第143章 致F. E. 贝尔登夫妇
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第143章 致F. E. 贝尔登夫妇
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Chapter 148—To U. Smith
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《信函》1893年第9号B-9-1893新西兰，惠灵顿，班克斯阶地
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Bank’s Terrace, Wellington, New Zealand
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致弗兰克?贝尔登夫妇
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Mr. and Mrs. Frank Belden,
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亲爱的外甥和外甥女：
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Dear Nephew and Niece,—
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我深为关切地读了你们的来信，希望能感应到其中正确的回响；但即使有它我也没看出来。我很关心你们的灵性状况。你们有好几年没有行在光中了。我非常担心你们，然而当我凭经验得知我的话对你们没有多少分量时，我确实感到很难过，但却做不了什么来改变事情的进程。{1888 1185.1}
§10
I have read your letter with deep interest hoping to catch the vibration of the right ring in it; but if it is there I do not discern it. I am much concerned in regard to your spiritual condition. For several years you have not been walking in the light. I have had much concern for you, but when I learned by experience my words had not much weight with you I felt sorry indeed, but could do nothing to change the course of things. {1888 1185.1}
§11
在明尼阿波利斯会议之前，尤其是之后，我与你们就不合一不和谐了。我们还在阿德莱德的时候，你们在来信中有所承认，我当时很高兴，希望一项工作已经开始，会继续进展，直到你们在光明中行，如同基督在光明中。我为你们战兢，惟恐你们会穿上自以为义的衣服，不愿继续追求认识主，好知道祂出现确如晨光。我蒙指示看见你们与爱尔德里奇船长的关系对他或对你们都没有益处。你们似乎对我有某种怨恨的情绪，因为你们说，我说过你们自私。这到底是怎么说的我现在想不起来了。我原可以照着呈现在我面前的你们的情况说出许多事情的真相，却没有说，因为我知道你们当时正行在盲目中，且知道你们的脚为什么绊跌，我可以呈现在你们面前的任何事你们都不会正确地理解，也不会从而受益。我自从收到你们的来信之后就保持沉默。我翻阅了我的著作，寻找曾在一个场合宣读过的一篇文章，当时你和相当多其他的人在场。我在那十一个月患病期间曾寻找这篇证言，却找不到。我寄出了我能找到的，然后确定这篇证言落在巴特尔克里克了。但在最后一次搜寻中，谜团解开了，开头的两三页被装订进去了：我翻过这几页来，就找到了我向不少于三十个人宣读过的那篇文章。我找到它就觉得放松了，我要尽快把它复制出来，给你和其他人每人一份。{1888 1185.2}
§12
Before, and especially after the Minneapolis meeting, I had not union and harmony with you. When you made some acknowledgments in letters received while we were at Adelaide; I was rejoiced, hoping a work had begun that would progress until you would be walking in the light, as Christ is in the light. I have trembled for you lest you would clothe yourself with garments of your own self-righteousness, and would not follow on to know the Lord that you might know his goings forth is prepared as the morning. I have been shown your connection with Captain Eldridge has not been for his good nor your good. You seem to feel some bitterness toward me in that you say, I said you were selfish. Now just how this was stated I cannot now recall. I might have said many things in truth as your case was presented to me, that I have not said, because I knew you were walking in blindness, and knew at that which your feet were stumbling, and anything I might present before you would not be correctly represented to your understanding, and you would not benefit thereby. I have kept silent since receiving your letter. I perused my writings for the one I read on one occasion 1186when you and quite a number of others were present. I had looked for this during my eleven months illness but could not find it. I sent that which I could find and then decided this testimony was left in Battle Creek. But in the last search made the mystery was explained the first two or three pages were stitched in: I turned these pages over and find the very article I read to no less than thirty. I am relieved to find this, and I will have it copied as soon as possible, and you and others shall have a copy. {1888 1185.2}
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是的，我亲爱的外甥，这些事被清晰明确地罗列出来了。我在看完牙之后就发现了那篇文章。上周三对其作了摘录，我还不能写很多。{1888 1186.1}
