The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-03-14

Few more practical, searching sermons
could be given than this list OF questions,
prepared for q congregation by an earnest,
Jealous, faithful pastor:
How would your life be practically differ
emit If there were no God?
What amount of careful, intelligent study
have you ever given to the Bible?
Is Gods revelation of Himself and His
dealings with men a subject of as much in
terest to you as questions Of science or liter
ature2
Do you ever trife with and almost boast
of doubts on the nature or revelation of
God, as il in6delity were a mark of high
intelligence, instead of subject OF intense
pity?
Do you refer events to secondary causes,
instead of owning Gods hand in them?
Can you be said really to believe in God
when the presence of a human being is
greater restraint upon your actions than the
fact of His all-seeing eye?
Do you ever let sins pass without any eff
fort to check them, thinking it will be easy
to repent afterwards?
Have you ever taken half the pains to do
things pleasing to God that you have to gain
the affections of q human being?
Do you get real pleasure from your
prayers, reading and meditation on holy
things, or do you get through them to sat
isfy the demand of your conscience, and
are bcCTcLly BldQ WDc0 tQcJ are OVER
Have you ever felt Gods service such re.
strsint that you wished you could get rid Of
it altogether
How many minutes out of the "a hours do
you give in any way to God, either in offer
ing Him praise, asking for His help, or try.
ing to learn His will?
Is there any practical connection between
your prayers and your life?
Have you as great a realization of Gods
in ranhliO UOrohir 90 that aartain
persons whom you know are there?
Are you as careful to be reverent in Gods
house as you are to observe little matters of
etiquette in society-whispering in service
time, talking loud Immediately it is over,
and making greater provision for your own
ease of body, than you would think of doing
in another persons drawing room?
Is your standard of Christian duty higher
than when you first began to serve God?
When some period OF suffering or danger
in your life is over, are you as hearty in
thanksgiving as you were in prayer for it to
be removed?
Which do you think you bear most fire.
quently in mind, your trials, which perhaps
are very small, or your mercies, which are
undoubtedly very great?
Do you trust God half as truly as you do a
beloved wife, husband, parent or friend?
Do you dishonor Gods fatherly care by in
| dulging in fears, anticipations of coming
evil, and dark imaginings about the future?
Do you come up el en- to the old standard
of giving a tenth part of your income to
Gods service?
Can you recollect six times in your life
that you ever denied yourself to the extent
of real inconvenience from love to God?
What have you ever done solely with the
thought of Gods glory?
If you can give up the world for yourself,
| do you still covet it for your children?
In the education of your children is the
| first thought: what will train them to serve
God, or to take brilliant position in So
ciety?
II you are offering to God any outward
service in His church, or to His poor, will
your motives bear sitting?
What have you ever done for the souls of
| others?
Would you not make greater efforts to
save the bodies of any whom you might see
in peril of fire or of drowning than you have
ever made to save souls from the destroying
power of sin?
Is it pleasanter for you to dwell upon peo-
pies faults rather than on their virtues, or
their failures than on their success?
Do you speak of the faults of others un-
necessarily?
Do you give hard judgment on sins to
which you have never been tempted, while
you are full of excuses for your own?
How do you bear contradiction or ridi-
Guile?
Are you angry when you are proved in
the wrong?
Do you mimic the peculiaritie or infirm-
| tiles of people?
Do you often determine to have your own
way at any cost, without considering the
pleasure or convenience of others?
Do you make yourself unnecessarily the
| subject of conversation, and introduce sto-
ries which tend to your own credit?
Do you dwell upon your ailments or
troubles to the WEAKNESS of others?
Do you make use of the omission or over
sight of another to gain some advantage for
yourself?
Do you give unnecessary trouble to those
who wait on you, or try their temper and
patience by your whims and fancies?
Do you secretly wish that failure or dis
appointment may happen to some one who
has injured or offended you?
Do you color and add to events you de-
scribe for your own ends or amusement, or
to be thought clever or witty?
Do you read books which appeal TO the
passions or put sin in an attractive light?
Is the amount OF stimulants you take only
what is advisable for health?
Are you discontinued with your position,
means or the circumstances which surround
you?
Do you long after something withheld
from you, or rebel against loss, misfortune
or bereavement