Job 33:3 "My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly."
Effective communication is a key factor for success in life. Effective communication is also key in sharing one's faith with others and in making a positive impression. Ellen White said that voice training—she used the phrase "voice culture"—should be part of every student's education, and that failure to learn how to communicate effectively was grounds to keep an individual out of the ministry. Today we do not hear much about the need for voice training but we should be! According I share an initial article on the subject that has never been published. You will find it sobering and convicting to read. I certainly did.—Dan
John 7:46 (NKJV) 46 "The officers answered, 'No man ever spoke like this Man!'”
"In his teachings, Christ drew his lessons from the objects of nature around him,—those things with which his hearers were acquainted in their daily life. He was a perfect teacher. His speech was never hurried. His words were spoken with clear enunciation and appropriate emphasis. And this is the Pattern set before every one who would become a teacher of the truth. Rapid utterance is a defect that every speaker should make decided efforts to overcome. There is altogether too much jingling of words. They sound upon the ear, but are spoken in so hurried a manner that the hearers cannot get the sense of one word before another is spoken, and another, and the meaning is lost. Every word should be spoken plainly, so that it may have its full significance. Only in this way can God’s truth, deep with meaning, come to human ears with such import as to impress the mind." {YI September 16, 1897, par. 5}
A strong call for perfection in attitude and delivery is made in this article from 1897: "The habit should be acquired of speaking slowly, yet earnestly and solemnly, with all the assurance which the Word of God can give. Then the hearer gets the benefit of every sentence. Every word is spoken distinctly, and makes its impression upon the mind. Rapid speaking and pitching the voice to a high key is an imperfection which every one should overcome if he would make the most favorable impression when bearing the message from God to the world."
This instructive two-part article that was typed in 1901 but never published. In this article, Ellen White strongly asserts the need to communicate in ways that honor God and edifies listeners. Specific instruction is given for preaching sermons and for praying. You will not waste your time reading this brief article. Here is one quote:
"The Lord calls upon all who are connected with his service to give proper attention to the cultivation of the voice, that they may utter in an acceptable manner the great and solemn truths he has entrusted to them. He calls upon them not to attempt to hold forth the word of life to others unless they can do this in a way that will honor him. Let them not mar the truth by defective utterance. Let not those who have neglected to cultivate the talent of speech suppose that they are qualified to minister; for they have yet to obtain the power to communicate. Let those who have not in the past felt it their duty to try to improve the voice, begin this work now, before any more time passes away." (Read the rest of her article on training the voice.)
"In reading or in recitation the pronunciation should be clear, and a nasal tone, or an ungainly attitude should at once be corrected. Every sentence should be clear and distinct, and any lack of distinctness should be marked as defective. Many have allowed themselves to form the habit of speaking in a thick, indistinct way, as though their tongue was too large for the mouth, and this habit has done great injury to usefulness; but if those who have defects in their manner of utterance will submit to criticism and correction, they may overcome these defects. They should perseveringly practice speaking in a low, distinct tone, exercising the abdominal muscles in deep breathing, and making the throat the channel of communication." {CE 125} (Read the rest of Learn to Speak Distinctly)