第59章 适合儿童的读物
§1
第59章 适合儿童的读物
§2
Chap. 59—Suitable Reading for Children
§3
亲爱的E弟兄：我刚才读了《评论与通讯》，看到你的文章列出了给我们的青少年看的好书名单。我很惊讶地读到你推荐《汤姆叔叔的小屋》，《鲁宾逊漂流记》等类书籍。你有在写作时粗心的危险。最好慎重考虑并仔细研究凡要名垂千古的印刷品。我确实惊恐地看到在为我们的青少年选择并推荐读物的事上，你属灵的眼力没有更清楚。我知道，在我们的报刊上推荐象《汤姆叔叔的小屋》这类使人着迷的书籍，会使许多人认为阅读其它完全虚构的书籍是正当的。……这种推荐会使那些正在努力劝说青少年放弃虚构读物之人的工作变得繁重费力。我已多次见到阅读你所推荐的这类书籍的害处，并已准备好了一篇文章，在这个问题上警告我们的青少年。{5T516.1}[1]
§4
Dear Brother E,I have just read the?Review and Herald?and have seen your article giving a list of good books for our youth. I was much surprised to read your recommendation of?Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Robinson Crusoe, and such books. You are in danger of becoming somewhat careless in your writing. It would be well to give thought and careful study to whatever is to be immortalized in print. I am really alarmed to see that your spiritual eyesight is not more clear in the matter of selecting and recommending reading for our youth. I know that the recommendation in our papers of such infatuating books as?Uncle Tom’s Cabin?will in many minds justify the reading of other books which are nothing but fiction.... This recommendation will make taxing work for those who are laboring to persuade the youth to discard fictitious reading. I have repeatedly seen the evil of reading such books as you recommend, and have an article all prepared, cautioning our youth in this very matter.?{5T 516.1}[1]
§5
我的弟兄啊，务必不可引人离开查考圣经。我已蒙启示，我们的弟兄买卖在主日学普遍流通的那类故事书，对我们的信徒，尤其对我们儿童来说乃是一个网罗，使他们花钱去买那类使人的想象力发烧并使他们不适于人生实际义务的读物。你可能自信你的推荐会被人遵照执行。青少年不需要这种认可或自由，因为他们的品味和爱好全都在这个方向。但我希望不要再有这种推荐出现了。你很可能在离开耶稣和祂的教训而不自知。{5T516.2}[2]
§6
Be sure, my brother, not to lead away from the searching of the Scriptures. It has been revealed to me that the purchase and sale by our brethren of storybooks such as are commonly circulated in Sunday schools is a snare to our people, especially to our children. It leads them to expend money for that class of reading which fevers the imagination and unfits them for the real duties of practical life. You may be?assured that this recommendation of yours will be acted upon. The youth need no such sanction or liberty, for their taste and inclination are all in this direction. But I hope no more such recommendations will appear. You must be getting away from Jesus and His teachings and do not realize it.?{5T 516.2}[2]
§7
向我们的青少年介绍报纸小说和故事书，迷醉他们的感官从而消灭他们对上帝之道的爱好，这乃是撒但的工作。我亲爱的弟兄，不要把你想起的每件事都发表到《评论与通讯》上，而要谨慎你所写的。若是基督的灵感动你写，就用你的笔写下来，感觉到对灵魂的负担，在廊子和祭坛中间哭泣，呼求说：“耶和华啊，求祢顾惜祢的百姓，不要使祢的产业受羞辱”（珥2:17）。但若只是你自己的感觉和活跃的心思促使你写作，那就抑制不写，直到主的灵催促感动你。不要以为因为你采取了某种行径做了某些事就证明它们是对的，也不要以为你得把它们介绍给别人作规则或指导。关于我们青少年福利的这种事，你最好不要觉得有自由发表你的见解，推荐并不倾向于属灵或虔诚的书籍。你若认为这种读物会发展坚定、无污点的原则，你就错了。愿主帮助你慎重而谦卑地行事，不要在报纸上发表会误导人的话；因为这些话会被认为是经我们的人认可的。你在给别人加负担，去抵消这些观点的影响。{5T517.1}[3]
§8
It is Satan’s work to present to our youth newspaper stories and storybooks that fascinate the senses and thus destroy their relish for the word of God. Do not, my dear brother, throw everything that comes into your mind into the?Review and Herald, but write guardedly. If the Spirit of Christ moves you to write, then use your pen, feeling the burden of souls, weeping between the porch and the altar, crying: “Spare Thy people, O Lord, and give not Thine heritage to reproach.” But if it is only your own feelings and active mind that prompt you to write, then refrain until the Lord’s Spirit presses and moves you. Do not think that because you pursue a certain course and do certain things it is an evidence that they are right and that you must present them to others as a rule or guide. It is not best for you to feel at liberty to speak your mind upon such matters as concern the welfare of our youth, recommending books which do not tend to spirituality or piety. If you fancy that such reading will develop firm, unspotted principle you are mistaken. May the Lord help you to move cautiously and humbly, and not throw out misleading statements in the papers; for they will be considered as having been sanctioned by our people. You are putting a burden upon others to counteract the influence of these sentiments.?{5T 517.1}[3]
