Students and Speech

Speech As Influenced by the Truth Within -- If students will have the moral courage to live the truth day by day, its sanctifying power will have a wonderful influence on their speech. They may make some alteration in their ways and manners, but no fruit is produced until the speech is sanctified. They may hear the truth, but they will make no decided change unless they eat the Word of God. Until the truth becomes a part of them, they may assent to it till it is opposed, but they show by their speech that the Word is not to them the bread of life. God has given to everyone the opportunity and privilege of becoming a partaker of the divine nature, thus becoming one with Jesus Christ. But many show by their words that they do not feed on Jesus Christ, and therefore they cannot shine, they cannot communicate that which is not their meat and drink. Their use of the talent of speech shows that they have gathered only chaff.-- Ms 74, 1897.

Cultivation of the Voice -- Young men and women, has God placed in your hearts a desire to do service for Him? Then by all means cultivate the voice to the

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utmost of your ability, so that you can make plain the precious truth to others. Do not fall into the habit of praying so indistinctly and in so low a tone that your prayers need an interpreter. Pray simply, but clearly and distinctly. To let the voice sink so low that it cannot be heard, is no evidence of humility.-- GW 89.

Power to Communicate -- The extent of a Christian's usefulness is measured by his power to communicate that which he has received, and which has become experience to him. Education falls short if students do not obtain a knowledge of how to use the faculty of speech, and how to use to the best advantage the education they have obtained. The youth are to commence when young to learn the proper manner of speech.-- Ms 74, 1897.

Thorough Training in Correct Language -- If your students, besides studying God's Word, learn no more than how to use correctly the English language in reading, writing, and speaking, a great work will have been accomplished. Those who are trained for service in the Lord's cause should be taught how to talk properly in ordinary conversation and before congregations. Many a labourer's usefulness is marred by his ignorance in regard to correct breathing and clear, forcible speaking. Many have not learned to give the right emphasis to the words they read and speak. Often the enunciation is indistinct. A thorough training in the use of the

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English language is of far more value to a youth than a superficial study of foreign languages, to the neglect of his mother tongue.-- CT 207, 208.

Reading and Speaking With Ease -- A great injury is often done our young men by permitting them to commence to preach when they have not sufficient knowledge of the Scriptures to represent our faith in an intelligent manner. Some who enter the field are mere novices in the Scriptures. In other things also they are incompetent and inefficient. They cannot read the Scriptures without hesitating, miscalling words, and jumbling them together in such a manner that the Word of God is abused. Those who are not qualified to present the truth in a proper manner need not be perplexed with regard to their duty. Their place is that of learners, not teachers. Young men who wish to prepare for the ministry are greatly benefited by attending our college; but advantages are still needed that they may be qualified to become acceptable speakers. A teacher should be employed to educate the youth to speak without wearing the vocal organs. The manners also should receive attention.-- 4T 405, 406.

Perfection of Speech and Voice -- The teachers in our schools should not tolerate in the students ungainly attitudes and uncouth gestures, wrong intonations in reading, or incorrect accents or emphasis. Perfection of speech and voice should be urged upon every student. Because of carelessness

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and bad training, habits are often contracted which are great hindrances in the work of a minister who has otherwise educated talent. The student must be impressed that he has it in his power, by combining grace with effort, to make himself a man. The mental and physical capabilities with which God has adorned him may by cultivation and painstaking effort become a power to benefit his fellow men.-- Ev 668, 669.

Need of Improving Tones of the Voice -- Students, God has given you the talent of speech. He desires you to improve this talent. You can improve the tones of the voice. Be determined to make yourself, through the grace of God, as perfect as possible. If you are correct in speech and action, those who associate with you will be blessed by the association. Those who are hasty and impetuous in speech say a great many things they will not wish to meet in the judgement.

Do not let a word fall from your lips that will stir up strife in another heart. God desires your words to be of such a character that they will bring sunshine instead of gloom, harmony instead of animosity.-- Ms 65, 1901.

Ability to Speak Plainly -- Unless students who are preparing for work in the cause of God are trained to speak in a clear, straightforward manner, they will be shorn of half their influence for good. Whatever his calling is to be, the student should learn to control the voice. The ability to

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speak plainly and distinctly, in full, round tones, is invaluable in any line of work, and it is indispensable to those who desire to become ministers, evangelists, Bible workers, or canvassers.-- CT 217.

