Celebrity Thought du Jour: Natalie MacMaster

THE TOUCH OF THE MASTER’S HAND {The Old Violin}
Natalie MacMaster version

‘Twas battered and scarred and the auctioneer thought it scarcely worth his while
To spend much time on that old violin, but held it up with a smile.

“What will you bid, good folks?” he cried, “Who’ll start the bidding for me?”
“A dollar, a dollar, a dollar,” then, “Two! Two dollars, who’ll make it three?”
Three dollars once, three dollars twice and going for three”
But no, from the room far back, a fair-haired girl came forward and took the bow.
Then she wiped the dust from the old violin and tightened up the strings
And played a tune so pure and sweet you could hear the angels sing.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer, with a voice that was quite low
Said, “What’ll you bid for the old violin?” And he held it up with the bow.
“A thousand dollars, who’ll make it two? Two thousand, who’ll make it three?”
“Three thousand once, three thousand twice, and going, gone!” said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried, “We don’t understand!
What changes the worth?” Came this reply:
“THE TOUCH OF THE MASTER’S HAND.”

And many a soul with life out of tune, and battered and scarred with sin
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd, much like the old violin.
A mess of pottage, a glass of wine, a game—and she travels on.
She’s ‘going’ once, she’s ‘going’ twice, and going, almost gone.

But the Master comes and the foolish crowd, they never understand
The worth of a soul and the change that’s wrought by
THE TOUCH OF THE MASTER’S HAND...