'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To spend much time on the old violin
But he held it up with a smile
"What am I bidden for this?" he cried
"Who'll start the bidding for me?"
A dollar...one dollar; then two...only two:
Two dollars are bidden; say three.
"Three dollars once: Three dollars twice:
Going for three!" But lo!
From the back of the crowd a grey-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin
And tight'ning the loosened strings
He played a melody passing sweet
The kind that haunts and clings
The music ceased, and the auctioneer
With a voice that was soft and low
Said,"Now what is bid for the old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow.
"A thousand dollars: Who'll make it two?"
Two...two thousand; say three!
Three thousand once, three thousand twice,
Three thousand.....gone!" said he
The people cheered, but some exclaimed
"We do not quite understand.....
What changed it's worth?" and the answer came:
" ' Twas the touch of the master's hand."
And many a man with soul out of tune
And battered and scarred by sin
Is auctioned cheap by the thoughtless crowd
Just like the old violin
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul, and the change that is wrought
By the touch of the master's hand
O Master! I am the tuneless one
Lay, lay Thy hand on me
Transform me now, put a song in my heart
Of melody, Lord, to Thee !
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