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Yes my Dear Nephew matters are laid out plain and distinct. I found the article just after the operation with my teeth. They were extracted last Wednesday, and I am not yet able to write much. {1888 1186.1}
§15
你和爱尔德里奇船长那么坚定地联合一致的时候，你们对彼此的影响是不良的。你既有关于何为真理的知识，又知道支配上帝的事业和工作的原则，本来能够帮到他，但我再说一次，自我和自私那么强烈地交织在你的工作中和你在出版社任职的时候，以致当你的生活和工作显在我面前的时候，我就看到主的灵不能对你做什么，也为他做不了什么。在你们的议事会中，我一直在场（在异象中），并且奉命留心看明且记下我所洞悉的控制了这些议事会的那种精神。在这些议事会中，听不到有一个人象我外甥弗兰克.贝尔登那样在种种建议、计划和决议中发表意见。有一种自足自负的精神，一种不完全依照上帝亲自命令的行事模式。有政策和原则和混杂，密切交织为要误导人，把人带入歧途。这些会议在我脑海中留下了明确的印象。我从行事的方式和控制那些行动的精神看出仇敌正在得势，误导人；但你却对真相浑然无知。我受到激励不断地向巴特尔克里克发出警告，因为我看到了危险；但我用笔墨和声音发出的警告没有什么效果。它们没有受到注意，因为人们的心眼那么盲目，以致看这些警告并不适用。主感动我就出版社作了一个明确的见证；但他们却觉得那个见证并不恰当。这篇文章就在我面前，且已向不下三十个人宣读了。我要把它复制出来，好让你和其他人能看出这种证言对治理现有的弊端多么有效。那些受托管理出版社之严重责任的人有一种自足自负、过于自恃的情绪，因为他们在神圣的事物上没有经验。他们自以为很智慧，不必受教，自以为很安全，不必谨慎，要是没有人在信心和无亏的良心上象船坏了一般，我就会很惊讶。我看到会有人犯错误，处理神圣事物的人们不愿意受约束。他们是在安心依赖那来自上头的智慧吗？不是的，而是在依赖他们自以为高超的智慧和审慎。看到没什么经验的人傲慢摆谱儿，行事好像他们自己对人对事的判断是绝无错误的，多么令人悲伤啊！我知道出版社如今的事态并不对。{1888 1186.2}
§16
While you and Captain Eldridge were so firmly linked in one, your influence over each other was not good. You might with your knowledge of what is truth, and of the principles that have controlled the work and cause of God have helped him: but I say again self and selfishness was so strongly mingled with your work and while connected with the office as it was presented to me in life and works that the Spirit of the Lord could do little with you, and little for him. In the meetings of councils I have been present, and was bid to see and mark the spirit which controlled these councils of which I had an insight. There was not one in these councils whose voice was heard in propositions, plans, and resolutions [more] than the voice of my nephew Frank Belden. There was a self-sufficiency, a molding of matters and things not all after God’s own order. There was a mixture of policy and principles, so interwoven and calculated to mislead minds, and lead in false paths. From these meetings decided impressions were made on my mind. I saw from the working of things, the spirit controlling the movements, that the enemy was gaining the ground, and misleading minds; but you were insensible 1187to the fact. Warnings I was constrained to give continually in Battle Creek for I saw danger; but the warnings given by pen and voice had but little effect. They were not heeded because minds were so blinded that they were not seen to be applicable. The Lord moved upon me to bear a decided testimony in reference to the office; but it was felt not to be appropriate. But this writing is before me and has been read to no less than thirty. I shall have it copied that you may see, and others may see how much such testimonies were effective to cure existing evils. There was with those put in trust the grave responsibilities of managing the office, a feeling of self-sufficiency, self-confidence because of inexperience in sacred things. They thought they were too wise to be taught, and too secure to need caution, and if no one makes shipwreck of faith and a good conscience, I shall be surprised. Mistakes I saw would be made, and the men who are handling sacred things were not inclined to be controlled. Were they confidently relying upon the wisdom from above? No, but on their own supposed superior wisdom and prudence. O how sad to see men of little experience put on airs of importance, and acted as though there own judgment of men and things were infallible. I know that things are not right now in the office. {1888 1186.2}
