第47章 主的穷人
§1
第47章 主的穷人
§2
Chap. 47 - The Lords Poor
§3
我蒙指示看到，我们没有住在巴特尔克里克的信徒们并不赏识那些在这个工作中心之人的操劳和重担。他们让他们教会不能自养的信徒来到巴特尔克里克，以为他们可以在我们的机构中找到工作。这些人没有事先写信探知是否有适合他们的空缺；而是蜂拥来到教会，结果在申请时，才发现所雇用的人手已经过剩，许多人象他们一样有需要。出于同情他们被接纳了，并且仍旧留了下来，并非因为机构很需要他们的服务，而是因为他们非常贫困。{4T 508.2}[1]
§4
I was shown that our people living out of Battle Creek do not appreciate the cares and burdens which come upon those at the heart of the work. They allow their church members who are not able to support themselves to come to Battle Creek, thinking that they can obtain work in our institutions. These do not first write and ascertain if there is an opening for them; but crowd themselves upon the church, and find, upon application, that there is already a surplus of hands employed, many of whom are as needy as themselves. They were taken in out of pity, and are still retained, not because they are of the most service to the institutions, but because they are so needy. {4T 508.2}[1]
§5
住在巴特尔克里克的一些家庭一直见到这些机构的成长，他们需要也配得在这些机构中任职，却因若在这些机构工作就会使许多外来的人得不到雇用而不能就职。这使得教会和这些机构为难，不知道如何用智慧处理这一切的情况，不得罪任何一个人，而是向众人显出仁慈。为了帮助解决这些事，我们的各机构已经蒙受了损失，因为申请工作的人常常身体很差，因而是不可靠的。要是他们的职位由能干的、有效率的工人充任，就会给上帝的圣工节省相当多的费用。{4T 509.1}[2]
§6
There are families residing in Battle Creek who have seen these institutions grow up, and who need and are worthy of positions in them, but who are not able to obtain them because so many from abroad will suffer if not employed. This brings upon the church and these institutions burdens of perplexity to know how to treat all these cases with wisdom, offending none, and showing mercy to all. Our institutions have sustained loss by seeking to help these cases, for frequently the applicants are in poor health and therefore not to be relied upon. Could their places be supplied with able, efficient workers, it would save quite a sum to the cause of God. {4T 509.1}[2]
§7
每一个教会都有责任感到关心自己的穷人。但是许多自私的人却满意于让他们那里贫穷的信徒搬到巴特尔克里克；因为那样他们就不需要帮助赡养他们了。巴特尔克里克教会每年要花一到五百美元赡养穷人和病人，这些人若没有救济金供养，他们的家人就会受苦。上帝不喜悦让这个教会任凭他们中间的穷人遭受缺乏生活必需品之苦；所以不断从那些在这个工作中心的人提取基金。{4T 509.2}[3]
§8
It is the duty of every church to feel an interest for its own poor. But many selfish ones have felt gratified to have their poor members move to Battle Creek; for then they would not be required to help support them. The Battle Creek church spend every year from one to five hundred dollars for the support of the poor and sick, whose families must suffer unless they are sustained by charity. God would not be pleased to have this church allow the poor among them to suffer for the necessaries of life; therefore there is a continual draft upon the funds of those at the heart of the work. {4T 509.2}[3]
§9
我们的弟兄们必须把他们的穷人留在家乡，且使那些已经搬到巴特尔克里克的穷人不再由教会负责。他们可以给穷人提供工作从而帮助他们自助，藉此为穷人做比现在多得多的工作。在你们现世的事上雇用这些人，比把他们打发到工作的大中心、让上帝的圣工因这些不能胜任的工人受拖累要好得多。只有那些有文化有体力和智力的男男女女，会照顾会管理，习惯使用自己的脑筋而不是别人的脑筋的人，才是巴特尔克里克所需要的。我的弟兄们，你们认为让在人生的一般生计上无力谋生的人挤进负责任的工作岗位是明智的吗？{4T 509.3}[4]
§10
Our brethren must retain their poor at home and take those already at Battle Creek off from the hands of the church. They could do very much more than they now do for the poor by furnishing them with work, thus helping them to help themselves. It would be much better to employ these persons in your temporal matters than to send them to the great heart of the work, and let the cause of God be burdened by this inefficient class of workers. Only men and women of culture and of physical and mental strength, caretakers, who have been accustomed to using their own brains rather than the brains of others, are needed at Battle Creek. Would you think it advisable, my brethren, to crowd into responsible positions persons who are incompetent to obtain a livelihood in the common business of life? {4T 509.3}[4]
§11
有年轻人，也有成年男女，需要受教导知道如何在当地使用自己的才能。这不是令人愉快的责任；但每一个教会都对自己的信徒个人有责任，不应让一等在乡下无力谋生的人搬到巴特尔克里克。在乡间的弟兄们有农场可以自养。所以穷人若在乡间得到供养，费用会比让他们来到巴特尔克里克少得多，乡下的食品也比较便宜。若是来到巴特尔克里克，他们不但帮不到教会和我们的各机构，反而不断要从库中支钱帮助他们。那些住在城里的人几乎一切的食物都需要购买，要照顾穷人会花费不菲。{4T 509.4}[5]
§12
There are youth, and men and women, who need to be taught how to employ their ability just where they are. This is no pleasant duty; but every church is responsible for its individual members, and it should not allow a class who cannot obtain a living where they are in the country, to move to Battle Creek. Brethren in the country have farms and can raise their own supplies. It is therefore much less expensive for the poor to be supported in the country, where provisions are cheap, than to have them come to Battle Creek, where, instead of helping the church and our institutions, means must be continually drawn from the treasury to help them. Those living in the city have to buy nearly all their provisions, and it costs something to take care of the poor. {4T 509.4}[5]
