Touch Of The Master's Hand

Well it was battered and scarred and the auctioneer felt
It was hardly worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin
But he held it up with a smile
"Well it sure ain't much but it's all we got left
I guess we oughta sell this too
Oh now who?ll start the bid on this old violin
Just one more, and we'll be through"
Then he cried, "One, give me one dollar, who'll make it two?
Only two dollars, who'll make it three?
Three dollars twice, now that's a good price
Now who's gonna bid for me?
Raise up your hand now, don't wait any longer
the auction's about to end
Who's got four, just one dollar more
to bid on this old violin?"
Well the air was hot and the people stood around
As the sun was setting low
At the back of the crowd, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow
He wiped the dust from that old violin
And he tightened down the strings
And then he played out a melody pure and sweet
Sweeter than the angels sing
And when the music stopped
And the auctioneer, with a voice that was quiet and low
He said, "Now what will you bid for this old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow
Then he cried "One, give me one thousand,
who?ll make it two?
Only two thousand, who'll make it three?
Three thousand twice, now that's a good price
Now who's gonna bid for me?"
And the people cried out, "What made the change?
We don't understand?
Then the auctioneer stopped, and he said with a smile
"You know, there's many a man with his life out of tune
battered and scarred with sin
And he's auctioned cheap to a thankless world
much like that old violin
But then the master comes, and that old foolish crowd
They never understand
The worth of a soul, and the change that is won
just by one touch of the master's hand"