Original subtitles

Are you sure it's what you want, Jim-Bob?

As sure as I've ever been about anything, Reverend.

How does your family feel about it?

I wanted to talk to you first.

You're not asking for an easy life, by any means.

I've thought about it a lot.

There's a special reason why I know it's right.

Yeah, what's that?

Well, yesterday, I had a sign from God.

JOHN-BOY: Along with the rest of the country,

1942 brought great upheaval to Walton's Mountain.

Each day, the news from the battlefronts grew more grim,

while here at home,

defense plants worked around the clock

to produce the weapons of war.

In our home, we suffered a personal tragedy,

for our mother was away

recovering from a serious illness.

It was a time of great trial for each of us,

but especially for Jim-Bob.

MAN ON RADIO: The fall of Singapore,

the careless loss of the battleship LaFayette

and the sinking of the oil tanker W.L. Steed

by Nazi submarines operating off our own East Coast

all add up to make this the worst week of the year,

the worst week of the century and probably

the worst week since the grim days of the Civil War.

At his press conference,

President Roosevelt sounded a further pessimistic note

when he stated that about all we can hope to do is...

Sorry, it's just too depressing.

Sure sounds bad.

It may take a while, but we're gonna win this thing.

Where's Jim-Bob? He was supposed to bring in some firewood.

Well, I saw him with Tinker sometime this afternoon.

Well, he's sure been keeping bad company lately.

Probably they're are over at the Dew Drop

listening to Jason and polishing off a few beers.

I wouldn't doubt it. Ever since Mama's been gone,

Jim-Bob thinks he can get away with murder.

Maybe it's time I had a talk with him.

(DOOR OPENING)

-Hi. -Hi, honey.

-What you got there? -Fireflies.

Elizabeth, how many bugs do you need?

There are more up in our room than there are outside.

They're insects. This is a very important assignment.

I need to have as many species as I can get for my collection.

Daddy, speak to your daughter.

How long is this project gonna go on, honey?

Until we finish the unit on Entomology.

Make sure you keep your insects on your side of the room.

I think they're cute.

(CAR BRAKING)

Well, I know who that is.

ERIN: The daredevil of Walton's Mountain.

I have a few things to say to him.

You let him have it, Mary Ellen! I'd hate to be in his shoes.

Jim-Bob, where have you been?

-Busy. -You missed supper.

Hey, Jim-Bob, Tinker got you drinking the hard stuff yet?

Very funny.

If you're not gonna be home for supper, you could've called.

Wasn't near a phone, Daddy.

You've been whooping it up a lot lately.

I'm getting awfully tired...

Wait a minute, I'm not finished yet.

-You're not my mama. -I'll take care of this.

Jim-Bob.

Mary Ellen's right. You've been running around too much, Son.

I'm not hurting anyone.

I got a call from your school teacher today.

You haven't been doing your school work

and you've been such a smart aleck,

nobody else can do theirs.

Now, I know this is a tough time for you,

but I'm not going to excuse that kind of behavior.

-School's boring. -If you keep this up,

your mama will hear about it,

I don't want her hearing this kinda news.

Who's gonna tell her?

Jim-Bob, you can't horse around all your life.

Now, listen to me. I tried it when I was your age.

It got me a reputation I couldn't get rid of for years.

I don't want the same thing to happen to you.

Yes, sir.

We're all hurting, Son. Don't make it any worse.

-Elizabeth, what in the world? -It's a Luna moth trap.

-What is a Luna moth? -Well,

this is what they look like.

"Luna" means "moon," so really it's a moon moth.

Well, it's very pretty, but it is still a bug.

It is an insect.

-Want to see how my trap works? -Not particularly.

Moths are attracted to light, so before we go to bed,

-I have to turn on the lamp. -Not interested.

Middle of the night, when the Luna moth has plenty of time

to figure how to get in the trap and close to the light...

I'm not listening.

...just pull this string. Ta-dah!

