08/31/2026
I was asked to post the story I shared yesterday.
Linda Burgart
Deck of Cards is one of the great country/gospel songs recorded by T Texas Tyler, Red Sovine, Tex Ritter, Ernest Tubb, Wink Martindale, and even Sly Stone. T. Texas Tyler recorded an early version of this song in 1948. The 1959 version by Wink Martindale made it up to #& on the Billboard charts. The story told in this song is a poignant religious account of a young American soldier arrested and charged with playing cards during a church service.
Wikipedia tells us that the earliest known reference to the Deck of Cards story is found in a 1762 book belonging to an English farmer's wife. The 1948 version of the song was set during World War II but later versions changed the setting to the wars in Vietnam and the Persian Gulf. This story has gone by many names, The Soldier's Prayer Book, Cards Spiritualized, The Soldier's Almanac and Bible and Prayer Book. The story goes like this:
Friends, this is a strange story about a soldier boy and a deck of cards
During a North African campaign a bunch of soldier boys had been on a long hike, and they arrived in a little town called Casino." The next morning being Sunday several of the boys went to church. A Sergeant commanded the boys in church, and after the Chaplain had read the prayer the text was taken up next. Those of the boys who had a prayer book took them out, but this one boy only had a deck of cards, and so he spread them out
The Sergeant saw the cards and said,"Soldier, put away those cards."
After the services were over the soldier was taken prisoner and brought before the Provost Marshall. The Marshall said, "Sergeant, why have you brought this man here?"
"For playing cards in church, sir."
"And what have you to say for yourself, son?"
"Much, sir." replied the soldier
'The Marshall said, "I hope so, for if not , I shall punish you more than any man was ever punished."
The soldier said, "Sir , I have been on a march for about six days, and I had neither Bible nor Prayer Book, but I hope to satisfy you, Sir, with the purity of my intentions." With that the boy started his story
"You see, Sir, when I look at the Ace it reminds me that there is but one God. The deuce reminds me that the Bible is divided into two parts; the Old and New Testaments. And when I see the trey I think of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. When I see the four I think of the four evangelist who preached the Gospel. There was Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. And when I see the five it reminds me of the five wise virgins who trimmed their lamps. Ten of 'em; five who were wise and were saved; five were foolish and were shut out. And when I see the six it reminds me that in six days God made this great heaven and earth. And when I see the seven it reminds me that on the seventh day God rested from His great work. When I see the eight I think of the eight righteous persons God saved when he destroyed this earth. There was Noah, his wife,their three sons, and their wives. And when I see the nine I think of the lepers our Savior cleansed , and nine of the ten didn't even thank Him. When I see the ten I think of the Ten Commandments God handed down to Moses on a tablet of stone. When I see the King it reminds me that there is but one King of Heaven, God Almighty. And when I see the queen I think of the Blessed Virgin Mary who is Queen of Heaven. And the jacks, or knaves, it's the devil
And when I count the number of spots on a deck of cards I find three hundred sixty-five, the number of days in a year. Fifty-two cards, the number of weeks in a year. Four suits, the number of weeks in a month. Twelve picture cards, the number of months in a year. Thirteen tricks, the number of weeks in a quarter. So you see, Sir, my pack of cards serve me as a Bible, almanac, and prayer book."
