Based on my search through Ellen White's writings, here are key quotations about the sanctity of the pulpit: ## The Sacred Nature of the Pulpit **The Pulpit as Sacred Space:** "No man is qualified to stand in the sacred desk unless he has felt the transforming influence of the truth of God upon his own soul. Then, and not till then, can he by precept and example rightly represent the life of Christ" (4T 526.4). **Reverent Approach to the Pulpit:** "According to the light that has been given me, it would be pleasing to God for ministers to bow down as soon as they step into the pulpit, and solemnly ask help from God. What impression would that make? There would be solemnity and awe upon the people. Their minister is communing with God; he is committing himself to God before he dares to stand before the people. Solemnity rests upon the people, and angels of God are brought very near" (2T 612.3). **Dignified Conduct in the Pulpit:** "When the minister enters, it should be with dignified, solemn mien. He should bow down in silent prayer as soon as he steps into the pulpit, and earnestly ask help of God. What an impression this will make! There will be solemnity and awe upon the people. Their minister is communing with God; he is committing himself to God before he dares to stand before the people. Solemnity rests upon all, and angels of God are brought very near" (5T 492.3). ## The Minister's Sacred Calling **Holiness of the Work:** "Would that every minister of God realized the holiness of his work and the sacredness of his calling. As divinely appointed messengers, ministers are in a position of awful responsibility. In Christ's stead they are to labor as stewards of the mysteries of heaven" (GW 150.2). **Personal Sanctification Required:** "Ministers should first feel the sanctifying influence of the truth upon their own hearts and in their own lives, and then their pulpit efforts will be enforced by their example out of the desk. Ministers need to be softened and sanctified themselves before God can in a special manner work with their efforts" (3T 237.2). ## Proper Deportment and Reverence **Decorum in the Pulpit:** "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" (1T 648.2). **Avoiding Irreverence:** "I was shown that it is wrong to make coarse, irreverent expressions, relate anecdotes to amuse, or present comic illustrations to create a laugh. Sarcasm and playing upon the words of an opponent are all out of God's order" (1T 648.2). ## The Sacred Message **Divine Authority:** "They are not to speak their own words, but the words that One greater than the potentates of earth has bidden them speak. Their message is to be, 'Thus saith the Lord'" (GW 150.2). **Preparation Before Preaching:** "Before entering the desk, the minister should seek God in his closet, and come into close connection with Him. There he may lift his thirsty soul to God, and be refreshed with the dew of grace. Then with an unction from the Holy Spirit upon him, giving him a burden for souls, he will not dismiss a congregation without presenting before them Jesus Christ, the sinner's only refuge" (GW 176.2). ## The Congregation's Reverence **Proper Attitude of Worshipers:** "All the service should be conducted with solemnity and awe, as if in the visible presence of the Master of assemblies" (5T 492.3). "Every one of the congregation, also, who fears God should with bowed head unite in silent prayer with him that God may grace the meeting with His presence and give power to His truth proclaimed from human lips" (5T 492.3). These quotations emphasize that Ellen White viewed the pulpit as a sacred space where God's representatives stand to deliver divine messages, requiring both personal holiness and reverent conduct from ministers and congregations alike.

Based on my comprehensive search through Ellen White's writings, here are key quotations about the sanctity of the pulpit and the choice of words to be used by ministers: ## The Sacred Nature of the Pulpit and Minister's Language ### Sanctified Speech Required **Lips Sanctified by Divine Touch:** "Ministers who are truly Christ's representatives will be men of prayer. With an earnestness and faith that will not be denied, they will plead with God that they may be strengthened and fortified for duty and for trial, and that their lips may be sanctified by a touch of the living coal from off the altar, to speak the words of God to the people" (4T 529.2). **Words Must Be God's Words:** "They are not to speak their own words, but the words that One greater than the potentates of earth has bidden them speak. Their message is to be, 'Thus saith the Lord'" (GW 150.2). ### Specific Language Standards for Ministers **Solemn and Well-Chosen Speech:** "Their speech should be in every respect solemn and well chosen" (1T 648.2). "The minister's attitude should be in harmony with the holy truths he proclaims. His words should be in every respect earnest and well chosen" (GW 172.1). **Correct and Select Language:** "His language should be correct; no slang phrases, no cheap utterances, should fall from his lips" (GW 145). "God's representatives upon earth should be in daily communion with Him. Their words should be select, their speech sound. The haphazard words frequently used by ministers who preach not the gospel in sincerity should be forever discarded" (2T 706.3). ### Forbidden Language and Conduct in the Pulpit **Coarse and Irreverent Expressions Prohibited:** "I was shown that it is wrong to make coarse, irreverent expressions, relate anecdotes to amuse, or present comic illustrations to create a laugh. Sarcasm and playing upon the words of an opponent are all out of God's order" (1T 648.2). **No Irrelevant Anecdotes:** "Ministers should not make a practice of relating irrelevant anecdotes in connection with their sermons; for this detracts from the force of the truth presented. The relation of anecdotes or incidents that create a laugh or a light thought in the minds of the hearers is severely censurable" (GW 166.2). **Avoiding Levity and Jesting:** "Some who are given to jesting and to light and trifling remarks, may appear in the sacred desk with becoming dignity... but perhaps their fellow-laborers, whom they have influenced, and who have joined with them in the careless jest, cannot change the current of their thoughts so readily" (GW 416.3). ### The Power and Responsibility of Words **Words as Living Realities:** "If the minister's lips are touched with a coal from off the altar, he will lift up Jesus as the sinner's only hope. When the heart of the speaker is sanctified through the truth, his words will be living realities to himself and to others" (6T 88.3). **Expressive and Impressive Speech:** "Ministers of the gospel should know how to speak with power and expression, making the words of eternal life so expressive and impressive that the hearers cannot but feel their weight" (6T 381.1). ### Personal Sanctification Before Public Ministry **Personal Holiness Required:** "Ministers should first feel the sanctifying influence of the truth upon their own hearts and in their own lives, and then their pulpit efforts will be enforced by their example out of the desk" (3T 237.2). **Preparation Before Preaching:** "Before entering the desk, the minister should seek God in his closet, and come into close connection with Him. There he may lift his thirsty soul to God, and be refreshed with the dew of grace" (GW 176.2). ### Standards for Young Ministers **Complete Reform Required:** "Young preachers, and men who have once been ministers, who have been coarse and rough in their manners, making expressions in their conversation which were not perfectly modest and chaste, are not fit to engage in this work until they give evidence of an entire reform. One word spoken unadvisedly may do more harm than a series of meetings held by them will do good" (1T 445.1). ### Reverence in Prayer Language **Appropriate Prayer Language:** "High-flown language is inappropriate in prayer, whether the petition be offered in the pulpit, in the family circle, or in secret. Especially should the one offering public prayer use simple language, that others may understand what is said and unite with the petition" (GW 176.3). **Sacred Names Used Reverently:** "Some think it a mark of humility to pray to God in a common manner, as if talking with a human being. They profane His name by needlessly and irreverently mingling with their prayers the words, 'God Almighty,'—awful, sacred words, which should never pass the lips except in subdued tones and with a feeling of awe" (GW 176.3). These quotations emphasize that Ellen White viewed the minister's choice of words as sacred, requiring personal sanctification, careful selection of language, and complete avoidance of anything coarse, irreverent, or inappropriate to the holy nature of the pulpit ministry.