The smaller insects get out, but the Luna moth is stuck.

I hope it doesn't work.

I wonder if Marie Curie had to put up with a sister.

(CAR APPROACHING)

(CAR HORN HONKING)

Sorry, Corabeth.

James Robert,

I have asked you repeatedly to slow that vehicle down

when driving through our little community.

Now I shall report to your father your reluctance to do so.

You don't have to do that, Corabeth.

One's life is simply not safe around here.

Boy, I'm really going to get it now.

Don't let that old battle-ax scare you.

I think I'd better take you home.

Well, good afternoon, Corabeth.

I must apologize, John. I am not here on a social visit.

-Do you see this? -I see it.

It is the heel of my shoe,

which I broke as I fled across the street

in order to avoid being struck down by your youngest son.

Every time I turn around, that boy is in trouble.

This is his first offense, an apology would be sufficient.

However, I have asked him repeatedly, to no avail,

to slow that vehicle down.

Now, I am here in the hope that you can remedy the situation.

I'll take care of it, Corabeth.

Corabeth tells me you almost run her over today.

Sorry, Daddy, my brakes haven't been working too well.

Why are you doing driving around with bad brakes, Son?

I don't know.

Jim-Bob, do you have something to say to Corabeth?

I already told her I was sorry.

Why don't you tell her again?

-Sorry, Corabeth. -Thank you, James Robert.

There's no better remedy for ill feelings

than a heartfelt apology, now, is there?

Jim-Bob will see that your shoe gets fixed, Corabeth.

Oh, that will not be necessary. Mr. Godsey has a way with shoes.

Well, I really must be going.

Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

I'll see it doesn't happen again.

You're welcome.

Jim-Bob, get those brakes fixed.

I haven't had lunch yet, Daddy.

Get the brakes fixed first, then you can have lunch.

Any more problems with that car, It gets a good long rest.

I got these plans out of a book at school.

It's about this wide and that tall and one-inch thick.

Why does it have to be thin?

So you can see the ants making their tunnels.

I've heard of lot of dumb things in my life, never an ant farm.

Well, if you want to do it, just tell me.

Look, Elizabeth, I'm up to my ears with important work to do!

Well, I wouldn't want to put you to any trouble.

Here.

(SIGHS)

I'll work it in somehow.

Don't feel like you have to wait till Christmas.

Look.

Jim-Bob, you know better than that!

Brace that car with a block of wood.

Can't get under there with just a jack holding it up.

Alright, I will, Daddy.

I don't know what that boy's using for brains lately, Ma.

(CRASHING)

Jim-Bob! Ben! Jason! Ben!

Jim-Bob. Jim-Bob, Son, you alright?

Easy. Hurry! Jim-Bob! Lift! Lift! Lift!

JOHN: Drag him out. MARY ELLEN: Watch his shoulders.

Jim-Bob. Son, you alright?

-Does it hurt? -Yeah, I'm okay.

That car could have cut him in two.

Somebody up there is watching out for you, Jim-Bob.

Oh, my... Thank God.

(ALARM RINGING)

ERIN: Elizabeth! What in the world?

-Can't get sleep, huh? -I was just thinking.

About the accident?

I noticed you haven't been working on your car.

Don't really feel like it.

It's not easy getting over a shock like that.

My whole life flashed past me when that car fell.

It was pitch black under there.

All I could hear was a lot of screaming.

I thought I heard Mama, too.

Why don't you go to bed, Jim-Bob?

Maybe being able to walk away from it was a sign.

Or maybe it's just the way the underside of the car is shaped.

Jesus said, "I am sent, not to call the righteous,

"but sinners to repentance."

And unless the sinners of this world repent,

the punishment of God, will pour down upon their heads

like rain from heaven.

Excuse me, Reverend Bradshaw.

-Oh, young Walton, isn't it? -James Robert.

Ah, you know, all the years I've been preaching

and I still get nervous when I face a new congregation.

I think you're doing real good.

