I was shown that here is the danger of young ministers who engage in discussion. They turn their minds to the study of the word to gather the sharp things, and they become sarcastic and, in their efforts to meet an opponent, too frequently leave God out of the question. The excitement of debate lessens their interest in meetings where this special excitement does not exist. Those who engage in debates are not the most successful laborers and the best adapted to build up the cause. By some, discussion is coveted, and they prefer this kind of labor above any other. They do not study the Bible with humility of mind, that they may know how to attain the love of God; as Paul says: “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.” {3T 212.3}

Jeg fik vist at her er en fare for yngre prædikanter som går i diskussion. De vender tankerne fra at studere ordet for at samle de skærende ting og de bliver sarkastiske og, i deres anstrengelser for at imødekomme modstanderen, lader de for ofte Gud ude af emnet. Debattens ophidselse ved møder formindsker deres interesse hvor en sådan ophidselse slet ikke burde være. Dem som involverer sig i debatter er ikke de mest succesrige medarbejdere og de bedst egnede til at opbygge sagen. Nogle tragter efter disse diskussioner og de foretrækker den slags arbejde frem for andre. De studerer ikke bibelen med sindets ydmyghed, (213) så de kan vide hvordan de opnår Guds kærlighed; som Paulus siger: »At Kristus må bo ved troen i jeres hjerter og at I må blive rodfæstede og grundfæstede i kærlighed, så at I sammen med alle de hellige må kunne fatte, hvor stor bredden og længden og højden og dybden er og kende Kristi kærlighed, som overgår al erkendelse, så I kan fyldes med hele Guds fylde."