第126章 致A. T. 琼斯
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第126章 致A. T. 琼斯
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Chapter 128—Address to the Church.
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《信函》1892年第16j号J-16j-18921892年9月2日写于澳大利亚墨尔本普雷斯顿
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Preston, Melbourne, Australia, Sept. 2, 1892
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亲爱的A. T.琼斯弟兄：
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Dear Brother A. T. Jones,—
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随信寄去我写给乌利亚.史密斯长老的一封信；因为我看到在《评论与通讯》中显出的分歧就感到痛苦，这向世人表明安息日复临信徒中间缺乏团结。我们必须呈现出统一战线。主多年来赐给我的亮光乃是，不要在我们教会的报刊上公布相冲突的观点。{1888 1036.1}
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I send with this a letter written to Elder U. Smith; for I have felt pained to see differences appear in the Review and Herald, publishing to the world the want of unity among Seventh-day Adventists. It is essential that we present a united front. The light given me for many years from the Lord has been, Let not conflicting sentiments be published in our church paper. {1888 1036.1}
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我们自称是受控的基督徒，不是在我们自己情绪的控制之下，而是在上帝之灵的控制之下，献身侍奉基督，祂拣选我们是要我们处在祂圣灵的管辖之下。祂向祂的父献上最奇妙的祷告，为使祂的门徒可以象祂一样与父合一。现在，每一个相信基督为个人救主的人，都有责任回应那个祷告。天使和天使长们正在以最恳切的关心看着上帝的选民，要看真理正对他们的心思和发格发挥着怎样的影响，要看他们有多么赏识那为他们被钉以便他们得永生的主。要是祂最清楚明白的禁令和命令被轻视了，基督在献上大牺牲前的祷告被奇怪地忽视了，这意味着什么呢？我们确实成了一台戏，给世人和天使观看。{1888 1036.2}
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We claim to be Christians under the control, not of our own feelings, but of the Spirit of God, devoted to the service of Christ, who has chosen us to be under the dictation of His Holy Spirit. He has offered to His Father a most wonderful prayer, that His disciples may be as He was, one with the Father. Now it is the duty of every one who believes in Christ as their personal Saviour, to answer that prayer. Angels and archangels are looking upon God’s chosen ones with the most earnest interest to see what influence the truth is having upon mind and character, to see how much they appreciate the One who was crucified for them, that they might have eternal life. If the plainest injunctions and His commandments are lightly regarded, and the prayer of Christ just prior to His offering the great sacrifice, has been strangely neglected, what does it mean? We are truly a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. {1888 1036.2}
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时间用在了闲事上；但具有永恒后果的事却几乎没有吸引注意力，似乎只在脑海中留下了微弱的印象。行动在为他们代言。需要仔细学习并认真实践《约翰福音》第13、14、15、16和17章，我们才能尊重上帝并祂所差来的耶稣基督。我们担不起过疏忽我们的替身和中保所指定的义务的生活，就是向世人出具神圣的证书，证明上帝爱世人，甚至将祂的独生子赐给他们，叫一切信祂的，不至灭亡，反得永生。{1888 1036.3}
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Time is given to unimportant matters; but the very things of eternal consequence scarcely arrest the attention, and seem to make but faint impress on the mind. Actions speak for themselves. The thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of John need careful study and earnest 1037practice, if we honor God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. We cannot afford to be living in neglect of the very duties specified by our Substitute and Surety, that bears the divine credentials to the world that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. {1888 1036.3}
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现在上帝的子民要做成的最高尚的传道工作，就是他们是最认真地遵行基督话语的人：“不是你们拣选了我，是我拣选了你们，并且分派你们去结果子，叫你们的果子常存，使你们奉我的名，无论向父求什么，祂就赐给你们。我这样吩咐你们，是要叫你们彼此相爱”（约15:16, 17）。“人若爱我，就必遵守我的道；我父也必爱他，并且我们要到他那里去，与他同住”（约14:23）。{1888 1037.1}
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Now the very highest missionary work to be done by the chosen of God, is that they are earnest doers of the words of Christ “Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another.” John 15:16, 17. “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto Him, and make our abode with Him.” John 14:23. {1888 1037.1}
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这就是那个试验；我们爱心的证据乃是那种生发仁爱并且洁净心灵的信心。“不爱我的人就不遵守我的道”（约14:24）。“有了我的命令又遵守的，这人就是爱我的；爱我的必蒙我父爱他，我也要爱他，并且要向他显现”（约14:21）。这是一个有条件的应许。我们可以合理地断定，教会之所以这么少意识到上帝的同在，是因为他们不关心去做祂已指定的事，他们正是向世人误表基督的品格。{1888 1037.2}
