Avoid Sickly Discourses—Short, plainly made points, avoiding all rambling, will be of the greatest advantage. God would not have you exhaust your energies before you come into the meeting, either in writing or in any other employment, for when you come with a tired mind you give a very imperfect discourse to the people. Put your freshest energies into the work and let not the slightest dullness of imperfectness be seen in any of your efforts. (Ev 181.1) MC VC

If from any cause you are tired and exhausted, for Christ’s sake do not attempt to give a discourse. Let another who is not thus exhausted speak, short, to the point, or else have a Bible reading; anything but sickly discourses. These will do less harm where all are believers, but when the truth is to be proclaimed before a people who are not in the faith, the speaker must prepare himself for the task. He must not ramble all through the Bible but give a clear, connected discourse, showing that he understands the points he would make.—Letter 48, 1886. (Ev 181.2) MC VC

Artificial Embellishments—God calls upon the ministers of the gospel not to seek to stretch themselves beyond their measure by bringing forward artificial embellishments, striving for the praise and applause of men, being ambitious for a vain show of intellect and eloquence. Let the minister’s ambition be carefully to search the Bible, that they may know as much as possible of God and of Jesus Christ, whom He has sent. The more clearly ministers discern Christ, and catch His spirit, the more forcibly will they preach the simple truth of which Christ is the center.—The Review and Herald, March 24, 1896. (Ev 181.3) MC VC