you accept Jesus Christ
as your Lord and savior?

I do. Do you accept Jesus
Christ as your Lord and savior?

Put your hands over your face.
Put your hands over your face.

I baptize thee in the name of the
Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Sister, were we baptized?

Oh, well, of course, dear, but
not like this. We were sprinkled.

Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!

In the name of the Father, the
Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen.

The Son and the
Holy Ghost. Amen.

Hallelujah! Glory be!

Hallelujah, Ben!

Oh, Ben! Praise the Lord!

Yancy, do you accept Jesus
Christ as your Lord and savior?

Put your hands over your face.

I baptize thee...

Yancy just come to
church to get out of the rain.

He's ended up wet all over!

Hallelujah!

Praise the Lord!

Glory be!

♪ I am Thine, O Lord
I have heard Thy voice

♪ And it told Thy love to me ♪

Oh, Liv.

You know, I've been standing
here thinking about my life.

Sure, I've had a drink now
and then. I've sworn a little,

cut a few corners,

but I never tried
to harm any man.

I just don't know what
getting screamed at

and getting dunked is gonna do.

Maybe a good dunkin'
would cool you off some.

What you looking
so pleased about?

Ben was baptized.

That's nice for Ben,

but it's you and me
I'm worried about, Liv.

Maybe I'm not a religious man, but I've
always looked for God in my own way.

I just don't understand,

and I'm never gonna understand

what being thrown in the water

and having a preacher say a
few words over me is gonna do.

I mean, all it does
is get me wet.

I was reading this
book last night.

It was telling how there was
this great Baptist, Roger Williams.

He left the church
for what he believed.

Called himself a seeker.

Maybe that's what you are.

I'm sure the Lord loves you
and knows you're a good man.

I know I do.

Maybe next year you'll go
into the water, on your own.

Liv, you just don't stop!

You just... You
go on all the time!

Each year, revival time
would come and go.

My father never was baptized,

but that did not keep him from
worshipping his God as he saw fit

and being, at least to his
friends and to his family,

the most godly of men.

Good Lord! That peacock again.

Jim-Bob. Yes, sir?

I want that racket stopped.

I don't know how to shut him up.

You think of something.

Now, where are you going?

Guess I'll have to sleep in the tree
house so Rover won't be lonesome.

Good night, Jim-Bob.

Good night, Jim-Bob.

Night, everybody.

Good Lord!