SET THE CLOCK RIGHT

Pacific Press Publishing Company · OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA · May 3, 1899

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 25, No. 18.

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SET THE CLOCK RIGHT.

A STORY is told of a colored man who came to a watchmaker and gave him the two hands of a clock, saying:—

“I want yer to fix up dese han’s. Dey jess doan keep no mo’ keree’ time for mo’ den six munfs.”

“Where is the clock?” answered the watchmaker.

“Out at de house on Injun Creek.”

“But I must have the clock.”

“Didn’t I tell yer dar’s nuffin de matter wid de clock ’ceptin’ de hands? and I done brought ’em to you. You ’ess want de clock so you kin tinker wid it and charge me a big price. Gimme back dem han’s.”

And, so saying, he went off to find some reasonable watchmaker.

Foolish as he was, his action was very like that of those who try to regulate their conduct without being made right on the inside. They go wrong, but refuse to believe that the trouble is with their hearts. They are sure that it is not the clock but the hands that are out of order. They know no more of the need of a change in their spiritual condition than the poor negro did of the works of his clock. They are unwilling to give themselves over into the hands of the great Artificer, who will set their works right, so that they may keep time with the great clock of the universe, and no longer attempt to set themselves according to the incorrect time of the world. And their reason for not putting themselves into the hand of the Lord is very similar to the reason the colored man gave: they are afraid the price will be too great. They say, “We only wish to avoid this or that bad habit.” But the great Clockmaker says: “I can not regulate the hands unless I have the clock. I must have the clock.”—Selected.