Watchfulness of Manner, Tone, and Language -- The workman for God should make earnest efforts to become a representative of Christ, discarding all uncomely gestures and uncouth speech. He should endeavour to use correct language. There is a large class who are careless in the way they speak, yet by careful, painstaking attention these may become representatives of the truth. Every day they should make advancement. They should not detract from their usefulness and influence by cherishing defects of manner, tone, or language. Common, cheap expressions should be replaced by sound, pure words. By constant watchfulness and earnest discipline the Christian youth may keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile.

We should be careful not to give an incorrect pronunciation of our words. There are men among us who in theory know better than to use incorrect language, yet who in practice make frequent mistakes. -- CT 238, 239.

Speaking With Respect to All -- The talent of speech is a very precious talent, and should in no case be perverted. The tongue is an unruly member, but it should not be so. That member which is improperly used in profane speech should be converted to utter praise to God. If all the students

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would make decided efforts to change their mode of thinking, of speaking, and of acting, in the family circle restraining all words that are not kind and courteous, and speaking with respect to all; if they would bear in mind that they are here preparing to become members of the family in heaven, what a reformatory influence would go forth from every home! . . .

The natural inclinations followed will work out in inconsistencies of conduct, in wrong speech, in disregard of God's Word, in profane language, in the thoughts.-- Ms 77, 1897.

Scale of Usefulness -- The young men and women who join the church should have a special education in the work for which they are adapted. But if one continues to choose a low, common train of conversation, receive him not as a worker. He will do more than can be counteracted to spoil the other workers. . . . The words, the spirit, the attitude, determine the scale of usefulness.-- RH March 22, 1898.

The Influence of Words

Tongue Control by Divine Grace -- My brethren and sisters, how are you employing the gift of speech? Have you learned so to control the tongue that it shall ever obey the dictates of an enlightened conscience and holy affections? Is your conversation free from levity, pride and malice, deceit and impurity? Are you without guile before God? Words exert a telling power. Satan will, if possible, keep the tongue active in his service. Of ourselves we cannot control the unruly member. Divine grace is our only hope.-- 5T 175.

An Influence to Balance Souls -- Words spoken in season, how good are they! How much strength a word of hope, courage, and determination in a right course will give one who is inclined to slide into habits that are demoralising! The firm purpose you may possess in carrying out good principles will have an influence to balance souls in the right direction.-- MYP 125.

Choice of Words in Light of the Judgement -- If you cherish a habitual impression that God sees and

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hears all that you do and say, and keeps a faithful record of all your words and actions, and that you must meet it all, then in all you do and say you will seek to follow the dictates of an enlightened and wakeful conscience. Your tongue will be used to the glory of God and will be a source of blessing to yourself and to others. But if you separate from God, as you have been doing, take heed lest your tongue shall prove a world of iniquity and bring upon you fearful condemnation; for souls will be lost through you.-- 4T 244.

Links in the Chain of Human Events -- You may think that what you do or say is of little consequence, when the most important results for good or evil are the consequence of our words and actions. The words and actions looked upon as so small and unimportant are links in the long chain of human events.-- 3T 542.

Christ's Way -- God's servants in this age have been given most solemn truths to proclaim, and their actions and methods and plans must correspond to the importance of their message. If you are presenting the word in Christ's way, your audience will be deeply impressed with the truths you teach. The conviction will come to them that this is the word of the living God.-- 9T 143.

Importance of Every Word -- Every uttered word exerts an influence, every action involves a train of responsibility. No one can live to himself in this

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world, even if he would. Each one forms a part of the great web of humanity, and through our individual threads of influence, we are linked to the universe. Christ used His influence to draw men to God, and He has left us an example of the way in which we should speak and act. A person who is moulded by the Spirit of God will know how to speak a "word in season to him that is weary," and will realise the highest human blessedness-- the joy of imparting to others the precious treasures of the wisdom and grace of Christ. But those who permit themselves to be controlled by the enemy of all good will speak words which should never be uttered.-- RH Feb. 16, 1897.

Impress of Every Word and Act -- "We are labourers together with God." 1 Cor. 3:9. He will use you and me and each human being who enters His service, if we will submit to His guidance. Each one is to stand in his watchtower, listening attentively to that which the Spirit has to say to him, remembering that his every word and act makes an impression, not only on his own character, but on the characters of those with whom he is connected.-- 8T 172.