§13
在较小教会中的弟兄们，若是上帝已留下一项工作要你们去做，就是去照顾祂的穷人，安慰沮丧的人，看望病人，周济贫困的人，你们就不要那么随便地希望巴特尔克里克教会拥有这项工作的全部福气。你们有理由羡慕上帝应许给那些愿意照顾穷人和同情受苦之人的福气。{4T 510.1}[6]
§14
Brethren in smaller churches, if God has left a work for you to do in caring for His poor, in comforting the desponding, in visiting the sick, in dispensing to the needy, do not be so liberal as to want the Battle Creek church to have all the blessings of this work. You will be justified in coveting the blessings God has promised to those who will care for the poor and sympathize with the suffering. {4T 510.1}[6]
§15
必须建立慈善基金，好应付蒙允许来到巴特尔克里克的穷人们的需要。疗养院每年都奉献数千美元救济病人，然而有谁赏识疗养院的这个重担呢？凡记在教会名册上的人，都不应被撇下，年年受疾病之苦，其实在疗养院疗养数月就会减轻他们的病苦，且使他们得到如何在生病时照顾自己和他人的宝贵经验。每一个教会都应该感到，照顾他们本教会可敬的穷人和病人乃是圣经交给他们的一个责任。{4T 510.2}[7]
§16
There must be a charity fund raised to meet the necessities of the poor who are permitted to come to Battle Creek. Each year the sanitarium gives thousands of dollars to charity patients, but who appreciates this great tax upon the institution? None whose names are on the church book should be left to suffer year after year from sickness, when a few months at the sanitarium would give them relief and a valuable experience how to take care of themselves and others when sick. Every church should feel it a Bible duty devolving upon them to care for their own worthy poor and sick. {4T 510.2}[7]
§17
何时上帝的一个优秀的儿女需要受益于疗养院而只能付一小部分费用时，教会就要尽到高尚的本分，补足余额。有些人可能完全无力支付，你们也不要因为自私而继续让他们受苦。要把他们送到疗养院，且让他们带去你们的保证和你们的金钱以支付他们的费用。你们这样做就会得到宝贵的福气。经营这样一个机构是有成本的，不应让疗养院无偿地治疗病人。若是能归还疗养院为救济病人而支付的那笔费用，就会大大帮助它脱离目前的困窘。{4T 510.3}[8]
§18
When a worthy child of God needs the benefit of the sanitarium and can pay but a small amount toward his expenses, let the church act a noble part and make up the sum. Some may not be able to pay anything themselves, but do not let them continue to suffer because of your selfishness. Send them to the sanitarium, and send your pledges and your money with them to pay their expenses. In doing this you will gain a precious blessing. It costs something to run such an institution, and it should not be required to treat the sick for nothing. Could the sum which that institution has expended for charity patients be refunded, it would go a long way toward relieving it of its present embarrassments. {4T 510.3}[8]
§19
弟兄们哪，不要把你们的穷人的负担留给巴特尔克里克的信徒和机构，而要高尚地出来工作，尽你们的本分。要在你们的房子和你们的服装上有所舍己，并且在安全的地方为极其贫穷的人储蓄一些钱财。不要减少你们献给上帝的十分之一和感恩捐，而要增加。上帝不打算从天上下钱如雨来供养穷人，而是把祂的货财放在了代理们的手中。他们应该在基督的圣徒身上认出基督。而他们为祂受苦的儿女所的，就是为祂做的，因为祂与受苦的人利益与共。{4T 511.1}[9]
§20
Brethren, do not leave the burden of your poor upon the people and institutions at Battle Creek, but come up nobly to the work and do your duty. Deny yourselves of some things in your houses or in your dress, and lay by in some safe place a sum for the needy poor. Let not your tithes and thank offerings to God be less, but let this be in addition. God does not propose to rain means from heaven with which to sustain the poor, but He has placed His goods in the hands of agents. They are to recognize Christ in the person of His saints. And what they do for His suffering children they do for Him, for He identifies His interest with that of suffering humanity. {4T 511.1}[9]
§21
上帝要求年轻人在不必要的装饰和服装上舍己，即使这些东西花不了多少钱，也要省下来放在慈善箱里。祂还号召成年人在观赏金表或金链，或某件昂贵的家具时止步，并且扪心自问：花这么一大笔钱买我们没有它也行、或若买更便宜的也同样好用的东西合适吗？基督为你们的缘故成为了贫穷，你们若舍己和背起耶稣的十字架，就可在救济我们中间穷人的苦难上大有作为，就会得到祂的嘉许和祝福。{4T 511.2}[10]
§22
God calls upon the young to deny themselves of needless ornaments and articles of dress, even if they cost but a few dimes, and place the amount in the charity box. He also calls upon those of mature age to stop when they are examining a gold watch or chain, or some expensive article of furniture, and ask themselves the question: Would it be right to expend so large an amount for that which we could do without or when a cheaper article would serve our purpose just as well? By denying yourselves and lifting the cross for Jesus, who for your sakes became poor, you can do much toward relieving the suffering of the poor among us; and by thus imitating the example of your Lord and Master, you will receive His approval and blessing. {4T 511.2}[10]