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Cause in Vermont
589
Brother D may be sound upon all points of present truth and
yet not be qualified in every respect to give the reasons of our hope
to the French people in writing. He can aid in this work. But the
matter should be prepared by more than one or two minds, that it
may not bear the stamp of any one’s peculiarities. The truth which
was reached and prepared by several minds, and which in God’s time
was brought out link after link in a connected chain by the earnest
searchers after truth, should be given to the people, and it will be
adapted to meet the wants of many. Brevity should be studied in
order to interest the reader. Long, wordy articles are an injury to the
truth which the writer aims to present.
Brother D should have his mind less occupied with himself
and talk less of himself. He should keep himself out of sight and,
in conversation, avoid making reference to himself and making
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his peculiarities of life a pattern for others to imitate. He should
encourage genuine humility. He is in danger of thinking his life and
experience superior to that of others.
Brother D can be of value to the cause of God if there is a
harmony in the character of his labors. If he can see and correct the
imperfections of his peculiar organization, which have a tendency
to injure his usefulness, God can use him to acceptance. He should
avoid lengthy preaching and long prayers. These are no benefit to
himself or to others. Long and violent exercise of the vocal organs
has irritated his throat and lungs, and injured his general health,
more than his precise round of rules for eating and resting have
benefited him. One overexertion or strain of the vocal organs may
not soon be recovered from, and may cost the life of the speaker.
A calm, unhurried, yet earnest, manner of speaking will have a
better influence upon a congregation than to let the feelings become
excited and control the voice and manners. As far as possible the
speaker should preserve the natural tones of the voice. It is the truth
presented that affects the heart. If the speaker makes these truths a
reality, he will, with the aid of the Spirit of God, be able to impress
the hearers with the fact that he is in earnest, without straining the
fine organs of the throat or the lungs.
Brother D is deeply interested in his domestic life; yet there is
danger, in conversation, of his cultivating the habit of concentrating
his whole mind upon the things which especially interest him, but