Ministers, Order, and Organization
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the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves
out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”
The man of God, the minister of Christ, is required to be thoroughly
furnished unto all good works. A pompous minister, all dignity, is not
needed for this good work. But decorum is necessary in the desk. A
minister of the gospel should not be regardless of his attitude. If he is
the representative of Christ, his deportment, his attitude, his gestures,
should be of such a character as will not strike the beholder with
disgust. Ministers should possess refinement. They should discard
all uncouth manners, attitudes, and gestures, and should encourage in
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themselves humble dignity of bearing. They should be clothed in a
manner befitting the dignity of their position. Their speech should be
in every respect solemn and well chosen. I was shown that it is wrong
to make coarse, irreverent expressions, relate anecdotes to amuse, or
present comic illustrations to create a laugh. Sarcasm and playing upon
the words of an opponent are all out of God’s order. Ministers should
not feel that they can make no improvement in voice or manners; much
can be done. The voice can be cultivated so that quite lengthy speaking
will not injure the vocal organs.
Ministers should love order and should discipline themselves, and
then they can successfully discipline the church of God and teach them
to work harmoniously like a well-drilled company of soldiers. If disci-
pline and order are necessary for successful action on the battlefield,
the same are as much more needful in the warfare in which we are
engaged as the object to be gained is of greater value and more elevated
in character than those for which opposing forces contend upon the
field of battle. In the conflict in which we are engaged, eternal interests
are at stake.
Angels work harmoniously. Perfect order characterizes all their
movements. The more closely we imitate the harmony and order of the
angelic host, the more successful will be the efforts of these heavenly
agents in our behalf. If we see no necessity for harmonious action,
and are disorderly, undisciplined, and disorganized in our course of
action, angels, who are thoroughly organized and move in perfect order,
cannot work for us successfully. They turn away in grief, for they are
not authorized to bless confusion, distraction, and disorganization. All
who desire the co-operation of the heavenly messengers must work in
unison with them. Those who have the unction from on high will in