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你提到亨利.凯洛格。我知道亨利.凯洛格一直没有在一所学校学习功课，使他更有资格披上温柔谦卑的精神倚靠上帝，以便在出版社作明智的主管。你要是感到自己的软弱并在上帝面前谦卑己心，而不是倚靠你自己的聪明，原会对你和爱尔德里奇船长好得多，他在信仰生活上什么都要学习。爱尔德里奇船长若是在恩典和真理的知识上长进，就有一些困难的功课要学。他越快学会这些功课，对他和他的家人就越好。当人们觉得自足自负的时候，即使他们一直是官长，指挥人很久了，他们若不完全顺从上帝的旨意，受管理，天天学习顺服上帝，就不会成为王室的成员，天上大君的儿女。{1888 1187.1}
§18
You speak of Henry Kellogg. I know that Henry Kellogg has not been learning lessons in a school that will better qualify him to be clothed with the spirit of meekness and dependence upon God to stand as a wise director in the publishing house. And had you felt your weakness and humbled your heart before God, in the place of leaning to your own understanding it would have been so much better for you and Captain Eldridge, who had everything to learn in the religious life. If Captain Eldridge grows in grace and the knowledge of the truth, he has some hard lessons to learn. The 1188sooner he learns these lessons the better for him and his family. When men feel self-sufficient, even if they have been Captain to command men a long time, if they are not brought under perfect obedience to God’s will, to be under control, learning daily submission to God, they will not become members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King. {1888 1187.1}
§19
我们的上帝是轻慢不得的。我劝你为自己灵魂的缘故不要浪费时间。你不冷不热已经够久了。因为有人说我说过你自私你就向我抛来责难的话，这值得吗？我在基督耶稣里的弟兄啊，我重述主确实指示我看到你是自私的，你必须前所未有地看见自己，否则你必定丧失信仰。你虔诚的深度，你对上帝的热心曾几何时与你所居的职位相称呢？你现在若是下决心成为专心而且无私的人，坚持侍奉主，行事愿意单单注目祂的荣耀，尽每一个本分，善用每一个惠赐给你的机会，就必须忘却你过去几年一直在学习的一些功课，且要来到基督的门下，学耶稣的样式，你若是作一个殷勤的学生，就会实现品格的转变，接受基督对你的塑造，在基督耶稣里得以完全。你就会脱离世上从情欲而来的败坏，变得与上帝的性情有分。主就会使你成为通光的管道。关于你自己，你一直远远没有过着会符合上帝要求的生活。要是意外的死亡临到你，我就非常担心你的将来。我不能说那对弗兰克来说是好的，因为他在耶稣里安睡了；却会很担心你在那个大日将被称在“天平里，显出你的亏欠”（但5:27）。你最好失去地上的一切也不要失去天国。任何人若不先求上帝的国和祂的义，就不会知道成圣归于上帝是什么意思。他必须在上帝面前谦卑己心，乐意牺牲一切而不是牺牲上帝的眷爱。要培养对虔诚献身的喜爱之情。放弃世界比放弃天国要好得多。你现在需要好好查看自己的道路，使你的脚不至滑跌。你很清楚每一个目的与愿望的性质在上帝面前就如日在天一样明显。我在主里亲爱的弟兄啊，你竟允许自己没有培养灵性并在恩典中长进。你里面的自我必须死。必须将自尊自负弃在尘埃。要记住上帝是一位现在的上帝，你的罪若不在耶稣基督赎罪的宝血中洗净，你就要在祂的台前交一份可怕的账。你应该能说：“我将耶和华常摆在我面前，因祂在我右边，我便不至摇动”（诗16:8）。你必须得到更新、改造、悔改归正，你整个的生活应该依照基督的样式得到整顿和塑造。上帝已赐给你能力和才干好完全用来荣耀祂。上帝必不悦纳分心的侍奉。你对属灵事物的领悟一直在变得模糊，你这好几年的经验没有使你更容易接受圣洁的感化。你的思路、愿望和行为因分离和习惯而一直在越陷越深广，倾向于成为稳固不变的品格，如果不尽快打破这种状况，使你的经验具有不同的，更高更无私的等次，就会在有生之年继续下去。你需要有一次大突破，并且养成符合上帝心意和旨意的习惯。要为基督的缘故把握这项工作。你若忠心而且规规矩矩地履行基督徒的责任，你若向自己死并且养成顺从的习惯，就会取得成功。你就会请教你的圣经。你就会在祷告中多多与上帝在一起。你就会在圣会中作虚心痛悔的见证。你就会在一切适当的场合象小孩子一样谦卑。你就努力救人归于耶稣基督，避免一切邪恶的表样，尽力不断拓展耶稣基督的国度。我们大家都必须不久就要见到祂的真体，你需要有禾捆好献给主。你的光阴、你的才干是上帝的，要用它们来荣耀祂。我向你推心置腹；你没有时间可以浪费。这对你来说是生死攸关的。你的姨母爱伦太爱你的灵魂了，不能掩盖你的现状。上帝有一项工作要你去做，你若是真心悔改就能做。你不可象一直以来有时候那样犹豫不决不可依赖，你的灯光摇曳，令人困惑，引人背叛而不是把他们引到安全的路上。你必须有一种不同的经验。愿上帝帮助你，我在基督里亲爱的弟兄。愿上帝帮助你和海蒂，使你们不要转身离开，象你们从祂赐给你们证言之后所做的那样；而要行在光中。要穿上基督的义袍。将你们的灵与魂与身子交给上帝，从而为天国做好准备。耶稣已用重价买了你们，上帝爱你们二人，我被我对耶稣和你们二人灵魂的爱激励，警告你们不要耽延。要昼夜寻求上帝，直到你们寻见祂，以致心中喜乐。我认真地为拜伦作了工。我期待他会成为主的一个工人。我寄给你一封信也寄给他。他在学校里，我告诉他会看顾他度过这个学期。他需要他能得到的圣经的一切亮光和知识。他正把全部心思都放在工作上。上帝必帮助他。你父亲处于困境。我写信给威利每周从《回声》出版社提两美元加到他将挣到的工资上来维持他，如果他需要的话。要是我必须得完全供养他，他就不会陷入困境。但他送学生们往返学校，挣到一些钱。维尼给学生们洗衣服，也挣到一些钱，你父亲也在校园里工作，在那里挣一些钱，所以我们以为他会过得去。拜伦帮了他很多，非常多，以致当他失去了在出版社的职位时，他都没剩下什么东西可以用来去上学了。但拜伦对你父亲很豪爽，不断地帮助他，给他买整套的衣服，并以许多方式提供帮助。拜伦一直是无私、慷慨、心地善良的，愿主赐福他，并赐给他智慧和聪明。{1888 1188.1}
§20
Our God will not be trifled with. I entreat of you for your souls sake to waste no time. You have been luke warm long enough. Does it pay you to throw your reflections upon me, because someone says I said you were selfish. Is this an impossible thing, my brother in Christ Jesus I repeat the Lord did show me you were selfish, and you must see yourself as you have not yet done else you must assuredly make shipwreck of faith. When, O when has been your depth of piety, your zeal for God corresponding to the position you occupied. If you will resolve now to be whole hearted and unselfish, and persevering in