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SELF-EXAMINATION

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Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 6, 1860

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 16, No. 25.

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SELF-EXAMINATION

By J. Clarke

Is one of the neglected duties of this age; and the fall of religion in the heart may be dated from the first neglect of this duty. No Christian can prosper without self-examination. It is the sentinel of the heart; and without it no one can watch against sin. For want of this work in the heart the work of purification and sanctification is frustrated. Indeed it may be doubted whether one can enter the Christian life without it. Certainly we cannot war successfully for an hour with evil without this work of self-examination. “Let a man examine himself,” is the direction of Paul (1 Cor. xi, 28), in preparation for the Lord’s supper; and how necessary in the great work of a holy life, amid all dangers and difficulties, amid evil men and evil spirits!
How necessary to be thorough in the great work of separation from sin!
The skillful engineer does not rest until he perfectly comprehends every part of the machinery under his direction. He reads, he experiments, he ponders. Day and night his mind is on the stretch, until he is so perfectly informed, he can detect the least irregularity, the least jar in the movement of the machine, and trace to its cause the evil, and apply the remedy. How has he gained this ability? Why is not his engine in ruins? Why this regular motion? Why this even play of every part? Why is it that from year to year his engine works like a charm, while others of like construction are broken and disabled? O here is the secret! he is constantly watching and examining; and by this close examination he has attained to such a thorough knowledge of each part, he knows so well the place and power of each part of the engine, that he detects an irregular motion or sound so quickly that accidents and disasters are anticipated and prevented. Thus he saves much trouble, danger and expense, while the careless, inattentive workman is already immersed in ruinous expense, or deposed from merited blame, or mutilated by unexpected accident, if accident it may be called.
He who would govern his heart, has a far more complicated machine to manage than the engineer. He has more fatal accidents and greater dangers to avoid. He has greater interests at stake than a train of cars with living freight; and far more study is necessary to understand the deep moving of the heart, its secret springs of motive and desire, its practical daily workings, and to follow these emotions to their cause, than to understand any human contrivance. A machine may soon be perfectly understood; but the most experienced Christian has still new discoveries to make in self-knowledge.
The more closely one investigates the state and condition of his heart, the more power has he to pursue this investigation. This self-examination of one’s heart empowers and disciplines the mind, and fortifies it against evil, and enlightens the understanding, as to what is needed to strengthen that which is good, and how to weaken and exterminate evil. O let us keep the heart. J. CLARKE.