Effect of Discussions
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clearness and beauty. Its consistency commends it to the judgment of
every heart that is not filled with prejudice. Our preachers present the
arguments upon the truth, which have been made ready for them, and,
if there are no hindrances, the truth bears away the victory. But I was
shown that in many cases the poor instrument takes the credit of the
victory gained, and the people, who are more earthly than spiritual,
praise and honor the instrument, while the truth of God is not exalted
by the victory it gained.
Those who love to engage in discussion generally lose their spiri-
tuality. They do not trust in God as they should. They have the theory
of the truth prepared to whip an opponent. The feelings of their own
unsanctified hearts have prepared many sharp, close things to use as a
snap to their whip to irritate and provoke their opponent. The spirit of
Christ has no part in this. While furnished with conclusive arguments,
the debater soon thinks that he is strong enough to triumph over his
opponent, and God is left out of the matter. Some of our ministers
have made discussion their principal business. When in the midst of
the excitement raised by discussion, they seem nerved up and feel
strong and talk strong; and in the excitement many things pass with
the people as all right, which in themselves are decidedly wrong and
a shame to him who was guilty of uttering words so unbecoming a
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Christian minister.
These things have a bad influence on ministers who are handling
sacred, elevated truths, truths which are to prove as a savor of life
unto life, or of death unto death, to those who hear them. Generally
the influence of discussions upon our ministers is to make them self-
sufficient and exalted in their own estimation. This is not all. Those
who love to debate are unfitted for being pastors to the flock. They
have trained their minds to meet opponents and to say sarcastic things,
and they cannot come down to meet hearts that are sorrowing and need
comforting. They have also dwelt so much upon the argumentative
that they have neglected the practical subjects that the flock of God
need. They have but little knowledge of the sermons of Christ, which
enter into the everyday life of the Christian, and they have but little
disposition to study them. They have risen above the simplicity of
the work. When they were little in their own eyes, God helped them;
angels of God ministered unto them and made their labors highly
successful in convincing men and women of the truth. But in the