Testimonies for the Church, Volume 2 - Ellen G. White

Chapter 70
Social Meetings
I recently received a letter from a brother
whom I highly respect, making inquiries in regard
to how meetings should be conducted. He inquires
if there should be many prayers offered in
succession, and then a relief of a few moments, and
quite a number of prayers again.
From the light I have had upon the subject I
have decided that God does not require us, as we
assemble for His worship, to make these seasons
tedious and wearisome by remaining bowed quite a
length of time, listening to several long prayers.
Those in feeble health cannot endure this taxation
without extreme weariness and exhaustion. The
body becomes weary by remaining bowed down so
long; and what is worse still, the mind becomes so
wearied by the continuous exercise of prayer that
no spiritual refreshment is realized, and the
meeting is to them worse than a loss. They have
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