第326号 为事业而牺牲
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第326号 为事业而牺牲
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MR No. 326 - Sacrificing for the Cause
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我们最清楚这项事业是怎样开始的。我们在每个方面都进行了研究，研究了各样的方法和手段，以便我们可以有点钱带我们到各处的真理事业当中。为了抵达我们曾在康涅狄格州召开的第一次大会，我丈夫去砍木头，二十五美分一捆。他不习惯于干这个，并且风湿症临到了他的手腕，由于疼痛，他一夜一夜不能睡觉。我们的祈祷夜复一夜升达于天，好让上帝救他脱离疼痛。……他总是说：“妻子，我们必须保留五块钱。即使我们没有生活来源了，也不要动用那五块钱。”{5MR308.1}[1]
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We know best how this cause started. We have studied, in every way, ways and means in order that we might have something to carry us from place to place in the cause of truth. To reach the very first conference that we ever had in the State of Connecticut, my husband worked at cutting cordwood at twenty-five cents a cord. He was not used to work, and the rheumatism came in his wrists so that night after night he was unable to sleep because of the pain. Our prayers ascended night after night that God would relieve him from pain. . . . He would say, Wife, we must be sure to keep $5.00 by us, and if we come short of means we will not use that five dollars. {5MR 308.1}[1]
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不止有两次因为缺少食物吃，我怀抱患病的孩子昏倒在地。于是有话传来，“你们能不能来康涅狄格州和我们开会？”当我丈夫和他的雇主结账时，他拿到了十块钱，我们就用这个钱作路费去赴会。{5MR308.2}[2]
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I have fainted on the floor with a sick child in my arms more than twice for the want of food to eat. Then the word came, Cannot you come and hold a meeting with us in Connecticut? When my husband settled with his employer he had ten dollars, and with that we made our way to that conference. {5MR 308.2}[2]
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工作就是在那里拓展出去的。他在那里开始了他最初的出版工作。他年轻时伤到了脚踝骨导致他瘸了腿，可是他走了九英里到印刷所来拿他的报纸。还有一次，他拿着镰刀去田里割草，为要有路费去纽约开会。上帝的真理因此在纽约传扬开来，这只是一个小小的例子，我们起初就是用这样的方法把真理介绍到不同地方的。{5MR308.3}[3]
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It was there that the work began to branch out, and here is where he began to do his first publishing. He was a lame man, caused by cutting the ankle bone in his youth, but he walked nine miles to the printing office to carry his paper. At another time he took his scythe and went into the field to mow grass in order to get means to carry him to the conference in New York. And so the truth of God began to spread in New York, and this is a little sample of the way that we first introduced the truth into different places. {5MR 308.3}[3]
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我的丈夫工作了几个月，搬石头，直到他的手指被磨破了皮，血从指尖滴下来。他在讲台上当着数千人面前演讲的地方，就在这里。即使这样，他的辛苦劳动也没赚到钱。你知道吗？回想这件事是我最美好的一部分经历。他穿过缅因州不伦瑞克的街道，肩上扛着一个袋子，装了一点米和豆，好叫我们不致挨饿。当他唱着歌进到屋里时，我说，“我们竟落到这种地步了吗，我的丈夫？主离弃我们和我们的工作了吗？”{5MR308.4}[4]
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For months my husband worked, handling stone until the skin was worn off his fingers and the blood dripped from the ends of his fingers. This was in the very places where he had spoken in the desk before thousands. Even then he did not obtain the money for his hard work. Do you know, the remembrance of this is the very best part of my experience? He went through the streets of Brunswick, Maine, with a bag upon his shoulders containing a little rice and meal and beans to keep us from starving, and when he came into the house singing, I said, Have we come to this, husband? Has the Lord forsaken us and our work? {5MR 308.4}[4]
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他举起他的手说，“安静，安静，主没有离弃我们。”……{5MR309.1}[5]
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He lifted up his hand and said, Hush, hush, the Lord has not forsaken us. . . {5MR 309.1}[5]
