What a powerful week at CFCA! We partnered with our church to have Evangelist Ed Newton on campus for three Upper School Chapels and many of our students attend the evening services as well. Throughout the week we had 5 students accept Christ as their personal Savior, 5 students indicate that they believe God is calling them to Full Time Christian Service, and nearly 20 to 25 students rededicate their lives for Christ. As I watched the students respond to God’s call, I could not help but think about an old song I heard many years ago.
The song was first a poem written in 1921 by Myra Brooks Welch entitled, “The Touch of the Master’s Hand”. Myra Brooks Welch, listened to a speaker address a group of students. She became so overwhelmed with the message that she wrote this poem which many years later would be put to music.
Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
to waste much time on the old violin,
but held it up with a smile
“What am I bidden, good folks,” he cried,
“Who’ll start the bidding for me?”
“A dollar, a dollar”; then two!” “Only two?
Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?
Three dollars, once; three dollars twice; going for three.”
But No,
From the room, far back,
a gray-haired man came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
and tightening the loose strings,
he played a melody pure and sweet
as sweet as the angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
with a voice that was quiet and low,
said; “What now can I bid for the old violin?”
And he held it up with the bow.
A thousand dollars, and who’ll make it two?
Two thousand! And who’ll make it three?
Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice,
and going and gone,” said he
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
“We do not quite understand what changed its worth.”
Swift came the reply:
“The touch of a master’s hand.”
October 27, Tim Euler