Words of Love -- Our duty is to live in the atmosphere of Christ's love, to breathe His love deeply, and to reflect its warmth around us. Oh, what a sphere of influence is open before us! How carefully we should cultivate the garden of the soul, so that it may bring forth only pure, sweet, fragrant flowers!

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Words of love, tenderness, and charity sanctify our influence over others.-- OHC 175.

A Savour of Life or Death -- The words we utter today in the ears of the people, the works we are doing, the spirit of the message we are bearing, will be a savour of life unto life or of death unto death.-- 5T 716.

Blessing or Curse-- Day by day we are sowing seeds for the future harvest. We cannot be too careful of the seed we sow by our words. Often words are carelessly spoken and forgotten, but these words, for good or ill, will bring forth a harvest. Sow one unkind, harsh word, and this seed, finding soil in the minds of the hearers, will spring up to bear fruit after its kind. Sow one seed in loving, gentle, Christlike words, and it will bring you rich returns. Let us guard ourselves, lest we speak words that are not a blessing, but a curse.-- OHC 294.

Which Controlling Power? -- You cannot be too careful of what you say, for the words you utter show what power is controlling your mind and heart. If Christ rules in your heart, your words will reveal the purity, beauty, and fragrance of a character moulded and fashioned by His will. But since his fall, Satan has been an accuser of the brethren, and you must be on guard lest you reveal the same spirit.-- 2MCP 579, 580.<

Effective Living and Speaking -- By the calmness

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of our conversation we can bear good witness for Him [God]. Correct living and correct speaking have a greater influence for good than all the sermons that can be preached.-- Ms 65, 1901.

Righteous words and deeds have a more powerful influence for good than all the sermons that can be preached.-- ML 114.

Judicious Conversation -- Judicious conversation and right actions exert an influence which is a power in the right direction. But generally those who talk most are those who do the least deep, earnest thinking, the least work for the Master. They think that by talking they can make up for their deficiencies. But it is doers of the Word that are justified before God.-- Ms 53, 1899.

Connection Between Our Hearts and Our Words -- We shall reveal what is in our hearts by the words we speak. The connection between the heart and the words of our mouth is very intimate, and by our words we shall be individually judged in the last day. . . . Our thoughts produce our words, and our words react upon our thoughts.-- Lt 16a, 1895.

An Indication of Character -- The words are more than an indication of character; they have power to react on the character. Men are influenced by their own words. Often under a momentary impulse, prompted by Satan, they give utterance to jealousy or evil surmising, expressing that which they do not

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really believe; but the expression reacts on the thoughts. They are deceived by their words and come to believe that true which was spoken at Satan's instigation. Having once expressed an opinion or decision, they are often too proud to retract it, and try to prove themselves in the right, until they come to believe that they are.

It is dangerous to utter a word of doubt, dangerous to question and criticise divine light. The habit of careless and irreverent criticism reacts upon the character in fostering irreverence and unbelief. Many a man indulging this habit has gone on unconscious of danger until he was ready to criticise and reject the work of the Holy Spirit.-- DA 323.

Influence Outside the Church -- The professed followers of Christ should realise that the influence of their words and acts not only has a bearing upon themselves, but extends outside the church. If they could see the mischief wrought by their careless words, the repetition of vague reports, the unjust censures, there would be far less talking and more praying when Christians assemble together.-- RH Oct. 19, 1886.

Impact on Non-believers -- The life, the words, and the deportment are the most forcible argument, the most solemn appeal, to the careless, irreverent, and sceptical. Let the life and character be the strong argument for Christianity; then men will be compelled to take knowledge of you that you have been

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with Jesus and have learned of Him.-- CT 478.

Influence Even After Death -- There are few who realise how far-reaching is the influence of their words and acts. How often the errors of parents produce the most disastrous effects upon their children and children's children, long after the actors themselves have been laid in the grave. Everyone is exerting an influence upon others, and will be held accountable for the result of that influence. Words and actions have a telling power, and the long hereafter will show the effect of our life here. The impression made by our words and deeds will surely react upon ourselves in blessing or in cursing. This thought gives an awful solemnity to life, and should draw us to God in humble prayer that He will guide us by His wisdom.-- PP 556.

A Thoughtless Word, a Soul's Eternal Destiny -- Let none venture to speak lightly of the cautions given by those whose duty it is to guard their moral and spiritual welfare. The words may seem to be of little consequence, producing only a momentary impression on the minds of the hearers. But this is not all. In many cases these words find a response in the unsanctified hearts of youth who have never submitted to caution or restraint. The influence of a thoughtless word may affect a soul's eternal destiny. Every person is exerting an influence upon the lives of others.-- 4T 654.

