Planning and Leading Worship
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offerings to lift the debt from the Lord’s house? I appeal to those who
send their children to Battle Creek, where they unite with us in the
worship of God: Will you not assist us to lift this debt? I invite all to
be especially liberal at this time. Let cheerful freewill—offerings be
brought to the Lord, let us consecrate to Him all that we are, and all
that we have....—
The Review and Herald, January 4, 1881
.
Offering appeals should emphasize the motive in giving more
than the amount given—We have the privilege of listening to God’s
word in our place of worship; but this building, called the Lord’s house,
has a heavy debt. Shall not we who worship in this commodious edifice
put forth earnest efforts to do our share in lifting the debt from the
Tabernacle? The poor may be encouraged by the thought that the
smallest sums, given in sincerity and cheerfulness, are as acceptable to
God as are the thousands cast into the treasury by the rich. There are
but few as poor as the widow who gave her two mites as an offering
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to God. The gift was small, yet it was all her living, and she was
commended by the Master. He regarded the two mites of the poor
widow as a greater contribution than the rich gifts of the wealthy. He
did not measure the value of the offering by its amount, but by the
motive, the cheerfulness and purity of the action.—
The Review and
Herald, January 4, 1881
.
Christmas should be a special time for bringing gifts to Jesus—
Yesterday was Christmas. Did you do as the Wise Men did by offering
your gifts to Jesus? Or has the enemy changed the order of things,
and directed the worship to himself? The gifts are now bestowed upon
friends instead of Him who has made so great a sacrifice for us. All
the gifts should flow in another channel, where they could be used in
the salvation of men.—
The Upward Look, 374
.
Reading Scripture
Clear, distinct utterance is essential in public Bible reading—I
am pained as I see how little the gift of speech is appreciated. In
reading the Bible, in engaging in prayer, in bearing testimony in meet-
ing, how necessary is clear, distinct utterance!—
Counsels to Parents,
Teachers, and Students, 241
.
Bible may be read by ministers so impressively that listeners
never forget them—When I was only about eleven years old, I heard