Master—In Tune with the.
There is one small town in England said to be more musical than any other. There is scarcely a family without some child gifted with musical voice or ear. It is said that this love and skill are due to the fact that the church bells are singularly beautiful in tone, and always ring in perfect tune and time.
It has also been said that many of the boys in the streets of one part of London were at one time always whistling out of tune. The great Westminster bells were found to be out of tune!
Master—Touch of the.
A gentleman, passing a cottage, heard most exquisite music. Next day he made bold to call and ask if he might see the lovely piano. The mistress said: “We have no lovely piano here.” “But I heard the most beautiful music, and stood outside the house enraptured as I listened.” “Oh, we had Herr Mendelssohn here last evening. The piano is a poor affair, but certainly it was he who was playing on it.”
Master—Touch of the.
A strange instrument hung on an old castle wall. No one knew its use. Its strings were broken and it was covered with dust. One day a traveler entered the ancient hall. His eye saw the neglected object on the wall. He took it down, gently brushed the dust away and reset its broken strings. Then chords long silent woke beneath his touch, and all hearts were strangely thrilled as he played. It was the master, long absent, who had returned to his own.
Master—Touch of the.
It was announced in a summer gathering at Ocean Grove, U.S.A., that a celebrated violinist would play on a violin that cost $5,000. Ten thousand people gathered in the great auditorium. He rose before the crowd and played so magnificently that the vast concours( broke into a storm of applause. Suddenly the violinist stood up, and raising the instrument above his head, smashed it to bits on the back of a chair. Women shrieked; men groaned all felt shocked. But he said: “Ladies and gentlemen, that violin cost just $1.50” (six shillings). He then took up the $5,000 one and played. He meant to say that violins do not make music. It is the man that holds them. What cannot God do with a six-shilling instrument!
Mediator—Christ our.
There are two kinds of intermediaries. One, the representative of some great man, through whom alone I can approach him, may do his best to keep me away. The other, my friend, tries to get access for me to the great man from whom I want something. Jesus is not only the best Friend to me, but He is God’s true Representative. He knows it is for God’s pleasure to have me there, speaking with Him and to grant my requests.
Meeting God.
In the Glasgow Royal Infirmary a young girl, very ill, was rapidly sinking. One of the nurses brought the screens to put around her bed. The sick girl realized what it meant, and cried to the nurse: “Take away the screens, I canna die; I am not prepared.” The chaplain sat by her bedside, and sought to point her to the Savior. The poor girl looked into the nurse’s face and said: “Nurse, I can meet my father and mother” (though she had sinned grievously against them) “but I canna meet God.” And with this she passed into eternity.
Men—Kinds of.
THOMAS FULLER
Mercy and Grace.
A young lady, who was a pianist of considerable skill, sometimes found it difficult to secure engagements and earn her living as she desired. She was going to give a recital in a continental city and she fell into a very sad temptation. She was to play some of the works of the celebrated Abbe Liszt, and she felt that if she could somehow get the prestige of his name (he was at the height of his popularity at that time) it would greatly help her. So she had herself advertised as being a pupil of the celebrated man, although she had never even seen him. However, when she arrived at the town a day before and booked her room in the hotel, she was astonished to see the name of Abbe Liszt in the hotel register. The great man was himself actually in the town. She had an anxious night, overwhelmed with horror and remorse. She thought: “Whatever shall I do? I am ruined. He will refute me. I am caught indeed.” After breakfast the next day she sought an interview with the great man; she told him the truth and broke into tears. He said: “My dear young lady, what has possessed you to do a thing like this? Why wreck your fair name at the beginning of your career?” She told him of her struggles and of how she was tempted to do it. At last he said quietly: “My dear young lady, I forgive you. We will say no more about it.”