You know, I had the funny feeling

that you were being dragged to church

by the scruff of your neck, huh?

I need to talk to you, it's real important.

Well, alright, let's sit over here, huh?

(ORGAN PLAYING)

(SINGING) There's a land that is fairer than day

And by faith we can see it afar

For the Father waits over the way

To prepare us a dwelling place there

In the sweet by and by

We shall meet on that beautiful shore

In the sweet by and by

We shall meet on that beautiful shore

Brothers and Sisters,

as you know, I've been preaching a long time

at one place or another.

I have counseled sinners

and I've tried as best I could to console

and comfort the grieving.

And I've seen love and sacrifice,

and drunkenness and cruelty.

And I thought that nothing, nothing could ever surprise me.

But this morning, a young man you all know

came to me after many hours of prayerful thought

and revealed his intention

of giving his life over to the service of God

by becoming a preacher.

James Robert Walton,

please stand so we can all be proud of you.

Jim-Bob.

(CROWD MUTTERING)

(KNOCK ON DOOR)

-Can I come in? -Sure, Daddy.

Mary Ellen told me the news.

I guess you were kind of surprised.

Yeah, I was surprised.

Yesterday, you looked like you were bound and determined

to stir people up from here to Rockfish, and today,

you're telling the whole world you're gonna be a preacher.

-What happened? -I did a little thinking.

I'd say you did a lot of thinking, Son.

That thinking had something to do

with the problem with the car?

Am I right?

I could have been killed under there, Daddy.

Yeah. It was a close call alright.

Sure scared me some.

But I'm not sure if that's reason enough

to become a preacher, Son.

What about your hopes of becoming a pilot?

Well, I changed my mind.

What you do with your life is your choice.

Just don't want you getting locked into something

-you don't really want to do. -I want it real bad, Daddy.

First, I have to show Reverend Bradshaw how sincere I am.

I promised him I'd go over to Boatwright

and sign up for some seminary classes.

That's alright with me, Son.

I just kind of wish you'd talked it over with me first.

Dinner's ready.

What you got there?

It's my ant farm. Ben just finished it.

Don't wait dinner for me.

I got lot to think about. I wanna fast and pray.

You mean you're not going to eat?

"Blessed are they which do hunger

"and thirst after righteousness

"for they shall be filled." Matthew 5:6.

What are you reading?

-Leviticus. -Is it interesting?

Yeah, it's about the Jews after Moses led them out of Egypt.

It talks a lot about making sacrifices to God.

Right now, I'm reading about sacrificing pigeons.

I thought they'd put a stop to that.

I don't know, I haven't gotten to that part yet.

Aren't you hungry?

You know, it's been proved scientifically

you're supposed to eat seven basic food groups every day,

otherwise you get sick.

Mama would die if she knew the way you were eating.

Aren't you supposed to be collecting insects or something?

I'm looking for an ant hill. Wanna help?

I'm not looking for ants on the Sabbath, you shouldn't either.

A scientist is a scientist, seven days a week.

"Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes." Isaiah 5:21.

Jim-Bob, are you sure that car didn't fall on your head?

You saw where it landed.

(SIGHS)

Jim-Bob back yet?

He's upstairs, reading the Bible.

-Still at it, huh? -What's wrong with him?

Nothing wrong with getting a little religion,

as long as it doesn't get out of hand.

He seems really sincere about wanting to be a preacher.

I always knew there was a spiritual side to Jim-Bob

-that would come out eventually. -It's probably just a phase.

I remember when I wanted to be a missionary.

It'll sure make Mama happy.

Now, maybe we shouldn't mention it to your Mama if she calls.

Jim-Bob's got to work this out for himself.

And I don't want to hear about any of you teasing him either.

Come on, Jim-Bob.

Take a vacation from righteousness tonight

and let's go sin.

No, thanks.

Ben, what kind of sins are you going to commit?

Oh, a little coveting, a little lust,

maybe even go in for some swearing.

