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It is said that once Mendelssohn came to see the great Freiburg organ. The old custodian refused him permission to play upon the instrument, not knowing who he was. At length, however, he reluctantly granted him leave to play a few notes. Mendelssohn took his seat and soon the most wonderful music was breaking forth from the organ. The custodian was spell bound. He came up beside the great musician and asked his name. Learning it, he stood humiliated, self condemned, saying, “And I refused you permission to play upon my organ!”
There comes One to us and desires to take our lives and play upon them. But we withhold ourselves from him, and refuse him permission, when if we would yield ourselves to him, he would bring from our souls heavenly music.
“We are but organs mute, till a master touches the keys–
Verily vessels of earth into which God poureth the wine;
Harps are we, silent harps that have hung in the willow trees,
Dumb till our heart strings swell and break with a pulse divine.”