第34章 致W. C. 怀特
§1
第34章 致W. C. 怀特
§2
Chapter 34—To W. C. White
§3
《信函》1889年第1号W-1-1889写于伊利诺斯州芝加哥Chicago, Ill.1889年4月7日April 7, 1889亲爱的儿子威利：Dear Son Willie,—
§4
我们深为感恩，因为上帝赐福了这里的聚会。我们大家确实都蒙福了。星期四开始有了突破，星期五的聚会极好，然而，唉，要教育人们不看自己而看耶稣和祂的义是多么困难啊。不得不付出持续不断的努力。我确信在场的人现在开始看出他们去过因不信和没有基督的讲道而有的损失了。假如在这里所讲的这个信息不是适合当代的现代真理，我就不知道我们还怎么能确定何为真理了。{1888 286.1}
§5
We feel deeply grateful for the blessing of God that has come into the meeting here. We have all been blessed indeed. There began to be a break on Thursday, and on Friday the meetings were excellent, but oh, how hard it was to educate the people to look away from themselves to Jesus and to His righteousness. A continuous effort has had to be put forth. I am sure that those who are present begin to see now what they have lost in the past by their unbelief, and by the Christless sermons that have been presented. If this message that has been preached here is not present truth for this time, I know not how we can determine what is truth. {1888 286.1}
§6
我有没有告诉你上周四迈尔斯.格兰特夫人听我讲道了？我带她到我的房间，于是我们就有了一次愉快的谈话。她说她并不知道我会考虑与迈尔斯.格兰特的妻子见面，因为他与我有那么尖锐的对抗，但我对她说，我没有攻击过她的丈夫，是他尾随着我并且攻击我。她谈话很愉快，称赞了我们在象芝加哥这样的城市作工的方式。她说她曾告诉自己的丈夫，我们这班人正在活的传道工作上显出一种值得赞美的热心，而他们这班人却做得很少，确实因缺乏安息日复临信徒正在使用的这种工作方法而趋于衰亡。{1888 286.2}
§7
Did I tell you that Mrs. Miles Grant was one of my hearers last Thursday? I had an introduction to her in my room, and we had a pleasant visit. She said that she did not know that I would care to meet the wife of Miles Grant, as he and I were such sharp antagonists, but I said to her that I had made no raid upon her husband, it was he that had followed me and made a raid upon me. She talked very pleasantly, and commended the manner in which we are doing our work in such cities as Chicago. She said that she had told her husband that as a people we were showing a commendable zeal in live missionary work, while they, as a people, were doing very little, and were really dying out for want of just such methods of labor as Seventh-day Adventists were employing. {1888 286.2}
§8
星期五上午主在我们的聚会中彰显了祂的作为。人们的心受了上帝之灵的感动，很好地认了罪。我的心欢喜快乐，因为听到人们承认自己正在他们以前从未拥有的信心方面获得教育，他们的心非常珍视耶稣。他们说自己以前从未在经验上认识到何为上帝的爱，但现在听到了，信了，并且愿意前去传道，因为他们之前从未传讲过一位被钉而又复活之救主的功劳。他们感到自己确实有了新的转变。他们的心灵自由了，他们的罪赦免了，耶稣的爱在他们心里。内心的温柔，痛悔的心显明了圣灵的作为和基督的恩典在人心灵里。安息日临到我们成了一个喜乐，一个福气。我们以感恩的心欢迎安息日，当作我们曾享有的最好的安息日。五点半就开始在晚上的聚会结束的地方聚会。每一个人的心似乎都响应上帝的爱，人们都有负担要表达他们所得到的宝贵的爱。{1888 286.3}
§9
Friday morning the work of the Lord was manifested in our meeting. Hearts were moved upon by the Spirit of God, and good confessions were made. 287My heart rejoiced as I heard the people acknowledge that they were obtaining an education in faith which they had never had before, and that Jesus was precious to their souls. They said that they had never before known by an experimental knowledge what the love of God was, but now they had heard, they had believed, and they would go forth to preach as they had never before preached the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour. They felt that indeed they had had a new conversion. Their souls were free, their sins forgiven, the love of Jesus was in their hearts. The tenderness of heart, the contrition of spirit that makes evident the work of the Holy Spirit and grace of Christ in the soul. The Sabbath came to us as a joy, a blessing. We hailed the Sabbath with grateful hearts as the best Sabbath we had ever enjoyed. The half-past five meeting commenced where the evening meeting closed. Every heart seemed to respond to the love of God, and souls were burdened to express the precious love they had found. {1888 286.3}
§10
现在普遍的见证是他们深感遗憾，因为之前没有看见也不知道现在所明白的。他们现在有上帝恩待的确据，且有基督住在心里的平安。一个又一个的人证实了新的转变。我们的聚会确实是感人的时节。我们知道耶稣在我们的聚会中。喜乐与泪水交加。我在主里欢喜快乐，因为见到善工在进展。{1888 287.1}
§11