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This is the test; the proof of our love is that faith that works by love and purifies the soul. “He that loveth Me not keepeth not My sayings.” “He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.” Here is a promise on condition. Shall we not rationally conclude that why the church has so little of the realizing sense of the presence of God, is their indifference to do the things He has specified, and they are giving to the world a misrepresentation of the character of Christ. {1888 1037.2}
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琼斯长老，要谨慎地行在上帝面前。“你们成了一台戏，给世人和天使观看”（林前4:9）。当心不要在报刊上提出你知道会与史密斯长老相冲突的观点；因为他觉得自己有权控制发表在《评论与通讯》上的文章；但是他若企图关闭门户，不让亮光临到百姓，那么，无论多么悲伤，主也必除掉他。但主爱史密斯弟兄，所以要当心，别藉着发表他没看过的文章给他什么机会。要是他看过文章并且将之发表而没有与文章的作者见面和通话，之后他就没有权利在报刊上发表相反的观点了；因为这样会伤害上帝的圣工。这不是意见不合的时候；要团结在一起；要追求合一。应该打碎冰冷的缄默，操练相互信任和自由。各人都须谨慎自己的言语。避免一切带有极端性质的印象；因为那些正伺机寻找把柄的人会抓住任何一句强硬的措辞，好证明他们称你为极端分子是正当的。{1888 1037.3}
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Elder Jones, walk carefully before God. “Ye are a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men.” Be careful not to present in the paper views which you 1038know will clash with Elder Smith; for he feels that he is in authority to control the articles which appear in the REVIEW; but if he makes an attempt to close the door that light shall not come to the people, then, sad as it may be, the Lord will remove him. But the Lord loves Brother Smith, and be careful that no occasion shall be given, by publishing articles that he has not seen. If after he sees the articles and publishes them without seeing and speaking with the author of the article, then he has no right to put in the paper an opposite view; for he hurts the cause of God. This is no time for dissension; press together; seek to be a unit. There should be a breaking down of icy reserve and a mutual confidence and freedom exercised. Each must guard his words. Avoid all impressions which savor of extremes; for those who are watching for a chance will seize hold of any words strongly expressed to justify them in their feelings of calling you an extremist. {1888 1037.3}
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危机就在我们前面。人意与人意、原则与原则、真理与谬论的猛烈冲突正在迅速临近，而且已经开始，要求我们不断警醒。这个世界是大战场，最后的战役要在这里打响。现在每一个在主一边的人都要前来参加主的战役，帮助耶和华攻击勇士，敌基督的城墙就必在耶和华军队元帅的面前倒塌。因而上帝的选民不要被发现是反对祂所差来的信使和信息的；而要让每一个人的才能与机智，都按完全符合圣经和圣洁的方法，用来在进攻中发挥更大的效能和力量，不是进攻弟兄们，不是进攻主的受膏者，而是进攻他们必须对付的撒但爪牙。{1888 1038.1}
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The crisis is just before us. The fierce conflict of mind with mind, of principle with principle, of truth with error, which is fast approaching, and which has already begun, calls for constant vigilance. This world is the great field where the last battle is to be fought. Now every man who is on the Lord’s side will come up to the battle of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty, and the walls of antichrist shall fall before the Captain of the Lord’s host. Then let not the chosen of God be found in opposition to the messengers and messages He sends; but let the ability and tact of every soul, by all Scriptural and holy means, be employed to give greater efficiency and strength in the aggressive warfare—not against brethren, not against the Lord’s anointed—but against the Satanic agencies that they must meet. {1888 1038.1}
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主必藉着祂的信使讲话。他们只是人性器皿，本身并不具有什么优雅或可爱之处，惟有当那永恒的灵，就是上帝，在人心运行的时候，他们才是有能有效的。永远福音的宝贝放在了瓦器里。保罗可以栽种，亚波罗可以浇灌，这是他们的能力范围，惟有上帝让它生长。不可羞辱或责难上帝，祂拣选祂的信使向世人传一个信息，不可拒绝祂任何一个仆人口中所出上帝之道的信息，从而羞辱上帝，让祂的圣灵担忧，是祂差遣祂的仆人传信息的。许多人使自己丧失了大福气，且使基督丧失了应该加增给祂的荣耀；因为他们没有注意这个，便有混乱、缺陷和软弱。
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The Lord will speak through His messengers. They are only the human instrumentalities, possessing no grace or loveliness of their own, and are powerful and efficacious only as God, the eternal Spirit, shall work upon human hearts. The treasure of the everlasting gospel is in earthen vessels. Paul may plant, and Apollos may water, and this is the extent of their ability: God only giveth the increase. There must be no dishonoring of God, no grieving of His Holy Spirit, by casting dishonor or reflection upon God, who selects His messengers to bear a message to the world, by refusing the message of God’s words from the lips of any of His servants, by whom He may send it. Many souls rob themselves of great blessings, and Christ of glory which should redound to Him; because they do not take heed to this, there is confusion, and defection, and weakness. {1888 1039.1}
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(签名) 怀爱伦 {1888 1039.1}Ellen G. White