For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
Praying in an unknown tongue engages the spirit while leaving the mind and understanding without profit, with no benefit to the understanding when the language is not understood. Praying is to be with the spirit and with the understanding together, so one who speaks in an unknown tongue must pray to be able to interpret it. Even when thanks and blessing are given well, the other hearer is not edified unless he understands, so the unlearned person present cannot understand the blessing and thanksgiving and say Amen to it. In the church, five words spoken with understanding that teach others are better than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
Everything said and done in all religious services must aim to edify others and work for the perfection of the church. The principle about tongues applies to public worship and to prayer and testimony in social meetings, which should be clear and understandable so others can be edified, with the rule for speech in worship to edify the church applying to the voice in prayer and social meeting as well as to the gift of tongues.
A low, indistinct way of speaking in prayer and witness is a defect that fails to honor God and leaves others unhelped, so it must be overcome by earnest effort and cultivation. A defect in speech does not forbid public prayer or witness to the power and love of Christ, because meetings need voice rather than silence, and the voice is a gift to be consecrated so that what is said builds up the church.
Praying in an unknown tongue engages the spirit while leaving the mind and understanding without profit, with no benefit to the understanding when the language is not understood. Praying is to be with the spirit and with the understanding together, so one who speaks in an unknown tongue must pray to be able to interpret it. Even when thanks and blessing are given well, the other hearer is not edified unless he understands, so the unlearned person present cannot understand the blessing and thanksgiving and say Amen to it. In the church, five words spoken with understanding that teach others are better than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
Everything said and done in all religious services must aim to edify others and work for the perfection of the church. The principle about tongues applies to public worship and to prayer and testimony in social meetings, which should be clear and understandable so others can be edified, with the rule for speech in worship to edify the church applying to the voice in prayer and social meeting as well as to the gift of tongues.
A low, indistinct way of speaking in prayer and witness is a defect that fails to honor God and leaves others unhelped, so it must be overcome by earnest effort and cultivation. A defect in speech does not forbid public prayer or witness to the power and love of Christ, because meetings need voice rather than silence, and the voice is a gift to be consecrated so that what is said builds up the church.