The universal testimony now is that they regret most deeply that they had not seen and known before what they now understand. They now have the assurance of the favor of God, and have the indwelling peace of Christ. One soul after another has testified to a new conversion. Our meetings have been truly melting seasons. We know that Jesus has been in our meetings. Joy and tears have been mingled. I rejoice in the Lord to see the good work progressing. {1888 287.1}
§12
安息日上午A. T.琼斯弟兄讲了一堂充满肥甘美物的道。下午我对一大批听众很畅快地讲了宝贵的救恩计划。我留下来参加了一次蒙福的见证聚会，这些见证与我们在一开始聚会的时候的听到的见证多么不同啊。他们因心灵所领受的宝贵亮光而充满了喜乐和对上帝的赞美。弟兄们表示自己因所领受的亮光而对上帝熟悉得多了。他们对于祂的品格、祂的良善、祂的仁慈、祂的爱，理解的程度也大得多了。他们更加了解拥有活泼的信心是什么意思了。他们说自己对于住在基督里并且让祂也住在他们里面是什么意思有了更加理智的概念。传道弟兄们所作的许多见证大意是他们现在能看出自己的讲道中基督的义多么少，自己对圣经和上帝的大能多么无知了！他们感到自己现在能以新的勇气和盼望前往自己的工作园地了，因为他们现在能向人们讲解耶稣和祂的爱了。{1888 287.2}
§13
On Sabbath forenoon Brother A. T. Jones gave a discourse full of the meat and fatness of good things. In the afternoon I spoke of the precious plan of salvation with much freedom to a large audience. I remained through a blessed social meeting, and how different were the testimonies from those we heard at the beginning of the meetings. They were full of joy and praise to God for the precious light that souls had received. The brethren expressed 288themselves as so much better acquainted with God because of the light that they had received. They comprehended to so much greater a degree His character, His goodness, His mercy, His love. They knew more of what it meant to have living faith. They said that they had a more intelligent idea of what it meant to abide in Christ, and to have Him abide in them. Many testimonies were borne by the ministering brethren to the effect that they could now see how little of the righteousness of Christ they had brought into their discourses, how ignorant they had been of the Scriptures and of the power of God! They felt that they could now go forth to their labors with new courage and hope, that they could now present Jesus and His love to the people. {1888 287.2}
§14
那个安息日自始至终都是特别蒙福的一天，它形成了一幅十分宝贵的画面，我要悬挂在记忆的厅堂里，欣喜快乐地观赏它。耶和华本为善，该受大赞美！基尔戈弟兄和斯塔尔弟兄发了电报给邻近地区各教会的一些弟兄，他们因自己属世的事物而没有来参加聚会。他们星期五来了，并且欢喜快乐了，因为他们感染了聚会的精神。{1888 288.1}
§15
From the commencement of the Sabbath to its close it was a day of especial blessing, and it forms one of the most precious pictures that I have to hang in memory’s hall to look upon with delight and rejoicing. Good is the Lord and greatly to be praised. Brothers Kilgore and Starr sent telegrams to some of the brethren in adjoining churches who were absenting themselves from the meeting because of their temporal affairs. They arrived on Friday, and rejoiced as they drank in the spirit of the meeting. {1888 288.1}
§16
星期日，4月7日过去了。教堂满了人，厅堂和隔壁的房间也满了人。聚会从早上五点半开始，白天一直持续聚会，几乎没有间断。当然有段时间用来吃点东西。琼斯长老和我占用了讲道时间，主给了讲道人丰富的恩典。会众深感兴趣，许多未作决定的人选择了正确的方向，我们相信这次聚会的结果将有更多的人决定支持真理。上帝美好的平静与安宁似乎在众人心里。没有狂热的爆发，却有出自天国的平安喜乐彰显出来。人们眼中含泪嘴唇发颤地作了见证，充满了信心和盼望，勇气和喜乐。{1888 288.2}
§17
Sunday, April 7, is in the past. The chapel was filled, and the halls and rooms adjoining were also well occupied. The meetings began at half-past five in the morning, and continued through the day with scarcely any intermission. Some time was devoted of course to obtaining refreshments. Elder Jones and myself occupied the preaching hours, and the Lord imparted to the speakers His grace in rich measure. The congregation were deeply interested, and many who were undecided have balanced in the right direction, and we believe that many more will decide for the truth as a result of this meeting. The sweet peace and quietness of God seem to be in all. There have been no outbursts of fanaticism, but rather the peace and joy that is born of heaven 289has been manifested. With tearful eyes and trembling lips, testimonies have been borne, full of faith and hope, courage and joy. {1888 288.2}
§18
