第37章 对一位总会会长的劝勉
§1
第37章 对一位总会会长的劝勉
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Chap. 37—Counsel to a General Conference President
§3
对难题的不智处理——[本文节选自怀爱伦自欧洲写给乔治·巴特勒长老的一封信，论到美国几个违背了第七条诫命的传道人]。亲爱的弟兄：上次来信已经收到，你在信中问及有关T和V弟兄的事，我要说的已经说了，再无他言。我的观点与我写给约翰V的时候一样。我认为我给他的建议是可靠的。我的好弟兄若肯遵照而行，就应当到英国来做工，我认为他们原会做成蒙主喜悦的事。我认为现在的事态对他不利。他所受托的责任会有提拔他的趋势。他若几个月前肯到远方做工，情形或许会好得多。{TSB 239.1}[1]
§4
Unwise Management of a Difficult Case?[Extracts from a letter written from Europe to Elder George I. Butler concerning several ministers in the United States who had transgressed the seventh commandment.]—Dear Brother: Your last letter is received, and the questions asked in reference to T and Brother V, I cannot answer further than I have done. I am inclined to the same opinion that I had when I wrote John V. The counsel that I gave him I think was safe, and if my good brethren had acted in concert with that counsel, that he should go to England to labor, I think they would have done that which was pleasing to the lord. I think matters have now come in bad shape for him. He has been entrusted with responsibilities which will have a tendency to elevate him. And it may be that he is not in as good a condition to go forth to labor in some far-off field as he was months ago.?{TSB 239.1}[1]
§5
在他的事上我没改变主意。考虑到他的灵魂，我认为他的事没有得到明智的处理。他打算证明自己，自己负责，不耗费区会分毫，他本应有这个机会。{TSB 240.1}[2]
§6
I have not changed my mind in his case. I do not think that it has been managed wisely, taking his soul into consideration. He proposed to prove himself, on his own responsibility, without expense to the conference, and he should have had his chance.?{TSB 240.1}[2]
§7
怀爱伦令人鼓舞的异梦——关于H弟兄，我认为你的处理不是最明智的。我认为应当再给他一次机会。他若甘愿并渴望自己负责来欧洲做工，或许会是明智的行为。在目前情形下，他绝不会得到恢复。数月之前我作了一梦，梦中显明H弟兄因上帝的祝福临到他而得以恢复，但因缺少你或赫斯格长老的帮助而没能达到这个地步，然而就你们二人来说 ，要是你们对他的态度始终保持黑暗，他的光就会熄灭在黑暗中。{TSB 240.2}[3]
§8
Ellen White’s Encouraging Dream—In regard to Brother H, I do not think your management the wisest. I think he should have a chance for his life. If the man is willing and desirous of coming to Europe on his own responsibility, perhaps that would be wisdom. He will never recover himself where he is under present circumstances. I did have a dream many months ago, which showed him restored with the blessing of God resting upon him, but he was not brought to this position by the help of yourself or Elder Haskell, but would have as far as you both were concerned, the attitude you assumed toward him, ever remained in the dark, and his light would have gone out in darkness.?{TSB 240.2}[3]
§9
那个梦促使怀威廉写信给H弟兄，问他来欧洲的事。你们区会一年前曾投票决定他应该去欧洲，后来却犯了错误，打发他去了奥克兰而不是欧洲。他本应立刻到这里来。{TSB 240.3}[4]
§10
That dream prompted the letter that W. C. White wrote him asking him in reference to coming to Europe, which your conference had voted one year ago that he should do, and made a mistake in sending him to Oakland instead of Europe. He should have come here at once.?{TSB 240.3}[4]
§11
关于建议的决定——我们在H弟兄的事上不要再催促什么了，而要竭尽全力救他的灵魂不死，并遮掩许多的罪。有时我很困惑，几乎作出决定，若再有弟兄犯错作恶之事呈到我这里，要是我的传道弟兄们自己还不知道这事，我就不对他们说什么，而要认真地为犯错的人做工，鼓励他盼望上帝的怜悯，倚赖被钉又复活之救主的功劳，存悔改和痛悔的心仰望上帝的羔羊，靠祂的力量生活。“你们来，我们彼此辩论。你们的罪虽像朱红，必变成雪白；虽红如丹颜，必白如羊毛”（赛1:18）。{TSB 240.4}[5]
§12
A Decision in Regard to Counseling—We shall not urge anything more in his case, but shall do the uttermost in our power to save his soul from death, and hide a multitude of sins. I am in great perplexity at times, and have about come to the conclusion when a case of error and grievous sin is presented before me, to say nothing to my ministering brethren if they do not know the matter themselves, but labor earnestly for the erring one, and encourage him to hope in God’s mercy and cling to the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour, look to the Lamb of God in repentance and contrition, and live in His strength. “Come now, and let?us reason together; ... though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” [Isaiah 1:18].?{TSB 240.4}[5]
§13
你们未将上帝的公义、怜悯和慈爱很好地融合在自己的品格要素中。你们说的太多，太多激烈的言辞和情绪，都是与主毫无关系的，这些激烈的情绪影响了我们的好弟兄。{TSB 241.1}[6]
§14
There is not the mingling of the elements of character that brings justice and mercy and the love of God into beautiful harmony. There is altogether too much talking, too many strong words and feelings that the Lord has nothing to do with, and these strong feelings influence our good brethren.?{TSB 241.1}[6]