Ben, you better think of your soul first.

I was only joking, Grandma. Goodnight.

You understand, don't you, Grandma?

Yes.

-For me? -Yes.

"Published 1870, Philadelphia." Grandma, I can't take this.

(SOFTLY) Oh, no.

"To our beloved Esther, on the day of your baptism,

"July 11, 1883.

"Love, Mama and Papa."

Grandma, I don't know what to say.

I always figured I was sixth in line

for everything in this family.

This is the best gift I ever got. I love you.

I'm gonna keep it with me forever, just to remind myself

that somebody in this family believes in me.

-Sit down, won't you? -Thank you.

Reverend Bradshaw called

and asked me to outline a program of study for you.

He's going to see I'm licensed to preach,

after I learn more about the Gospels.

I knew your brother John when he was here at Boatwright.

If you're at all like him, I'm sure you'll excel

at anything you put your mind to, including the ministry.

I'm sure going to try.

What we offer at Boatwright is a four-year undergraduate program.

Four years?

Thought I could go to seminary for a while and start preaching.

Seminary is a graduate school.

You have to earn a college degree before you're accepted.

What we offer here is General Study,

and History, Geography, Philosophy,

Literature from all around the world,

as well as an extensive study of the Old and New Testaments,

in Hebrew and Greek, of course.

I don't know any Hebrew or Greek.

You will, and Latin, naturally.

You have had some Latin, haven't you?

No, sir.

Oh, that's a problem.

Before we could even consider your application,

you'd have to complete at least

one semester of high-school Latin.

But why? I just want to preach in English.

I wonder if you understand the purpose of these classes.

Um, an effective minister

must be thoroughly versed in the Bible

and in Baptist beliefs.

"Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel

"to every creature." Mark 16:15.

Doesn't say anything about having to learn Greek first.

I know it seems like a long time now, but it will go quickly.

You don't understand.

I have to preach. I can't wait four years to start.

In that case, James Robert,

perhaps it would be wise for you

to reconsider your decision altogether.

Thank you.

Elizabeth, that thing will never work.

Do you know anything about science?

I know enough about Luna moths.

They don't come around here every day.

I didn't say it'd work the first night.

Science is 99% perspiration, 1% inspiration.

Thomas Alva Edison said that.

Why don't you try a little bait in there,

like a piece of cheese?

A Luna moth is not a mouse.

Well, look who's here, Billy Sunday!

And he's brought Jason along.

Go easy on him, Ben. He's had a tough day.

-Did you get accepted? -Who needs Boatwright anyway?

John the Baptist didn't go to a college before preaching.

And he didn't live in a fancy parsonage, either.

He lived in the hills.

And he didn't get his seven basic food groups either.

He ate honey and locusts.

Well, in that case, Elizabeth,

you better watch out for your insect collection.

Very funny, Ben.

You alright?

Grandma, it seems like everybody's trying

to keep me from becoming a preacher.

Ben makes fun of me.

Professor Hoadley says I have to spend four years in college.

I didn't think it was going to be this hard.

Grandma, that's beautiful. I'm going to remember that.

Good!

Jim-Bob, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings.

That's okay, Ben.

"Whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek,

"turn to him the other also." Matthew 5:39.

"How hard it is for them that have riches

"to enter into the kingdom of God." Mark 10:24.

-Here, Ben. -Car keys?

Nope, my car. I'm giving it to you.

I'm giving away all my riches.

Jim-Bob.

Hi, Corabeth, can I please have four more Mason jars?

Oh, yes, of course.

And how is our young man of the cloth?

Oh, Jim-Bob? He's fine.

How proud you must be to have a brother so dedicated

to such high ideals and lofty ambitions.

I have always been able to hold my head up high,

ever since my brother Albert graduated from the seminary

at Jerome College in Savannah.

I didn't know someone in your family was a preacher.

Oh, yes. But, of course, his work, in the service of the lord

keeps him so busy that I rarely see him.

