The Master's Touch
Illustration★★★THE MASTER’S TOUCH In the still air the music lies unheard; In the rough marble beauty hides unseen; To make the music and the beauty, needs The master’s touch, the sculptor’s chisel keen. Great Master, touch us with thy skillful hand, Let not the music that is in us die; Great Sculptor, hew and polish us; nor let, Hidden and lost, thy form within us lie. Spare not the stroke; do with us as thou wilt; Let there be nought unfinished, broken, marr’d; Complete thy purpose, that we may become Thy perfect image, O our God and Lord.—Horatius Bonar
From OUTLOOK Not to be conquered by these headlong days, But to stand free: to keep the mind at brood On life’s deep meaning, nature’s altitude Of loveliness, and time’s mysterious ways; At every thought and deed to clear the haze Out of our eyes, considering only this, What man, what life, what love, what beauty is, This is to live, and win the final praise.—Archibald Lampman
From THE TASK (Bk. VI) Knowledge and wisdom, far from being one, Have ofttimes no connexion. Knowledge dwells In heads replete with thoughts of other men, Wisdom in minds attentive to their own. Knowledge, a rude, unprofitable mass, The mere materials with which wisdom builds, Till smoothed and squared and fitted to its place, Does but encumber whom it seems to enrich. Knowledge is proud that he has learned so much; Wisdom is humble that he knows no more.
The point
A composite of three poems/passages about the Master's touch—God's skillful work on our souls like a sculptor or musician, emphasizing God's completeness and our need to remain unfinished vessels in His hands.