That was good, was it not? It was mercy Ito forgive her; but he was going to show her grace. So he said: “What were the works of mine you were going to play?” “Oh,” she said, “so-and-so and so-and-so.” He said: “I would like to hear you play them on the piano.” In the presence of the master she had to play a piece. He said: “Yes, very good, but I should rather play it like this.” And he played the piece so that she might get the idea. Then she played it again, and he listened and suggested this and that. Suddenly he said: “Look here, mademoiselle, you are my pupil for I have just given you a lesson; and as I happen to have a free evening, with your permission I am coming to your concert and I will introduce you to your audience.” That was handsome, was it not? He had redeemed the situation, and she found her concert a brilliant success.
Mercy of the King.
Louis XII of France was imprisoned and cruelly treated by his enemies. When he came to the throne he had a list made of all who had conspired against him, and a cross put against their names. They, hearing of this, fled. “Of course,” they said, “it means he is going to punish, perhaps execute us.” But he called together as many as he could, and assured them he had put a cross opposite each name that he might be reminded of God’s mercy and forgiveness, and he was going to be merciful to them, as God is to us.
Messenger of Christ.
King George V was to speak over the radio on peace, and was to be heard in the U.S.A. Just as he was due to begin, a connecting wire in the studio was accidentally broken. The operator, Harold Vivian, seized the broken ends of the wire, one in each hand, and he being insulated, the King’s message passed through his body, and was heard by tens of thousands. Vivian’s hands were seriously burned as he continued to grasp the wires. But he held on till the speech was ended, then he had to be taken to hospital for treatment. The transmission of the Gospel message, has cost thousands of Christ’s messengers) their very lives.
Millionaire—End of a.
In New York an American millionaire was dying, and called for his gardener, who was a Christian. “Pray with me.” The gardener did. “Now sing for me. Sing: ‘Come, ye sinners, poor and needy, weak and wounded, sick and sore.’”
Motto—a Christian.
Some boys were looking at a rock, 500 feet high, upon which many names were cut. The boys proceeded to cut their own names, and all climbed to a good height. But one aimed at putting his name even above the highest, which was that of George Washington. His friends shouted, but he took no notice. He got so high that he could not get back. His father called from below: “Hold on, and look up.” He held on till at last a rope was thrown to him from the top.
F. J. CROSS
Motto—a Good.
A boy at college had a motto: “I am willing to be third.” Another boy asked what it meant. He replied: “My mother gave it to me and said that if I would live a true life I must put God first, others second, self third.”
Mountain-top—Experience of the.
There is an Indian legend of a tribe which lived in a forest at the foot of a high mountain. One day the chief summoned the youths of the tribe to climb to the top, and win the renown of its conquest. It would test their mettle, for it was many a day since anyone had mastered that cloud-piercing peak. The youths started; hours went by, and they began slowly to return. One brought moss as a token of the height to which he had climbed. Another brought a twig from a tree growing higher up than the moss. Another came with a flower that grew only near the summit, but not at the very top. After a while all were back but one. For hours they waited for him. At last he burst into the fire-lit circle of the camp. He brought no token, but the glow on his face made questioning unnecessary. It was lighted with the glory of vision, and he exclaimed: “I have seen the sea!”
Music of our Lives—how obtained.
An English teacher had as his pupil a young lady whose voice was well-nigh perfect. His interest in training and teaching her was great and when he had done all he could, he took her to a famous Swiss master to have her training completed. She sang most beautifully, before the Swiss master. “What do you think of that?” inquired her English teacher. “She only lacks one thing.” “Lacks one thing? Whatever can it be?” “A broken heart,” he replied.
Music of our Lives—how obtained.
A great pianist practiced eight hours a day. When people expressed surprise that such continued practice should be necessary for one so eminent, he said: “If I ceased to practice one day, I myself would be aware of it; if I ceased for two days, my friends who know me best would be aware of it; if I ceased for three days the whole world would know of it.”
Music of our Lives—how obtained.
A musician was tuning up his instrument before beginning to play, and the onlookers noticed that he held it before the fire for a few seconds. In reply to an inquiry, he said: “I can’t get any music out of it while it is cold.”