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Manners and Dress of Ministers
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toned right, if it has solemnity, and is so modulated as to be even
pathetic, it will produce a much better impression. This was the
tone in which Christ taught His disciples. He impressed them with
solemnity; He spoke in a pathetic manner. But this loud hallooing—
what does it do? It does not give the people any more exalted views
of the truth and does not impress them any more deeply. It only
causes a disagreeable sensation to the hearers and wears out the
vocal organs of the speaker. The tones of the voice have much to do
in affecting the hearts of those that hear.
Many who might be useful men are using up their vital force and
destroying their lungs and vocal organs by their manner of speaking.
Some ministers have acquired a habit of hurriedly rattling off what
they have to say as though they had a lesson to repeat and were
hastening through it as fast as possible. This is not the best manner of
speaking. By using proper care, every minister can educate himself
to speak distinctly and impressively, not to hurriedly crowd the
words together without taking time to breathe. He should speak in
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a moderate manner, that the people may get the ideas fixed in their
minds as he passes along. But when the matter is rushed through so
rapidly, the people cannot get the points in their minds, and they do
not have time to receive the impression that it is important for them
to have; nor is there time for the truth to affect them as it otherwise
would.
Speaking from the throat, letting the words come out from the
upper extremity of the vocal organs, all the time fretting and irritat-
ing them, is not the best way to preserve health or to increase the
efficiency of those organs. You should take a full inspiration and
let the action come from the abdominal muscles. Let the lungs be
only the channel, but do not depend upon them to do the work. If
you let your words come from deep down, exercising the abdominal
muscles, you can speak to thousands with just as much ease as you
can speak to ten.
Some of our preachers are killing themselves by long, tedious
praying and loud speaking, when a lower tone would make a better
impression and save their own strength. Now, while you go on
regardless of the laws of life and health, and follow the impulse of
the moment, do not charge it upon God if you break down. Many
of you waste time and strength in long preliminaries and excuses