The life and works of 19th-century circuit rider Robert S. Sheffey.The life and works of 19th-century circuit rider Robert S. Sheffey.The life and works of 19th-century circuit rider Robert S. Sheffey.
Photos
- Director
- Writers
- Jess Carr(uncredited)
- Tim Rogers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaSheffey won the Silver Medallion in the Industrial & Educational Productions Division at the International Film & TV Festival of New York in 1978.
- ConnectionsReferenced in Floyd's Angel (2011)
Featured review
Pretty Good, but Reactionary Film
If you are an evangelical Christian, and you don't expect professional cinematography from a Christian movie, you may like this one.
This film chronicles the life of circuit-rider Robert Sheffey, who travelled in West Virginia, Virginia, etc. preaching the gospel.
It takes you back to the "good" old days, wishing that you were alive then, and thinking that Christianity has gone straight to hell now.
It's neat to watch, and an interesting story. Evangelicals will like it; progressives will not.
A few problems I do have with the movie: 1. Since he couldn't get licensed to preach the gospel due to lack of training, why didn't he go to school or study theology on his own? Isn't this just an example of "zeal without knowledge"?
2. Is alcohol really sinful in and of itself? Does the Bible say so?
3. Why does the fading away of the camp meeting necessarily a bad thing? Camp meetings were popular in the day when there were no radio/TV broadcasts of preachers, and many rural folks only heard a sermon once a month or so. As automobiles became affordable and radio took off, the _necessity_ of the camp meeting subsided. Just because less and less people come to it does not mean that the whole of Christendom is sliding into liberalism.
4. Why did they not identify him as a Methodist? He was.
Anyhow, there are some anacrhonisms and hokey things if you're a history buff, but overall a fun family film. Just don't walk away convinced that the Church is not still a bastian of truth.
This film chronicles the life of circuit-rider Robert Sheffey, who travelled in West Virginia, Virginia, etc. preaching the gospel.
It takes you back to the "good" old days, wishing that you were alive then, and thinking that Christianity has gone straight to hell now.
It's neat to watch, and an interesting story. Evangelicals will like it; progressives will not.
A few problems I do have with the movie: 1. Since he couldn't get licensed to preach the gospel due to lack of training, why didn't he go to school or study theology on his own? Isn't this just an example of "zeal without knowledge"?
2. Is alcohol really sinful in and of itself? Does the Bible say so?
3. Why does the fading away of the camp meeting necessarily a bad thing? Camp meetings were popular in the day when there were no radio/TV broadcasts of preachers, and many rural folks only heard a sermon once a month or so. As automobiles became affordable and radio took off, the _necessity_ of the camp meeting subsided. Just because less and less people come to it does not mean that the whole of Christendom is sliding into liberalism.
4. Why did they not identify him as a Methodist? He was.
Anyhow, there are some anacrhonisms and hokey things if you're a history buff, but overall a fun family film. Just don't walk away convinced that the Church is not still a bastian of truth.
helpful•118
- jkpush
- Oct 10, 2003
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