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Second Chance, cf. Salvaged
The Touch of the Master’s Hand
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 pick up the bow.
Then wiping the dust from the old violin
And tightening the loosened strings
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling 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, 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 the master’s hand.
And many a man 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—he travels on.
He’s “going” once, and “going” twice
He’s going and almost gone.
But the Master comes and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and change that’s wrought
By the touch of the Master’s hand.
Source unknown
The God of One More Chance
A man named Peter stumbled bad
Lost all the love he ever had
Fouled his own soul’s spring
Cursed and swore and all that sort of thing.
He got another chance and then
He reached the goal of God—like me.
A boy goes wrong the same as he
Who fed swine in a far country
He seems beyond the utmost reach
Of hearts that pray, of lips that preach.
Give him another chance and see
How beautiful his life may be.
Paul cast the young man Mark aside
But Barnabas his metal tried
Called out his courage, roused his vim
And made a splendid man of him
Then Paul, near death, longed for a glance
Of Mark who’d had another chance.
King David one dark day, fell down
Lost every jewel from his crown
He had another chance and found
His kingly self, redeemed, recrowned
Now lonely souls and countless throngs
Are lifted by his deathless songs.
For fallen souls—arise, advance
Ours is the God of one more chance.
Source unknown
Bonehead Merkle
On September 23, 1908, at the Polo Grounds in New York City, there were two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. The New York Giants and the Chicago Cubs were battling for the National League pennant, with the score tied at 1-1. The Giants had two men on base: 19-year-old Fred Merkle on first and Moose McCormick on third. Al Bridwell slapped a single up the middle, scoring McCormick.
The game seemed to be over. But instead of tagging second base, Fred Merkle trotted off the field to the Giants’ locker room. The Cubs threw the ball to second, forcing out Merkel. The run didn’t count, the Giants lost the pennant, and Fred Merkle picked up the name, “Bonehead Merkle.”
But that’s not the end of the story. Fred Merkle got another chance and went on to play for 14 more seasons, including five trips to the World Series.
Today in the Word, December 27, 1994
Second Chance
On New Year’s Day, 1929, Georgia Tech played University of California in the Rose Bowl. In that game a man named Roy Riegels recovered a fumble for California. Somehow, he became confused and started running 65 yards in the wrong direction. One of his teammates, Benny Lom, outdistanced him and downed him just before he scored for the opposing team. When California attempted to punt, Tech blocked the kick and scored a safety which was the ultimate margin of victory.
That strange play came in the first half, and everyone who was watching the game was asking the same question: “What will Coach Nibbs Price do with Roy Riegels in the second half?” The men filed off the field and went into the dressing room. They sat down on the benches and on the floor, all but Riegels. He put his blanket around his shoulders, sat down in a corner, put his face in his hands, and cried like a baby.
If you have played football, you know that a coach usually has a great deal to say to his team during half time. That day Coach Price was quiet. No doubt he was trying to decide what to do with Riegels. Then the timekeeper came in and announced that there were three minutes before playing time. Coach Price looked at the team and said simply, “Men the same team that played the first half will start the second.” The players got up and started out, all but Riegels. He did not budge. the coach looked back and called to him again; still he didn’t move. Coach Price went over to where Riegels sat and said, “Roy, didn’t you hear me? The same team that played the first half will start the second.”
Then Roy Riegels looked up and his cheeks were wet with a strong man’s tears. “Coach,” he said, “I can’t do it to save my life. I’ve ruined you, I’ve ruined the University of California, I’ve ruined myself. I couldn’t face that crowd in the stadium to save my life.”
Then Coach Price reached out and put his hand on Riegel’s shoulder and said to him: “Roy, get up and go on back; the game is only half over.” And Roy Riegels went back, and those Tech men will tell you that they have never seen a man play football as Roy Riegels played that second half.
Haddon W. Robinson, Christian Medical Society Journal
Too Much Mileage
Police stopped a teen-age girl in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, after complaints that a car had been seen going around her neighborhood in reverse for some time. The girl told police that her parents had let her use the car, but she had put too much mileage on it. “I was just trying to unwind some of it,” she said.
Oops, The Book of Blunders
Two Plus Two
A college-football coach was faced with the possibility that his star player might be declared academically ineligible, so he pleaded with the math professor not to flunk the kid. “Tell you what, coach,” said the professor, “I’ll ask him a question in your presence. If he gets it right, I’ll pass him.” The athlete was called in, and the prof asked, “What’s two and two?” “Four,” replied the player. Frantically the coach cried, “Give him another chance! Give him another chance!”
Sports Illustrated
Light Bulb
Thomas A. Edison was working on a crazy contraption called a “light bulb” and it took a whole team of men 24 straight hours to put just one together. The story goes that when Edison was finished with one light bulb, he gave it to a young boy helper, who nervously carried it up the stairs. Step by step he cautiously watched his hands, obviously frightened of dropping such a priceless piece of work. You’ve probably guessed what happened by now; the poor young fellow dropped the bulb at the top of the stairs. It took the entire team of men twenty-four more hours to make another bulb. Finally, tired and ready for a break, Edison was ready to have his bulb carried up the stairs. He gave it to the same young boy who dropped the first one. That’s rue forgiveness.
James Newton, Uncommon Friends
Resource
- Wake Up Calls, Ron Hutchcraft, Moody, 1990, p. 22
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