Many who profess the truth are not sanctified by it and are not endowed with wisdom; they are not led and taught of God. God’s people, as a general thing, are worldly-minded and have departed from the simplicity of the gospel. This is the cause of the great lack of spiritual discernment in the course they have pursued toward ministers. If a minister preaches with freedom, some will praise him to his face. Instead of dwelling upon the truths he uttered, and improving upon them, thus showing themselves to be not forgetful hearers, but doers of the work, they exalt him by referring to what he has done. They dwell upon the virtues of the poor instrument, but forget Christ who employed the instrument. Ever since the fall of Satan, who was once an exalted angel in glory, ministers have fallen through exaltation. Unwise Sabbathkeepers have pleased the devil well by praising their ministers. Were they aware that they were aiding Satan in his work? They would have been alarmed had they realized what they were doing. They were blinded, they were not standing in the counsel of God. I lift my voice of warning against praising or flattering the ministers. I have seen the evil, the dreadful evil, of this. Never, never speak a word in praise of ministers to their faces. Exalt God. Ever respect a faithful minister, realize his burdens and lighten them if you can; but do not flatter him, for Satan stands ready at his watchtower to do that kind of work himself. {1T 474.1}

Mange som bekender sig til sandheden er ikke helliggjort ved den eller udrustet med klogskab; de er ikke blevet ledt eller oplært af Gud. Guds folk, i almindelighed, er verdsligsindede og har forladt evangeliets enfoldighed. Det er derfor, at de, i deres handlemåde overfor prædikanter, udviser en mangel på åndelig dømmekraft. Hvis en præst forkynder frit, vil nogle prise ham helt op i hans ansigt. I stedet for at dvæle ved de sandheder han har forkyndt og benytte sig af dem og således vise at de ikke er glemsomme tilhørere, men gerningens gørere, så ophøjer de ham for det han har gjort. De dvæler ved de fattige redskabers egenskaber, men glemmer Kristus, som har brugt dette redskab. Lige siden Satans fald, som førhen var en ophøjet engel i herlighed, har prædikanter faldet fordi de blev ophøjet. Djævelen er behaget ved at ukloge sabbatsholdere har prist deres prædikanter. Vidste de at de hjalp Satan i hans arbejde? De ville være opskræmte hvis de vidste hvad de gjorde. De har været forblændet, de rådførte sig ikke (475) med Gud. Jeg løftede min advarende stemme mod at prise og smigre prædikanter. Jeg har set det frygtelige onde ved dette. Sig aldrig, aldrig et prisende ord om prædikanter op i deres ansigt. Ophøj Gud. Vis altid hensyn til en trofast prædikant, erkend at han har byrder og løft dem om du kan, men sig ikke smigrerne ord til ham, for Satan står klar i sit vagttårn til selv at gøre sådan.