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我们就是这样开始这项工作的。……{5MR309.2}[6]
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This is the way that we commenced this work. . . . {5MR 309.2}[6]
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这就是主教导我们信靠祂的方式。这就是真理进入许多地方的方式。数年以来我们夜以继日地工作就是为了推进这项工作。我可以站在这里，讲述我给你说过的事例，直到明天早上。但我只能提供这么多了。现在我要告诉你，我们已经尽最大努力在不同的地方开建立布道所。{5MR309.3}[7]
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This is the way the Lord has taught us to trust in Him. This is the way the truth has entered many places. And for years we worked constantly day and night in order to carry forward this work. I might stand here and relate instances such as I have given you till tomorrow morning, but I will present only these few. I want to tell you now that we have been working to the utmost of our ability to establish missions in different places. {5MR 309.3}[7]
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这里的工作刚刚开展的时候，我收到了一个礼物，是件漂亮的丝连衣裙。价值四十五美元。我看着这件裙子，想起了我们在这里的朋友们。安德鲁斯弟兄曾来信讲述他们想在这里着手一项工作，但他们没有资金。{5MR309.4}[8]
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At the time when the mission was first started here, I had received a present of a nice silk dress. It cost forty-five dollars. I looked at that dress and thought of our friends over here. Brother Andrews had just sent in a letter stating that there was a certain work that they wanted to do but they had not the means. {5MR 309.4}[8]
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我想，这些朋友是出于好意送我这件礼物；现在我有权以一种让他们将财富存在天上的方式来使用这个礼物。{5MR309.5}[9]
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Now, I thought, these friends, out of the kindness of their hearts, have made me this present; now it is my privilege to use that gift in such a way that they might lay up treasure in heaven. {5MR 309.5}[9]
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我便去找一位守安息日的商人，对他说：“不管能卖多少钱，请把这条裙子卖了。”他卖了五十美元。然后我把这些钱用在这里的传道工作。我当时的这个举动激励了其他人的奉献。安德鲁斯弟兄回信说，他们所需要的资金此时已到位。{5MR310.1}[10]
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I went to one of our merchants, a Sabbathkeeper, and said, Sell that dress for all you can get for it. He sold it for fifty dollars. Then I sent that money on here to the mission. The very act of my doing that brought in at that very time means from other individuals, and Brother Andrews wrote back to us that the very sum he wanted came at that time. {5MR 310.1}[10]
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我们正在美国设立布道所，建造礼拜堂。我有一些不能变卖的资产，由于不能变卖，我只能借钱以投入到最需要的事业中。我们已为天国的金库投入了三万美元。我可以说，我们现在的金库快要枯竭了。我们在很多地方面临紧迫的财政压力。前一两个晚上我梦到自己向上帝恳求。我醒来求祂赐予财富以推进祂的事业和工作。弟兄姊妹们，我建议我们用活泼的信心将我们空空的金库交托给上帝，祈求祂供应我们的需要。{5MR310.2}[11]
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We are establishing missions and building meetinghouses in America. I have had some property I could not sell, and as I could not sell, I hired money and tried to invest it where it was most needed in the cause. Already we have placed thirty thousand dollars in the treasury of heaven. Our treasury now is, I might say, about empty. In many places we have had very close financial pressure. A night or two ago I dreamed that I was pleading with God. I awoke myself pleading with Him to send means to advance His own cause and work. I propose, brethren and sisters, that we present our empty treasury to God in living faith and ask Him to supply our needs. {5MR 310.2}[11]
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我们非常希望在加利福尼亚为学生建造一所公寓。……我们能做的就是为这个项目真诚地恳求上帝。我们流了很多泪。接着我返回自己的房间开始写作。我听到了敲门声，开门见到斯科特姊妹。她说：“我有一些钱，我希望用在圣工上。你知道哪里最需要吗？”{5MR310.3}[12]