I know what you mean.

I hardly see Jim-Bob anymore. He's always reading the Bible.

Well, perhaps he's finished sewing his wild oats.

There were many in the community who doubted his sincerity.

Particularly in light of his actions just prior

to the Reverend Bradshaw's announcement in church.

However, I was never one of the doubters.

Well, I'm sure Jim-Bob will be glad to hear that.

Now, how are you little orphans doing

now that Olivia is gone?

Well, we all miss her, especially me.

I better be going.

Well, have you been helping Mary Ellen with the canning?

No, this is my own project.

Oh, well, Elizabeth,

that's very impressive for a girl of your age.

You must enter a jar in the County fair.

I will, Corabeth.

(DOOR OPENING)

(DOOR CLOSING)

Shh.

We have to find crickets.

(BABY COOING)

See that? Oops!

(BABY COOING)

(BABY WHINING)

John Curtis, look, it's a Luna moth!

Oh, no, you didn't.

Oh.

(SIGHING)

Now it's gone.

Now I have to start all over again. Give me that.

Elizabeth, where have you been all day?

You were supposed to be here, helping us clean house.

I've been collecting crickets for my science project.

Well, you better not be bringing those horrid things upstairs.

I've just about had it with your bug zoo.

It's not a zoo. It's research.

Don't care what it is, I'm sick of it!

Alright, now, what's all this fuss about?

Well, Elizabeth keeps bringing bugs up into our room.

Lately, that's all she's been thinking about.

Insects are beautiful.

If you took the time to study them, you'd know.

There is nothing beautiful about those.

A student of insects

can't ignore the crickets of the world.

Alright, now, I'm getting tired of this bickering.

Elizabeth, do you have enough bugs to finish your assignment?

I suppose.

Alright, well, don't bring any more bugs into the house.

Are you listening, Elizabeth?

And you leave her alone till she finishes her work.

Are you listening, Erin?

-The Lord, the Great Provider. -Jim-Bob, I saw Tinker today.

Wanted to know why he hasn't seen you lately.

There's somebody who needs to be preached to.

Elizabeth, why aren't you helping?

Oh, our lady scientist is too important to help.

With Mama gone, we're all supposed to share in equally.

-I do my fair share. -ERIN: Of making a mess.

"It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop,

"than with a brawling woman in a wide house." Proverbs 21:9.

Couldn't have said it myself better, Son.

Daddy, if you don't mind...

Alright, Jim-Bob, you say the grace.

Heavenly Father, we give thanks for all of our blessings.

We're sorry if sometimes we don't always do

exactly as we're supposed to.

We're sorry that our father hasn't repented

of his sins and gotten baptized yet.

Please help him to mend his ways.

Also, bless Elizabeth.

She's been too wrapped up in science

to think of you very much.

Please bless Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Delano Roosevelt,

and Ike and Corabeth.

And also Mr. Winston Churchill and his wife.

Please bless Grandma with good health.

And especially, Heavenly Father,

please bless Mama that she'll get well,

and that I'll become a good preacher.

-Amen. -ALL: Amen.

Very nice, Son, your mama would have been proud.

ELIZABETH: Except you forgot to bless the food.

-Yes. -I did?

You also forgot to bless your car so it'd fix itself.

What about this? When are you gonna get it fixed?

It's not my car, it's Ben's.

Oh, we've been through this before.

The car is yours. It's your responsibility.

I'll be glad to fix it, but it's not my car.

Jim-Bob, I don't want that car.

Jim-Bob, just because you are becoming a preacher,

doesn't mean you have to give away everything you own.

It's your car, you fix it.

You just don't understand, do you? Excuse me.

No, you're not excused. Sit down and eat your meal.

JOHN: Here you go. Pass the potatoes, please.

This is very interesting.

Out of 13 crickets, I have six species.

Five field crickets, three tree crickets and one bush cricket.

Why don't you just turn off the light and sleep?

-I'm trying to sleep. -I made an important discovery.