your Lord’s service, and will act with an eye single to his glory, discharging every duty, and improving every gracious opportunity then you will unlearn some lessons you have been learning the past few years, and will come into the school of Christ to learn of Jesus, and will if a diligent student realize a transformation of character, and receive Christ mold upon you, and become complete in Christ Jesus. You will be a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. The Lord will make you then a channel of light. In regard to yourself, you have been far from leading a life which would meet the requirements of God. And should accidental death surprise you I fear greatly for your future. I could not say it is well with Frank for he sleeps in Jesus; but I should greatly fear that you would in that great day be weighed in the “Balance and found wanting”. You had better lose everything on earth than heaven. No man can know what it means to be sanctified to God, unless he seeks first 1189the kingdom of God and his righteousness. He must humble his soul before God, be ready to sacrifice anything and everything rather than the favor of God. Cultivate love and affection for religious devotion. Better far give up earth than heaven. You need now to look well to your ways, that your feet slide not. The character of every desire and purpose, is as clear you well know before God as the sun in the heavens. You have my dear brother in Christ not cultivated spirituality and grown in grace. Self in you must die. Self-importance must be laid in the dust. O remember that God is a present God, and that you have a fearful account to render at his bar unless your sins are washed away in his atoning blood of Jesus Christ. You should be able to say, “I have seen the Lord always before me, because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” You must be renewed, transformed, converted, and your whole life should be ordered and fashioned after the likeness of Christ. God has given you capabilities, and talents to use wholly to his glory. God will not accept a divided half and half service. The comprehension of spiritual things has been growing dim, and the several years of experience you have had has not made you more susceptible to holy influences. The channels of thought, desires and actions have been growing deeper and broader by separation and habit and tending to a fixedness of character, and unless this is broken up as soon as possible, and your experience is of a different, higher and more unselfish order, it may be pursued as long as life lasts. There needs to be a great breaking up with you, and habits formed to meet the mind and will of God. For Christ’s sake lay hold of the work. You will make a success if in performing Christian duties with faithfulness and regularity, if you will die to self and obedience will become habitual. You will consult your Bible. You will be much with God in prayer. You will bear an humble heart, broken testimony in the congregation. 1190In all appropriate places you will be as humble as a little child. You work to save souls to Jesus Christ and shun the very appearance of evil and endeavor to constantly build up the kingdom of Jesus Christ. We must all soon meet him as he is, and you want sheaves to present to the Master. Your time, your talents are God’s, use them to his glory. I press it home to your soul; you have no time to lose. It is life or death with you. Your Aunt Ellen loves your soul too well to gloss over your present condition. God has a work for you to do, and you can do it if you are truly and genuinely converted. You must not be hesitating and