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In California we wanted so much to build a boarding house for our students. . . . All we could do was to send up our earnest petitions to God for that object. With many tears we did it. Then I went into my room and commenced writing. I heard a knock at the door and opened it to Sister Scott. She said, I have some money that I want to put into the cause. Do you know where it is needed most? {5MR 310.3}[12]
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我回答：“是的，我们刚刚恳求上帝给予我们一些资金。”她说：“好的，我可以给你5000美元，并帮你寻找更多的资金。我曾深深感受到重担，现在如释重负。”她泪流满面。{5MR310.4}[13]
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Yes, said I, we have just been pleading with God to send us some means. Well, said she, I can let you have $5,000 and help you to find more. I have felt such a burden that I feel it a relief to get rid of it. The tears ran down her face. {5MR 310.4}[13]
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她因能解除这个重担而感恩。于是我们便有了资金开始建造学生公寓。{5MR311.1}[14]
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She was thankful that she could discharge this burden. And so we had money to start our boarding house. {5MR 311.1}[14]
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我们为什么不把这些问题带给上帝呢？我认为我们太依赖别人了。现在我们让对上帝抱着活泼的信心。自从我来到这里，每天晚上都醒着躺着直到进入一种近乎失眠的状态。……我知道除了祈祷没有其它办法。金子和银子都是主的，千山上的牲畜也是祂的。当我们依靠祂，并尽到自己的努力时，祂会提供帮助推进祂的工作。（《文稿》1885年14号1-4页，“在欧洲会议之前”1885年9月20日）{5MR311.2}[15]
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Why cannot we come to God with these matters? I think we depend too much upon others. Now let us have living faith in God. I have lain awake night after night until I have gotten into an almost sleepless condition since I have been here. . . . I can see no other way but that we must pray. The Lord has gold and silver, and the cattle upon a thousand hills are His. And while we rely upon Him and do the very best we can, He will send help to advance His cause.--Ms 14, 1885, pp. 1-4. (Before the European Council, September 20, 1885.) {5MR 311.2}[15]
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我曾想，在1900年，如果每个安息日复临信徒的家庭愿意戒除一切不必要的放纵，把这样节省下来的钱捐给主的金库，他们就能“与祂一同坐席。”那些如此奉行克己的人将得到满满的福气。主会赐予他们更多以便奉献。……我的心是多么渴望得到从一些人手中流失的每一便士、先令和英镑啊！他们没能认识到自己因自私和骄傲而化掉了多少钱。基督渴望得到大人小孩在自我满足上的草率花掉的钱财。{5MR311.3}[16]
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I have thought that if every Seventh-day Adventist family would, during the year 1900, cut off every needless indulgence, and place the money thus saved in the Lords treasury, there would be meat in His house. A rich blessing would rest upon those thus practicing self-denial. The Lord would give them more to give. . . . Oh, how my soul has thirsted for the pennies and shillings and pounds which have slipped through the fingers of those who do not realize how much they have spent for self and pride. Christ is hungering and thirsting for the money that men and women and children are thoughtlessly spending for self-gratification. {5MR 311.3}[16]
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如果他们戒除了自己的嗜好，这些钱就能用来为基督做最宝贵的工作。{5MR311.4}[17]
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If they denied their inclinations, this money might be used to do a most precious work for Christ. {5MR 311.4}[17]
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上帝希望每一个人为多方的求助负起节省钱财的责任，以推进上帝的工作。这项工作绝不会停止。（《信函》1900年24号，3、4页，致韦塞尔斯姐妹，1900年2月15日）1973年5月发布。{5MR311.5}[18]
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God desires every one to bear his part in saving money for the many calls that come in for help to carry forward the work of God. This work is never to cease.--Letter 24, 1900, pp. 3, 4. (To Sister Wessels, February 15, 1900.) Released May, 1973. {5MR 311.5}[18]