"How is it that you know?" asked her mother.
"The hands always point to the right place," replied Agnes; "they go just the same as the church clock."
"But suppose that we pull off the hands," said the widow.
"O mother, that would be a pity,—you never would do such a thing! If the hands were off, you might, wind up the watch, and the watch might go, but it would be of no use to others."
"Nor would it, do honour to its maker, my child. Now turn front the watch to the subject which I am trying to explain by its means. If the motive of love to God be like the mainspring to a Christian, the cause of all his good actions, his outward conduct is like the hands whose steady movements show that the mainspring is within. If they are constantly right, we believe that the hidden wheels are right, we know that the watch has been wisely made, carefully regulated, daily wound up. So when the Christian quietly goes on his circle of duties, ever seeking, by the help of God's grace, to do the will of his Lord,—he shows to the world a living example of the power and truth of religion; he does good not for the look of the thing, but because the love of Christ constraineth him to act as conscience directs.
"And then others, seeing the good example, may be led to follow it," observed Agnes, upon whose mind the meaning of her mother was now dawning.
"It is a common saying, Agnes, that 'example is better than precept,'" observed Mrs. White. "If we must search carefully into our motives for the sake of our own souls, we must also be watchful over our conduct, for others' sakes as well as our own. Never can we too earnestly study, too carefully follow the Saviour's command which refers to the outward behaviour of those who have the hidden motive of love,—'Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.' (Matt. v. 14, 16.)"