我们有理由用心用灵用声音赞美上帝。晚上的聚会之后，在洗礼池里给十一个人施了洗。由于有了上帝之灵的启迪，大家似乎学得很快；然而起先讲的课似乎很新奇，他们的心与脑理解不了。现在一天之内就能成就之前整整一周都成就不了的工作，因为他们现在向耶稣敞开心门了，而祂正与他们同住。人人都后悔自己那么久都不知道何为真正的信仰。他们感到遗憾，自己竟不知道真正的信仰完全依赖基督的义，而不依赖人的功劳。{1888 289.1}
§19
We have reason to praise God with heart and soul and voice. After the evening meeting baptism was administered to eleven candidates in the baptistry. Now that the enlightenment of the Spirit of God has come, all seem to be learning fast; but at first the lessons presented seemed strange and new, and their hearts and minds could not take them in. More real good could now be accomplished in one day than in one full week before, because they have now opened their hearts to Jesus, and He is abiding with them. All regret that they have been so long ignorant of what constituted true religion. They are sorry that they have not known that it was true religion to depend entirely upon Christ’s righteousness, and not upon works of merit. {1888 289.1}
§20
4月8日，上午十点半。我们今天早上五点半举行了一场极其宝贵的聚会，听到那些衷心的见证会使你的心灵受益。约翰.西斯利弟兄作了一个很好的、由衷的见证。巴伦杰弟兄宣布自己是一个悔改归正了的人，他的见证有正确的回响。他说自己现在能把握工作了，之前是决不能把握的，因为那时自己确实不知道如何运用信心和依靠基督的义。我希望你能见到和听到基尔戈长老。他讲话坦率。他哭泣并快乐着。他说自己有了新的转变，他的眼睛张开了，在自己的宗教经验上不再看人好像树木行走了，而是清楚地看见基督的义才是自己必须依赖的，否则自己就是一个沦亡的人。泰特弟兄也出来进入明光中了，他的见证奏响了明确的音调。他寻见了耶稣并且很快乐。他说在这次的聚会上有一些年轻人已经因他的工作而进入了真理，我们能判断他感到多么高兴，因为听到他们因照在我们身上的亮光而表示喜乐感恩，并且看见了上帝的灵在他们心上深刻运行。{1888 289.2}
§21
April 8, half-past ten a.m. We had a most precious meeting at half-past five this morning, and it would have done your soul good to have heard the heartfelt testimonies that were borne. Brother John Sisley bore a good free, heartfelt testimony. Brother Ballenger proclaimed himself a converted man, and there is a right ring to his testimony. He says he can take hold of the work now as he never could take hold of it before, because he simply did not know how to exercise faith and cling to the righteousness of Christ. I wish you could see and hear Elder Kilgore. He talks things right out. He weeps and rejoices. He says he has had a new conversion, that his eyes are opened, that he no longer sees men as trees walking in his religious experience, but that he sees clearly that it is Christ’s righteousness that he must rely upon or he is a lost man. Brother Tait is also out into the clear light, and his testimony rings out in decided tones. He has found Jesus and is so happy. He says that there are young men at this meeting who have been brought into the truth through his labors, and we can judge how glad he feels 290to hear them express their joy and gratitude for the light that has shown upon us, and to see the deep movings of the Spirit of God on their hearts. {1888 289.2}
§22
巴不得他们知道，要是他们一开始就接受现在才明白的真理，原可在神圣的生命上多么进步啊！有多少光阴，多少机会没有善用啊，皆因上帝的子民没有把耶稣的信心和爱心带入自己的宗教经验中！泰特弟兄说：“巴不得我曾向我为之操劳的人讲过基督的福音，那就会对他们好得多了！但我今后要在我一切的传道工作中传讲耶稣基督并祂钉十字架。”基尔戈弟兄在主里很是欢喜快乐。他现在看出自己在明尼阿波利斯犯的错误了，且因有幸参加这些聚会而非常高兴。今天早上的聚会就像有一些人所说的，是最后的筵席上最好的酒。人们的脸面多么幸福啊！上帝的子民表达出的感恩和喜乐使我们都在主里欢喜快乐。{1888 290.1}
§23
Oh, if they had only known when they first embraced the truth that which they now understand, how much further advanced they might have been in the divine life! Oh, how much time, how many opportunities have been left unimproved, because the people of God have not brought faith and love of Jesus into their religious experience! Brother Tait says, “Oh that I had preached the gospel of Christ to the souls for whom I have labored, how much better it would have been for them! But I will preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified in all my ministerial labors henceforth.” Brother Kilgore is just as happy in the Lord. He now sees the mistakes he made at Minneapolis, and is so glad of the privilege of these meetings. This morning’s meeting was, as some expressed it, the best of the wine at the last of the feast. Such happy faces! Such thankfulness and joy was expressed by the people of God that we are all glad in the Lord. {1888 290.1}