Words Fitly Spoken -- The world is indeed full of hurry, and of pride, selfishness, avarice, and

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violence; and it may seem to us that it is a waste of time and breath to be ever in season and out of season, and on all occasions to hold ourselves in readiness to speak words that are gentle, pure, elevating, chaste, and holy, in the face of the whirlwind of confusion, bustle, and strife. And yet words fitly spoken, coming from sanctified hearts and lips, and sustained by a godly, consistent Christian deportment, will be as apples of gold in pictures of silver. . . .

You are not to wait for great occasions, or to expect extraordinary abilities, before you work in earnest for God. You need not have a thought of what the world will think of you. If your intercourse with them and your godly conversation are a living testimony to them of the purity and sincerity of your faith, and they are convinced that you desire to benefit them, your words will not be wholly lost upon them, but will be productive of good.-- 3T 247.

Behaviour Consistent With Words -- If we desire to reform others we must ourselves practice the principles which we would enforce upon them. Words, however good, will be powerless if contradicted by the daily life. Ministers of Christ, I admonish you: "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine." Do not excuse sins in yourselves which you reprove in others. If you preach on meekness and love, let these graces be exemplified in your own life. If you urge others to be kind, courteous, and attentive at home, let your own example give force to your

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admonitions.-- 5T 160.

Denial of Christ by Evil Speaking -- He who would confess Christ must have Christ abiding in him. He cannot communicate that which he has not received. The disciples might speak fluently on doctrines, they might repeat the words of Christ Himself; but unless they possessed Christlike meekness and love, they were not confessing Him. A spirit contrary to the spirit of Christ would deny Him, whatever the profession. Men may deny Christ by evilspeaking, by foolish talking, by words that are untruthful or unkind.-- DA 357.

The Cause of Nine-Tenths of Church Difficulties -- Unchristlike speech lies at the foundation of nine-tenths of all the difficulties that exist in the church. Satan's agents are industriously trying to get professed Christians to speak unadvisedly. When they succeed, Satan exults, because God's followers have hurt their influence.-- RH Nov. 24, 1904.

Disparaging Remarks -- Many today feel at liberty to use the talent of speech recklessly, without thinking of the influence their words will have upon others. The Lord sends His messages by whom He will, and those who make disparaging remarks of the messengers and the message need to remember that they would speak in the same way of Christ if He should come to them as He came to the Jews, with a message that did not

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suit their unrenewed hearts. Those who use their speech to mimic the one who is speaking the words of God are charged with having done this to Christ; for it is done to Him in the person of His saints.-- RH Jan. 18, 1898.

Influence of Angry Words -- Oh, that those who are proclaiming the most solemn message ever given to the world would realise how greatly their influence is weakened when they are suspicious of their brethren, when they allow angry words to pass their lips! The displeasure of God rests upon everyone who speaks harsh, unkind words.-- RH July 21, 1903.

Confidence in Brethren -- By sowing evil in the minds of the weak, who have no vital connection with God, by telling them how little confidence you have in others, you tear away the hold their brethren have on them, because you destroy their confidence in them. But do not allow the enemy so to use your tongue; for at the day of final reckoning, God will call you to give an account of your words. Do not exert an influence that will break the hold of any trembling soul from God. Even though you are not treated as you think you should be, do not allow the root of bitterness to spring up; for thereby many will be defiled. By your words you may cause others to become suspicious.-- RH Aug. 24, 1897.

Ruin of the Weak in the Faith -- Do not allow the devil to use your tongue and your voice to ruin

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those weak in the faith; for at the day of final reckoning God will call upon you to give an account of your work.-- 3BC 1161.

Permanent Effect of Foolish Words -- As professed Christians, we should consider the influence our words have upon those with whom we come into association, whether they are believers or unbelievers. Our words are watched, and mischief is done by thoughtless utterances. No after association with believers or unbelievers will wholly counteract the unfavourable influence of thoughtless, foolish words. Our words evidence the manner of food upon which the soul feeds.-- 3BC 1159, 1160.

Power of Example -- When a crisis comes in the life of any soul, and you attempt to give counsel or admonition, your words will have only the weight of influence for good that your own example and spirit have gained for you.-- MB 127.