§15
虽有同情和怜悯，但仍要光明磊落——我受圣灵激励直指罪名，谴责罪恶，然后我将这事存在心里，靠基督的灵把它放在那里，凭信心，本着温柔的怜悯和同情为犯错的人作工。我不会丢下他们，任由他们成为撒但试探的玩物。我不会扮演众生之敌的角色，就像约书亚和天使的异象所描绘的。这些生灵是用我救赎主宝血的代价买回来的。{TSB 241.2}[7]
§16
Compassion and Sympathy, But Also Plain Dealing—I am compelled to deal plainly and rebuke sin, and then I have it in my heart, placed there by the Spirit of Christ, to labor in faith, in tender sympathy and compassion for the erring. I will not let them alone; I will not leave them to become the sport of Satan’s temptations. I will not myself act the part of the adversary of souls, as is represented by Joshua and the Angel. Souls cost the price of my Redeemer’s blood.?{TSB 241.2}[7]
§17
人们自己既然易受试探，常犯错误，就不应随意断言另一个谦卑至尘埃之人的案件，凭他们自己的感情或他们弟兄的感情，自行决定犯错的人应表现出多少感情才能得到饶恕，负起上帝没有要他们负的责任。当我知道有些人已陷入大罪，而我们已与他们同工并为他们作工，上帝后来也悦纳了他们的工作时，当这些人恳求我任由他们，别再为他们背负重担时，我说过：“我不会放弃你们！你们必须积聚力量以得胜。”这些人目前都在积极侍奉上帝。……{TSB 241.3}[8]
§18
When men, themselves liable to temptation, erring mortals, shall be free to pronounce upon another’s case, who is humbled in the dust, and shall take it on themselves to decide by their own feelings or the feelings of their brethren, just how much feeling the erring one should manifest to be pardoned, [they are] taking on themselves that which God has not required of them. When I know that there are those who have fallen into great sin, but we have labored with and for them, and God has afterwards accepted their labors, when these have pleaded for me to let them go and not to burden myself for them, I have said, “I will not give you up; you must gather strength to overcome.” These men are now in active service....?{TSB 241.3}[8]
§19
不认可罪恶，却要争取罪人——我的心为这些事感到极其困惑，因我无法将这些事和正追求的路线和谐起来。我害怕认可罪恶，也害怕任凭罪人，不做任何努力挽救他。我认为我们的心若更加被基督的灵充满，我们就会有祂融化人心的爱，就会以属灵的能力作工，恢复犯错的人，不把他们丢在撒但的控制之下。{TSB 241.4}[9]
§20
No Sanction of Sin, But the Winning of Sinners—My mind is greatly perplexed over these things, because I cannot?harmonize them with the course that is being pursued. I am fearful to sanction sin, and I am fearful to let go of the sinner and make no effort to restore him. I think that if our hearts were more fully imbued with the Spirit of Christ, we should have His melting love, and should work with spiritual power to restore the erring and not leave them under Satan’s control.?{TSB 241.4}[9]
§21
需要心地善良的宗教——我们需要心地善良的宗教，使我们不单单只会用恒久忍耐和要道督责人、指责人、劝诫人，而且用我们信心的膀臂抱住犯错的人，把他们带到基督的十字架前。我们必须使他们与赦罪的救主联络。{TSB 242.1}[10]
§22
Need of Good Heart Religion—We need good heart religion, that we shall not only reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine, but we shall take the erring in our arms of faith and bear them to the cross of Christ. We must bring them in contact with the sin-pardoning Saviour.?{TSB 242.1}[10]
§23
看到人们很少有聪明技巧去拯救被撒但陷害的人，我心中的痛苦难以言表。我看到冷酷的法利赛精神，对近在咫尺的被众生之敌欺骗的人拒之千里，于是就想：如果耶稣也这样对待我们，会怎么样呢？这种精神是否在我们中间蔓延滋长呢？若是，我的弟兄们必须原谅我；我不能与他们同工。我不愿与这种工作有份。{TSB 242.2}[11]
§24
I am more pained than I can express to see so little aptitude and skill to save souls that are ensnared by Satan. I see such a cold Phariseeism, holding off at arm’s length the one who has been deluded by the adversary of souls, and then I think: What if Jesus treated us in this way? Is this spirit to grow among us? If so, my brethren must excuse me; I cannot labor with them. I will not be a party to this kind of labor.?{TSB 242.2}[11]
§25
要肉心，不要铁石心肠——我想到寻找迷羊和浪子的比喻。我希望这些比喻能在我的心思意念上发挥影响。我想到耶稣，祂对犯错堕落之人表现出何等的温柔与慈爱。随后我又想到人对自己跌倒在试探之下的弟兄所发严厉的审判，我的心就不舒服了。我看到铁石心肠，就想我们应该祈求有肉心。……{TSB 242.3}[12]
§26
Hearts of Flesh, Not Hearts of Iron—I call to mind the shepherd hunting the lost sheep and the prodigal son. I want those parables to have their influence upon my heart and my mind. I think of Jesus, what love and tenderness He manifested for erring, fallen man, and then I think of the severe judgment one pronounces upon his brother who has failed under temptation, and my heart becomes sick. I see the iron in hearts, and think we should pray for hearts of flesh....?{TSB 242.3}[12]
§27
我希望我们能有更多基督的精神，大量削减自我，更少人的观点。我们若犯错，也要错在怜悯这边而不是定罪和严厉处置那边。——《怀爱伦信函》1887年第16号{TSB 242.4}[13]
§28
I wish that we had much more of the Spirit of Christ and a great deal less self, and less of human opinions. If we err, let it be on the side of mercy rather than on the side of condemnation and harsh dealing.—Letter 16, 1887.?{TSB 242.4}[13]