第28章 严肃的时期
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第28章 严肃的时期
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Chapter 28—Solemn Times
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[《给传道人和工人的特别证言》系列一，第3号，1895年，第32-35页。]
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（1895年1月31日）
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我们正面临严肃的时期。令人困惑的事将会增多，直到世界历史的结束。在这些事上可能会有耽搁，但不会太久。我有一些信要写，必须赶下一个邮班寄往巴特尔克里克。我们在那里的弟兄们没有按正确的亮光看每件事。他们所采取缴纳疗养院和教堂财产税[注一]的行动，表现了一种从各方面看都不明智也不正确的热心和责任心。他们宗教自由的观念掺杂着一些不是从圣灵来的看法。宗教自由事业出了毛病。这种病症只能靠基督的恩典和温柔来医治。{TM 200.2}[1]
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[Special Testimonies, Series A 3:32-35 (1895).]
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(January 31, 1895.)
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Solemn, serious times are upon us, and perplexities will increase, to the very close of time. There may be a little respite in these matters, but it will not be for long. I have letters to write that must go in the next mail to Battle Creek. Our brethren there are not looking at everything in the right light. The movements they have made to pay taxes [See?Appendix.] on the property of the sanitarium and Tabernacle have manifested a zeal and conscientiousness that in all respects is not wise nor correct. Their ideas of religious liberty are being woven with suggestions that do not come from the Holy Spirit, and the religious liberty cause is sickening, and its sickness can only be healed by the grace and gentleness of Christ.?{TM 200.2}[1]
§9
倡导这个事业的人，心中必须充满耶稣的精神。唯有那位大医师才能敷用基列的乳香。让这些人以圣灵所感动的谦卑之心来阅读《尼希米记》吧。这样，他们的观念就会纠正，并认识到正确的原则，目前的局面也会改观。尼希米祈求上帝帮助，上帝听了他的祷告。主感动了外邦君王来帮助他。当他的仇敌积极活动反对他的时候，主藉着君王作工，实行祂的旨意，并应允上升到祂面前求助的许多祷告。这种帮助是他们所迫切需要的。{TM 200.3}[2]
§10
The hearts of those who advocate this cause must be filled by the spirit of Jesus. The Great Physician alone can apply the balm of Gilead. Let these men read the book of Nehemiah with humble hearts touched by the Holy Spirit, and their false ideas will be modified,?and correct principles will be seen, and the present order of things will be changed. Nehemiah prayed to God for help, and God heard his prayer. The Lord moved upon heathen kings to come to his help. When his enemies zealously worked against him, the Lord worked through kings to carry out His purpose, and to answer the many prayers that were ascending to Him for the help which they so much needed.?{TM 200.3}[2]
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【极端的立场】
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当我看到我们的领袖们采取极端的立场，承担起本不该由他们担负和牵挂，而应交给上帝来处理的事时，心中往往非常难过。我们还在世上。上帝为我们留下了一个与世界接触的位置，并用祂自己的右手在我们前面预备道路，使祂的工作能沿着不同的道路前进。真理要有立足之地。真理的旗帜要在许多遥远的地方高举起来。{TM 201.1}[3]
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【Extreme Positions】
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I am often greatly distressed when I see our leading men taking extreme positions, and burdening themselves over matters that should not be taken up or worried over, but left in the hands of God for Him to adjust. We are yet in the world, and God keeps for us a place in connection with the world, and works by His own right hand to prepare the way before us, in order that His work may progress along its various lines. The truth is to have a standing place, and the standard of truth is to be uplifted in many places in regions beyond.?{TM 201.1}[3]
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要确信上帝并没有把批评在国外园地作工之人的担子放在远离那些园地的人身上。不在当地的人对那里的需要一无所知。他们既不能说什么话帮助在场的人，就不要妨碍，而是藉着沉默来显示他们的智慧，专心于自己手头的工作。我不赞成他们在对国外园地发表意见时，所表现不出于真知识的热心。{TM 201.2}[4]
§16
Be sure that God has not laid upon those who remain away from these foreign fields of labor the burden of criticizing the ones on the ground where the work is being done. Those who are not on the ground know nothing about the necessities of the situation, and if they cannot say anything to help those who are on the ground, let them not hinder, but show their wisdom by the eloquence of silence, and attend to the work that is close at hand. I protest against the zeal that they manifest that is not according to knowledge, when they ventilate their ideas about foreign fields of labor.?{TM 201.2}[4]
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让上帝与那些在当地工作的人同工吧。愿那些不在当地的人存谦卑的心与上帝同行，免得他们离开自己的本位，迷失自己的方向。主并没有把批评工作的担子放在那些已经这样做的人的身上，也没有赐给他们祂圣灵的支持。许多人按自己出于人的判断行事，热心追求纠正上帝没有放在他们手中的事。只要我们在世上，我们就必须为世人做一番特别的工作。警告的信息要传给各国、各方、各民。{TM 201.3}[5]
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Let the Lord work with the men who are on the ground, and let those who are not on the ground walk humbly with God, lest they get out of their place, and?lose their bearings. The Lord has not placed the burden of criticizing the work upon those who have taken this burden, and He does not give them the sanction of His Holy Spirit. Many move according to their own human judgment, and zealously seek to adjust things that God has not placed in their hands. Just as long as we are in the world, we shall have to do a special work for the world; the message of warning is to go to all countries, tongues, and peoples.?{TM 201.3}[5]
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主没有催促祂的工人们采取行动使艰难的时期提前来到。他们不要因宣传自己的想法和观念而在自己和世人中间筑起一道隔墙。现今在我们边界上，这样的隔墙太多了。就在附近的各城市中，世人大都还没有听到警告的信息。清点以色列的人数并不是出于上帝的命令。{TM 202.1}[6]