unreliable as you have been at times, your light flickering, and bewildering and betraying rather than guiding them in safe paths. O you must have a different experience. God help you my dear brother in Christ. God help you and Hattie that you will not turn away as you have done from his testimony given to you; but walk in the light. Put on the robe of Christ’s righteousness. Prepare for heaven by yielding your soul, body, and spirit to God. Jesus has bought you with a price, God loves you both, and I am constrained by the love I have for Jesus and your souls to warn you to make no delay. Seek God day and night till you find him to the joy of your souls. I have labored earnestly for Byron. I expect he will be a laborer for the Master. I send you a letter I sent to him. He is in the school: I told him I would see him through this term. He is in need of all the light and knowledge of the word he can obtain. He is putting his whole mind to the work. God will help him. Your father is in straightened circumstances. I wrote to Willie to draw $2.00 per week from the Echo Office to add to what he shall earn to keep him, if he needs it. He shall not be brought in straightened, uncomfortable places, if I have to support him entirely; 1191but he earns something carrying the students to and from the school. Vinnie is doing laundry work for the students, and she earns something, and your father works on the school grounds, and earns something there so we think he will get along. Byron has helped him a great deal, so much so, that when he lost his situation in the Office he had nothing left to use to go to school. But Byron has acted nobly to your father, constantly helping him, purchasing him entire suits of clothing and in many ways he has helped. Byron has been unselfish, liberal, and kind hearted may the Lord bless him, and give him wisdom and understanding. {1888 1188.1}
§21
我们每一时辰耽搁和忽视这伟大的救恩都有罪；因为在性质上我们是在世人和天使面前说：我不愿让基督耶稣这个人作我的王。我们在拒绝上帝改变品格的方法和恩典。人们在为自己积蓄忿怒之日的忿怒。持续拒绝顺从上帝的旨意使人心地刚硬，最终上帝就任由人去做自己的选择。人心便越来越不温柔，对圣灵的警告、恳劝和吸引越来越不敏感。人便拒绝向虔诚倾心，不愿迈出一步，离开撒但的队伍，站到基督十字架血染的旌旗之下；反而上演一场反抗的悲剧，给世人和天使观看。{1888 1191.1}
§22
We are guilty of sin every hour we delay and neglect this great salvation; for before the world and angels and men we are in character saying, I will not have this man Christ Jesus to reign over me. We resist God’s methods of transformation of character and grace. Men heap up wrath for themselves against the day of wrath. The continually refusing to yield the will to God’s will hardens the heart, and finally God leaves the human agent to his choice. There is less and less tenderness of soul, less and less susceptibility of the Spirit’s warnings, entreaties and drawings. The human agent refuses to incline his heart religiously, he will not take a step from the ranks of Satan to stand under the blood stained banner of the cross of Christ; but stands a mournful spectacle of resistance to the world, to angels, and to men. {1888 1191.1}
§23
耶稣快到耶路撒冷，看见城，就为它哀哭，说：“巴不得你在这日子知道关系你平安的事；无奈这事现在是隐藏的，叫你的眼看不出来”（路19:41,42）。那个有罪的民族为什么不知道呢？因为他们不能知道吗？不是的，因为“你们不愿意。”“耶路撒冷啊，耶路撒冷啊，你常杀害先知，又用石头打死那奉差遣到你这里来的人。我多次愿意聚集你的儿女，好像母鸡把小鸡聚集在翅膀底下，（只是你们不能，不，）只是你们不愿意”（太23:37）！
§24
And when he came near he beheld the city and wept over it, saying, “O that thou hadst known, even thou in this thy day, the things that belong unto thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes.” Why did not that guilty nation know? Because they could not? No’ because ye would not. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, (and ye could not, no,) and ye would not! {1888 1191.2}
§25
多多爱你们的，姨母怀爱伦 {1888 1191.2}
§26
In much love, Aunt Ellen G. White.