Don't care if you found a way to win the war,

we both have to get up early tomorrow.

Why? It's Saturday.

Because you, Mary Ellen and I have to clean the house.

Well, I can't. I'm gonna be looking for a praying mantis.

(KNOCK ON DOOR)

-JIM-BOB: Elizabeth? Erin? -Come in.

"Blessed are the peacemakers,

"for they shall be called the children of God." Matthew 5:9.

I heard you fighting.

Here, Erin, I'm not just giving you the headphones,

-Want you to have the whole set. -Your shortwave radio?

Jim-Bob, don't be silly.

Here, Elizabeth, it's a present from me.

Jim-Bob!

I want you to stop ruining your life.

You're being deceived by science.

What's the matter with science?

It's keeping you from more important things,

like reading the Bible and resting on the Sabbath.

You have to decide whether you're a Baptist or a scientist.

I can be both.

A good Baptist wouldn't spend so much time on insects.

How do you think they found the cure for malaria?

Besides, insects were made for fields, not bottles.

-Would you be happy in a jar? -They're just bugs.

Jim-Bob, I can't keep these.

Why not? I'm not going to need them.

Elizabeth, I think you should go to bed so Erin can rest.

Goodnight.

ELIZABETH: I'm beginning to think he means it.

ERIN: The Reverend James Robert Walton.

It just doesn't sound right.

(CRICKETS CHIRPING)

They're gone! We gotta find them!

Elizabeth, this is the last straw!

-Oh. -Oh, yuck.

It sounds like an air-raid siren in here.

Elizabeth's crickets got loose.

There goes one! Get it!

JASON: I got it. ELIZABETH: Don't kill it.

What are you killing?

ELIZABETH: My crickets are missing. There are 12 of them.

Twelve. Well, find them before they wake up John Curtis. Oh.

There are four field crickets, and two ground crickets,

they're very small and don't make a lot of noise.

-Quit talking and just look. -Like little crickets?

-Mm-hmm, and they're also... -Oh, help! One's in my bed!

(ALL CLAMORING)

(ERIN SCREAMING)

Three tree crickets, they're green and make lot of noise.

BEN: I don't want Jim-Bob to be sleeping through all this fun.

Ben, don't worry about Jim-Bob, just hunt. There's one there.

Don't you get tired of bossing people around, Mary Ellen?

Oh, Ben, now is not the time to start in.

(ALL CLAMORING)

Whoa, whoa! What is going on in here?

Well, we think there might be crickets missing.

It wasn't a cricket that woke me,

it was all of you yelling at each other.

You've been at each other's throats

ever since your mama went away.

I know you miss her, I miss her, too,

but we got to start pulling together, here.

Now, what are you all doing?

Well,

my cricket collection got loose.

MARY ELLEN: We were helping her catch them.

Elizabeth, I know science is important to you, honey,

but you better take your bugs to the shed tomorrow morning.

She can keep them in here for a couple more days.

I guess I'm getting used to them.

Hey, Elizabeth, I'll help you round them up, okay?

Alright, now, help each other out, but do it quietly, huh?

-Okay, Daddy. Goodnight. -JOHN: Goodnight.

JASON: There goes one under the dresser.

(ALL CLAMORING)

BEN: He's the green one.

(ALARM RINGING)

Jim-Bob!

-What are you doing up so early? -I was just on my way home.

-Here, you want some? -No, thanks.

That's right, I almost forgot.

I'm speaking to a preacher now,

and too uppity for an old buddy.

(BOTTLE BREAKING)

Looks like you're headed somewhere.

To do the work of the Lord.

I was gonna stop in at the church and ask him for guidance.

Don't rush off, Jim-Bob. You got work to do right here first.

I don't get it.

I want you to preach to me. I need to hear a sermon.

You're making fun of me, Tinker.

You might not know it by looking at me,

but I been doing a lot of thinking about this stuff.

Really?

I haven't seen the inside of a church in years.

