Questions for Self-Examination.
By J. Whitmore
THE following questions for self-examination are recommended to every brother and sister, for a faithful and prayerful consideration. 1. Are you living in the indulgence of any wrong feeling towards any brother or sister, or any other person? And are you living in the neglect of any known duty to God and man? Do you fear God and keep his commandments, which is the whole duty of man? Can you say with David, Search me, O God, and try my reins, and see if there is any evil in me? Is it your daily prayer, Lord, cleanse me from every secret fault? Is your mind fixed on him who gave himself for us, that he might cleanse us from all sin? Be ye holy for I am holy. 2. Do you hold communion with God by daily secret and earnest prayer? Jesus said, Enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who seeth in secret and he shall reward thee openly. Pray without ceasing. Watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation. In every thing give thanks to God by prayer and supplication. With thanksgiving let your request be made to God. 3. Do you who have families daily practice praying with and for them. Hear what the Lord has said: I will pour out my fury upon them that call not on my name. Have you children under your care, and do you train them up according to the word of Solomon? Prov. xxii, 6. These words which I command you this day shall be in thine heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way; and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up; and thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. Deut. vi, 6-8. 4. Do you avoid every appearance of evil, and let your conversation be as becometh the gospel of Jesus Christ? Phil. i, 27. What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness, and what communion hath light with darkness, and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols. Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 2 Cor. vi, 14-18. 5. Do you daily grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ? In order to do thus you must daily search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me. John v, 39. If thou cryest after knowledge and givest thy voice [margin] for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. Prov. ii, 3-5. 6. Do you remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy? Do you devote the day to public and private worship? Ye shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary. I am the Lord. Lev. xix, 30. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable, and shalt honor him, not doing thine own way, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words, then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father, for the Lord hath spoken it. Isa. lviii, 13, 14. 7. Can you adopt the words of David and say, I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord and enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise. Dear brethren and sisters, remember the words of Mal. iii, 16. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, &c. Have you that faith that is more precious than gold? If by examination you find a lack, then quickly give heed to the counsel of the true Witness, and buy gold tried in the fire that you may be rich, and white raiment that you may be clothed, and eye-salve that you may see, and behold wondrous things out of God's law, and be zealous and reform, before the Lord spues you out of his mouth. Your brother looking for the Lord.