§24
威利啊，我为爱荷华州可怜的羊感到痛苦。他们做了什么，以致必须被撇下不予理睬呢？牧人的罪不应该报应在羊身上。我想到那些在爱荷华州为各教会操劳的人就心痛。难道不能安排帐篷大会，好让A. T.琼斯弟兄能和我一起去爱荷华吗？我们不必等这些瞎眼的牧人表示他们愿意让我们来就可以去。你知道，我告诉过你人们曾投票邀请我参加爱荷华州的帐篷大会。如果能安排帐篷大会我就会去，以便琼斯弟兄能陪我去。若是不能这样安排，请说同样的话。若是能这样安排，就立刻让我知道。我们的许多弟兄期待我去参加伊利诺州的帐篷大会，但我想他们已在这些聚会上有了一个好的开始，我们能去别的地方了，那里对我们的工作还一无所知。我想到这一点并非有什么人提议，而是因为我感到可怜的羊需要我们能给予的帮助。请电报告知你的想法。{1888 290.2}
§25
Willie, I am in distress for the poor sheep in Iowa. What have they done that they must be left unvisited? The sin of the shepherd should not be visited upon the sheep. I am pained at heart to think of those who are laboring for the churches in Iowa. Could not the camp meetings be arranged so that Brother A. T. Jones could go with me to Iowa? We could go without the waiting for these blind shepherds to signify their wishes to have us come. You know I told you that the people gave an invitation by a rising vote for me to attend the Iowa camp meeting. I will go if it can be arranged so that Brother Jones can accompany me. If this can not be arranged, please state the same. If it can be so managed, let me know at once. Many of our brethren expect me to attend the Illinois camp meeting, but I think they have got a good start at these meetings, and that we could go elsewhere, where they 291know nothing of our labor. I have not thought of this because anyone has proposed it, but because I feel that the poor sheep need the very help that we can give them. Let me know by telegraph what your mind is. {1888 290.2}
§26
我认为A. T.琼斯长老应该参加我们大型的帐篷聚会，给我们的人也给外人讲解信心和基督之义的宝贵主题。在这个主题中有丰足的亮光，他若只去参加文字布道会议，又怎么能将这亮光传给最多的人呢？你不能指望任何一个文字布道士能象他这样讲解这个问题。我认为不让他参加帐篷大会是在使各教会丧失适合现代的亮光和信息。{1888 291.1}
§27
I think that Elder A. T. Jones should attend our large camp meetings, and give to our people and to outsiders as well the precious subject of faith and the righteousness of Christ. There is a flood of light in this subject, and if he goes to the canvassers’ meetings only, how can the light come before the largest number? You cannot expect that any of the canvassers can present this matter in the light in which he presents it. I think that it is robbing the churches of the light and the message for the present time for him not to attend the camp meetings. {1888 291.1}
§28
要让外人知道我们既传律法，也传福音。要让他们充分了解这些真理。许多人会站在真理一边。请仔细考虑这个问题，然后为此祷告，之后再作决定。我会立刻发出这个建议。我看不出为何不将花在堪萨斯州的时间一半用在爱荷华州，或其它某个有急需的地方。我乐于去最需要我的地方。{1888 291.2}
§29
Let the outsiders understand that we preach the gospel as well as the law, and they will feast upon these truths, and many will take their stand for the truth. Please think this matter over carefully, and then after prayer over it, make your decision. I will send this proposition at once. I cannot see why half the time spent at Kansas might not be given to Iowa, or to some other needy place. I am willing to go where I am most needed. {1888 291.2}
§30
本应该有多得多的人来参加这次聚会，因为已经命上加命，令上加令地给出了真理。琼斯弟兄耐心地教导了人们，每天讲四堂。第三堂道是四点钟在西边对斯堪的纳维亚人讲的。{1888 291.3}
§31
A far greater number should have been to this meeting, for the truth has been given line upon line and precept upon precept. Brother Jones has patiently instructed the people, speaking four times each day. The third discourse was given at four o’clock to the Scandinavians on the west side. {1888 291.3}
§32
我现在要止笔了。我希望尽快听到你的消息，你若看到有什么办法我能参加宾夕法尼亚和爱荷华州的帐篷大会，就通知我。我若能就打算这两个州的帐篷大会都参加。向亲爱的玛丽多多致以爱意。愿主大量的赐福她，乃是你母亲的祈祷。
§33
I will now close. I desire to hear from you as soon as possible and if you see any way that I can attend Pennsylvania and Iowa camp meetings make it known to me. I mean to attend both these meetings if I can. Much love to dear Mary. May the Lord bless her abundantly, is the prayer of your {1888 291.4}
§34
母亲Mother
§35
《信函》1889年第 1号，由MMO抄写于1960年2月15日 {1888 291.4}
§36
W-1-1889February 15, 1960MMO