I need some of your spiritual strength.

You're like a lost sheep, Tinker.

Maybe it's the will of the Lord we met this morning.

I'm counting on you to bring me back to the fold.

Come on.

I don't think we should be doing this.

The church is supposed to be for everybody,

saint and sinner alike.

Besides, it'll be good practice for you. Don't be nervous.

Just stand right up there at the front and let me have it.

The Bible says,

"Repent and be baptized every one of you

"in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins."

Acts 2:38.

When we repent,

that means we're sorry for the sins that we've committed,

and we promise God we won't commit them again.

"Be ye therefore perfect." Matthew 5:48.

That means we can't lie, cheat, steal...

Hold it, Jim-Bob.

What about that watermelon patch we raided?

-That was stealing, wasn't it? -Yeah.

And remember when we told Zuleika Dunbar,

"That wasn't us who threw the rock

through the boarding house window," when it really was?

I remember. Why?

Seems like it's a little late to worry about being perfect.

You don't have to be perfect till after you repent.

Then that solves everything! I just won't repent.

-But you have to. -Who's making me?

Nobody. It's just something you have to want to do.

Let me get this straight. I'm supposed to be perfect,

which I don't have to worry about until I repent,

and I have to repent, but only if I want to?

You're mixing me up.

I get the feeling you don't know half of what you're talking.

-Where are you going? -Home.

I thought you wanted to hear a sermon.

If I would've thought you were gonna give me a real sermon,

I'd have driven right on by.

You're no preacher. You're just a little crazy in the head.

"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you and persecute you."

You sure are a sight, Jim-Bob. All high and mighty.

If only you heard what people were saying behind your back.

I don't care!

Now I got a Jim-Bob story I can spread around town.

I can just hear the laughs.

The day your mama had you, Reverend Jim-Bob,

she had herself the Walton family fool.

Fighting in church now? Yes, sir,

James Robert Walton, you have repented.

Daddy! This is for you. I found it pinned to Jim-Bob's pillow.

I don't know how long he's been gone.

Oh, what now?

"I have decided to begin life as a preacher today.

"There's no time to spare.

"I can't leave my candle under a bushel any longer.

"Love, Jim-Bob."

His candle under a bushel?

That's why he's been giving all his stuff away.

-BEN: Should I go after him? -No.

Maybe he deserves a chance to try his hand at preaching.

-Let me think about this. -Okay.

-Oh, Elizabeth. -Hmm?

Be sure to get those crickets out to the shed by tonight, huh?

(DISAPPOINTED) Okay.

Well, Ma, I never expected anything like this.

Come.

Come.

What is it, Ma?

"Ye are the light of the world.

"A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

"Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel,

"but on a candlestick.

"And it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

"Let your light so shine before men."

So, this is the candle under the bushel

that Jim-Bob was talking about.

Yes.

You showed it to him?

So, now you blame yourself that he left?

Ma, as long as I can remember,

you blame yourself every time anything goes wrong.

That's a very nice scripture passage, Ma.

Jim-Bob just turned it around to suit his own means.

But, Ma, whatever is on Jim-Bob's mind

hasn't got much to do with preaching the gospel.

He's hurting.

Ben, Jason!

I've caught a Luna moth!

Mary Ellen, Erin, come on, hurry!

MARY ELLEN: She did it!

I don't believe it! It worked!

Look at it.

It's dead.

-Oh. -Sure was pretty.

I'm sorry, Elizabeth. I know how much you wanted one.

Maybe Jim-Bob was right.

Living things shouldn't be kept in jars or cages.

Jim-Bob!

I thought you were studying the gospel.

I found a Luna moth in my trap today, it was dead.

So I let all my insects go,

except for the ants.

First, I have to find the ant hill they came from.

You were right about the insects.

Can't learn anything from them when they're in jars.

I can learn so much more studying them in nature.

You know, I missed you.

Elizabeth, go away and leave me alone.

