Platform Decorum, Announcements, and Preliminaries VC

Dignity of the Messenger—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 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.—Testimonies For The Church 1:648, 649 (1868). (Ev 145.1) MC VC

Platform Conduct—But things that are wrong often transpire in the sacred desk. One minister conversing with another in the desk before the congregation, laughing and appearing to have no burden of the work, or lacking a solemn sense of their sacred calling, dishonors the truth, and brings the sacred down upon the low level of common things.—Testimonies For The Church 2:612, 613 (1871). (Ev 145.2) MC VC

An Offense to God—Sometimes the assemblies of God’s people have been treated with a commonness which has been an offense to God and has robbed the sacred work of its holiness and purity.—Letter 155, 1900. (Ev 145.3) MC VC

Waste No Time With Apologies—Many speakers waste their time and strength in long preliminaries and excuses. Some use nearly half an hour in making apologies; thus time is wasted, and when they reach their subject and try to fasten the points of truth in the minds of their hearers, the people are wearied out and cannot see their force. (Ev 145.4) MC VC