'Ranch hand for hire' the sign above said,
Logan took it down and inquired inside.
He'd ran out of money for food and a bed,
he was weary and running out of places to hide.

His mother raised him with no father around,
for the man was an outlaw, quite skilled with a gun.
Logan's father had tracked them from town to town,
when he finally found them, Logan went on the run.

Wild Bill Wily is the name he went by,
he'd always wanted to see his grown son.
So he started searching as months rolled by,
till one day he learned what his son had become.

A good and decent, young hardworking man,
working to save lost souls who had strayed.
Most who would listen to this young preacher man,
joined his congregation and usually stayed.

Wild Bill wasn't happy that his son had run,
he wanted young Logan to join up with him.
His dream was to teach him to live by the gun,
claim a bounty of riches, side by side they'd begin.

Meanwhile in the next town, eighty miles away,
Logan worked hard on the ranch day and night.
earning a bed and some food, made him stay,
besides, it was a place he could stay out of sight.

But Wild Bill Wily was a resourceful man,
it didn't take him long to track down his son.
He'd corner him quick, before his boy ran,
and this would be settled before day was done.

Logan looked up as he saddled his horse,
Wild Bill stood with his hand on his gun.
Logan knew events would now take their course,
that he wasn't ever again going to run.

Wild Bill looked his young son up and down,
"You know why I'm here?" he questioned his son.
"I know" Logan said "But I will stand my ground."
"You are my father and I know what you've done."

"I know you've robbed banks and gunned many men down."
"Spent most of your life an outlaw on the run."
"Causing destruction as you rode through each town."
"Living in darkness, never seeing the sun."

"But this is the difference between you and me."
"I live to bring peace through the word of the Lord."
"So you'll have to kill me or just let me be."
"Return if you want to your life of discord."

Wild Bill wasn't used to folks telling him no,
'specially someone like this gentle young man.
Pondering, he felt something inside of him grow,
his heart came up now with a different plan.

"Sorry son" he said "But you can't ride with me."
"I need men by my side on who I can depend."
"So you're free to go, I'll just let you be."
"Go back to your preaching, this dreams at an end."

Logan stuck out his hand to shake Wild Bills,
"The Lord is forgiving, of that I am sure."
As Logan watched his father ride up the hill,
love filled up his heart, unfettered and pure.

When Logan went home, his mother was there,
she held an old saddlebag filled to the brim.
"Your father left you this and said to take care."
"And asked that you don't think too badly of him."

The saddlebag opened revealed quite a sight,
a fortune in gold coins spilled out on the table.
Ill gotten gains that glowed in the light,
with a note from the outlaw that read "Son, if you're able..."

"To accept this gift, you can build a great church,
and spread God's word to all who would hear."
"And those who won't will get their just desserts,
to Hell we'll all go when Death claims us from here.

Mother and son prayed together that night,
asking the Lord to show them the way.
Would building a church with these riches be right?
The answer came to Logan after night turned to day.

Now up on a hill the bell shines bright,
the young preacher greets all the folks from the town.
He talks about redemption and Heaven's pure light,
in the biggest and loveliest church around.