Daddy! Jim-Bob's over at the little pond.

Alright, honey, you wait here.

Jim-Bob.

I've been worried about you, Son.

I failed, Daddy.

Bible says, "No man, having put his hand to the plow

"and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

You're trying to tell me that only preachers go to heaven?

It seems to me God wouldn't have made so many people

if only a few were going to be saved.

Grandma gave me this.

I guess she figured I'd keep my hand on the plow.

You been sitting here all this time, Son?

I thought I was on my way to save souls.

Tinker picked me up.

He'd been drinking all night.

He heard about me wanting to become a preacher.

I guess he had a hard time believing it, huh?

He made me so mad I took a swing at him.

I felt so ashamed.

Even preachers get mad sometimes, Jim-Bob.

Afterwards, I just walked and walked.

Every house I went by,

I felt like I ought to go to the door and cry repentance.

Look at this.

You see this ant farm of Elizabeth's?

Every one of those ants has a different job to do

and no one is more important than the other.

That goes for folks, too, you know?

No job is more important than the other.

I don't care whether you're a preacher or a woodcutter,

a pilot, a scientist, a writer like John-Boy.

But I was told to become a preacher!

Who told you?

It started when the car fell on me.

Why don't you tell me about it, Son?

Well, I heard the jack buckle

and everything got black, all of a sudden.

I thought I was dead.

My whole life came to me in a split-second.

I knew what kind of a person I was. Not a very good one.

For a moment, I was glad I was dead.

It seemed like nothing was going right.

First Grandma got sick,

then Grandpa died,

And Curt was killed at Pearl Harbor.

And?

Then Mama got sick and had to go away.

What's all this got to do with being a preacher, Son?

While I was under the car, it seemed like somebody told me

that if I'd been a little bit of a better person,

did what I was supposed to do

that none of this would have happened.

So you blame yourself for it.

For Grandpa and Curt dying,

your grandma and your ma getting sick, huh?

All I know is that, all of a sudden, I wasn't dead.

I was sitting up and everybody was saying

what a miracle it was.

I was being warned, Daddy. Any more goofs and...

Any more goofs and your mama might die?

Son.

Jim-Bob, I know just how you feel, Son.

You know,

if I thought that by preaching

your Mama would get well and come home,

I'd be on my way to the pulpit right now.

-You would? -You bet I would.

(SIGHING) Son.

There have been times when I thought

like you're thinking now.

I wondered if maybe I hadn't let your Grandpa work so hard,

he'd be alive now.

Or if I'd gone with him to the mountain that day,

he wouldn't have died.

I've thought about maybe if I was around the house more

and helping your ma out, she wouldn't have gotten sick.

But that kind of thinking is no good, Son.

You can't blame yourself for things that happen in life.

You can't put yourself in the center.

You got no business there.

What you got to do is

take things as they come

and just keep going.

You think Grandma will be disappointed in me?

I think maybe your Grandma is a little tired

of you being so all-fired good all the time.

I'll tell you what.

Why don't we get you fed and see if we can get your car fixed?

Okay, Daddy.

JOHN-BOY: Although Jim-Bob never became a preacher,

his deeply religious experience

added an important dimension to his life

and to his relationship with our father.

In the years to come,

his faith became a source of strength

to all those who knew him.

BEN: Thanks for fixing my car, Jim-Bob.

JIM-BOB: Whose car, Ben?

ERIN: Jim-Bob, will you show me how to work my shortwave radio?

JIM-BOB: I didn't know you had a shortwave radio, Erin.

ELIZABETH: My new goggles are great

for sneaking up on insects, Jim-Bob.

They make me look like one.

JIM-BOB: Your goggles, Elizabeth?

BEN: Now, Jim-Bob, you know that God loveth a cheerful giver.

Second Corinthians 9:7.

JIM-BOB: Yes, but what the former preacher giveth,

the former preacher taketh away. Jim-Bob 1:2.

ALL: Goodnight, Jim-Bob.