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The Lord does not move upon His workers to make them take a course which will bring on the time of trouble before the time. Let them not build up a wall of separation between themselves and the world, by advancing their own ideas and notions. There is now altogether too much of this throughout our borders. The message of warning has not reached large numbers of the world in the very cities that are right at hand, and to number Israel is not to work after God’s order.?{TM 202.1}[6]
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【既要领受也要分赠恩惠】
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只要我们还在这个世界，只要上帝的灵仍在与世界争夺，我们就既要领受恩惠也要分赠恩惠。我们要把圣经中真理的亮光给予世人，也要从世人那里接受上帝感动他们为祂的圣工去作的事。主依然为祂子民的利益感动君王和官长的心。热心维护宗教自由事业的人，不该切断或拒绝上帝为推进祂圣工感动人所提供的帮助。{TM 202.2}[7]
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【Favors to be Received as Well as Imparted】
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Just as long as we are in this world, and the Spirit of God is striving with the world, we are to receive as well as to impart favors. We are to give to the world the light of truth as presented in the Sacred Scriptures, and we are to receive from the world that which God moves upon them to do in behalf of His cause. The Lord still moves upon the hearts of kings and rulers in behalf of His people, and it becomes those who are so deeply interested in the religious liberty question not to cut off any favors, or withdraw themselves from the help that God has moved men to give, for the advancement of His cause.?{TM 202.2}[7]
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我们在圣经中可以找到这方面的事例。波斯王居鲁士曾向全国宣布，并立下诏书，说道：“波斯王居鲁士如此说：‘耶和华天上的上帝，已将天下万国赐给我，又嘱咐我在犹大的耶路撒冷，为祂建造殿宇。在你们中间凡作祂子民的，可以上犹大的耶路撒冷，在耶路撒冷重建耶和华以色列上帝的殿，（只有祂是上帝）愿上帝与这人同在’”（拉1:2,3）。第二道有关为上帝建殿的命令，由大流士王颁发，记载在《以斯拉记》第六章里。{TM 202.3}[8]
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We find examples in the word of God concerning this very matter. Cyrus, king of Persia, made a?proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it into writing, saying: “Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and He hath charged me to build Him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all His people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel.” A second commandment was issued by Darius for the building of the house of the Lord, and is recorded in the sixth chapter of Ezra.?{TM 202.3}[8]
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耶和华以色列的上帝把祂的货财放在不信的人手中。但这些货财要用来支持为堕落的世界所必须作成的工作。奉献这些财物的人，可打开真理的通路。他们也许不赞同这项工作，也不相信基督，没有实行祂的道；但他们的奉献不应因此而拒绝。{TM 203.1}[9]
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The Lord God of Israel has placed His goods in the hands of unbelievers, but they are to be used in favor of doing the works that must be done for a fallen world. The agents through whom these gifts come may open up avenues through which the truth may go. They may have no sympathy with the work, and no faith in Christ, and no practice in His words; but their gifts are not to be refused on that account.?{TM 203.1}[9]
§29
奇怪的是，我们的一些弟兄竟觉得有责任造成一种局面，把上帝原想释放的钱财包裹起来。在这件事上，上帝并没有要他们负起与属世的当局和执政者冲突的职责。上帝的手还没有从地上收回。但愿负责圣工的人能等待时机，隐藏在基督里面，以极大的智慧行事。但愿他们灵巧象蛇，驯良象鸽子。我一再蒙指示，我们如果凭着智慧与人交往，使他们了解我们的工作，并为推进上帝的圣工，给他们机会，去做那些我们有特权劝导他们去做的事，就能在许多方面获得更多的恩惠。{TM 203.2}[10]
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It is very strange that some of our brethren should feel that it is their duty to bring about a condition of things that would bind up the means that God would have set free. God has not laid upon them the responsibility of coming in conflict with the authorities and powers of the world in this matter. The restraining hand of God has not yet been withdrawn from the earth. Let the leaders in the work bide their time, hide in Christ, and move and work with great wisdom. Let them be as wise as serpents, and as harmless as doves. I have repeatedly been shown that we might receive far more favors than we do in many ways if we would approach men in wisdom, acquaint them with our work, and give them an opportunity of doing those things which it is our privilege to induce them to do for the advancement of the work of God.?{TM 203.2}[10]
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[注一]第200页。为疗养院和教堂交税的行动：在1893年的总会会议上，采取了以下行动：{TM 528.1}[11]
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【Appendix Notes】
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Page 200.?Movements to pay taxes on the sanitarium and tabernacle: At the General Conference session of 1893 the following action was taken:?{TM 528.1}[11]
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“但鉴于我们信奉政教分离的原则，教会接受政府涉及宗教场所的捐赠、特惠和免税不符合这项原则；所以我们决定拒绝接受教堂或其它教会财产应当免税的教义，并进而决定，要利用我们的影响废除有关赠予和免税的立法。”——《全球总会公报》1893年3月5日，第475页。{TM 528.2}[12]
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“Whereas in view of the separation which we believe should exist between the church and the state, it is inconsistent for the church to receive from the state pecuniary gifts, favors, exemptions, on religious grounds; therefore resolved that we repudiate the doctrine that church or other ecclesiastical properties should be exempt from taxation and further, resolved, that we use our influence in securing the repeal of such legislation as grants and exemptions.”—The General Conference Bulletin, March 5, 1893, 475.?{TM 528.2}[12]
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怀爱伦1895年1月31日的信件对此事提出忠告，被教会的领袖们接受，作为给免税的教会财产缴税问题的指示。{TM 528.3}[13]
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The E. G. White communication of January 31, 1895, giving counsel in this matter, was accepted by the leaders of the church as instruction which should guide in the matter of our relation to the paying of taxes on tax-free church property.?{TM 528.3}[13]