"The touch of the master's hand" - Taken from "Gospel Minutes"

                          'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer

                              Thought it scarcely worth his while

                            To waste his time on the old violin

                               But he held it up with a smile;

                            " What am I bidden, good folk ?" he cried,

                                 "Who'll start the bidding for me?"

                              "A dollar. a dollar---now two, only two----

                                    Two dollars, now who'll make it three?

                                Three dollars once; three dollars twice;

                                      Going for three---  But no;

                                   From a room far back a gray-haired man

                                        Came forward and picked up the bow;

                                    Then wiping the dust from the old violin,

                                        And tightning up all the strings,

                                     He played a melody, pure and sweet;

                                         As sweet as an angel sings.

                                      The music ceased, and the auctioneer,

                                          With a voice that was quiet and low,

                                       Said, "What am I bid for the old violin?"

                                            And he held it up with the bow.

                                         "A thousand dollars; now who'll make it two?

                                              Two thousand, and who'll make it three?    .

                                           Three thousand once; three thousand twice;

                                               Going and gone! ' said he.

                                              The people cheered, but some of them cried,

                                                   "We do not qiute understand---

                                                What changed its worth."and he replied.

                                                     "The touch of the Master's hand."

                                                  And many a man  with life out of tune,

                                                     And battered and scarred by sin,

                                                   Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd,

                                                       Much like the old violin.

                                                     A mess of pottage, a glass of wine.

                                                         A game -- and he travels on.

                                                      He's going once, and he's going twice,

                                                          He's going,--- and almost gone. 

                                                        But the Master comes and the foolish crowd

                                                            Can never quite understand 

                                                         The worth of a soul, and the change that's wrought

                                                              By the touch of the Master's hand.

Has your life been touched or affected by the touch of the Master's hand?

 See John l0:10

 Byrl Brockman