§9
我的弟兄啊，你的安全在于谦卑地与上帝同行。当我阅读你的许多文章，给其他传道人的建议和规则时，我战兢了。在这方面你讲那么多是不适当的。你若变得自足自信，主必任你犯某种错误。你需要谨慎保守你自己的心，并在上帝的事上每日寻求活泼的经验。你应该使自我保持不见，并让耶稣彰显出来。基督乃是你的力量，你的盾牌；你是软弱犯错的人，需要非常谨慎，免得跌倒。我恳劝你警惕，不要在言行上损害上帝的圣工。{5T517.2}[4]
§10
My brother, your safety is in walking humbly with God. I tremble when I read your many articles, giving counsel and rules for other ministers. It is hardly proper for you to have so much to say in this direction. If you become self-sufficient and self-confident, the Lord will certainly leave you to make some mistake. You need carefully to guard your own soul?and to seek a daily, living experience in the things of God. You should keep self out of sight and let Jesus appear. Christ is your strength, your shield; you are a weak, erring man and need to be very cautious, lest you stumble. I entreat you to be on your guard that you do not in word or in deed mar the sacred work of God.{5T 517.2}[4]
§11
我很为你感恩，因为你能在这项大工中起作用。耶稣爱你，祂愿与你的努力合作，只要你与上帝有活泼的联络。但你必须过一种警醒祷告的生活。不要变得粗心大意。不要与耶稣分离，而要把祂带入你每日的生活中。不要藉着轻率的接纳和商议安排你自己和他人的工作；而要知道，除非基督被接到你心里，除非你的眼目专注于上帝的荣耀，骄傲就必进入你的心，自尊必得胜，你就会在意识到之前作出大意的行动。“也要为自己的脚，把道路修直了，使瘸子不至差路，反得痊愈”（来12:13）。{5T518.1}[5]
§12
I have felt so thankful for you that you could act a part in this great work. Jesus loves you, and He will work with your efforts if you have a living connection with God. But you must live a life of watchfulness and prayer. Do not become careless. Do not separate from Jesus, but bring Him into your everyday life. Do not make work for yourself and others by careless admissions and counsels; but know that unless Christ is taken into your heart, unless your eye is single to the glory of God, pride will come into your heart, self-esteem will prevail, and you will, ere you are aware, be walking carelessly. “Make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way.”?{5T 518.1}[5]
§13
我们有许多青少年已蒙上帝赋予上好的能力。祂已赐给他们最佳的才干；但他们的能力却衰弱了，他们的心智也困惑软弱了，多年来他们在恩典和认识我们信仰的缘由上没有长进，因为他们满足于对故事类读物的品味。他们难以控制对这种肤浅读物的欲望，就象酒鬼难以控制对醉人酒类的欲望一样。这些人现今原可从事我们出版社的工作，并成为有效的工人，记账，准备印刷副本，或阅读校样；但他们的才干已被败坏，直到他们的心智变得消化不良了，结果就不适合在任何地方负责工作了。想象力被败坏了。他们过着一种不真实的生活。他们不适合人生实际的义务；而且最可悲最令人气馁的是，他们对可靠的读物全无兴趣了。他们的心已变得迷醉于《汤姆叔叔的小屋》中含有的那种极其令人兴奋的故事，以此为食。该书在当时的确对那些需要觉醒自己关于奴隶制的错误观念的人有益；但我们正站在永恒世界的边界，在那里并不需要这种故事为永生作预备。{5T518.2}[6]
§14
There are many of our youth whom God has endowed with superior capabilities. He has given them the very best of talents; but their powers have been enervated, their minds confused and enfeebled, and for years they have made no growth in grace and in a knowledge of the reasons of our faith, because they have gratified a taste for story reading. They have as much difficulty to control the appetite for such superficial reading as the drunkard has to control his appetite for intoxicating drink. These might today be connected with our publishing houses and be efficient workers to keep books, prepare copy for the press, or to read proof; but their talents have been perverted until they are mental dyspeptics, and consequently are unfitted for a responsible position anywhere. The imagination is diseased. They live an unreal life. They are unfitted for the practical duties of life; and that which is the most sad and discouraging is that they have lost all?relish for solid reading. They have become infatuated and charmed with just such food for the mind as the intensely exciting stories contained in?Uncle Tom’s Cabin. That book did good in its day to those who needed an awakening in regard to their false ideas of slavery; but we are standing upon the very borders of the eternal world, where such stories are not needed in the preparation for eternal life.?{5T 518.2}[6]
§15
对我们任何一个人来说，唯一的安全乃是彻底悔改，并且熟悉那在上帝的话中启示的真理，好使我们可以温柔、敬畏的心回答各人所问我们心中盼望的缘由。{5T519.1}[7]
§16
The only safety for any of us is to be thoroughly converted and to be conversant with the truth as it is revealed in the word of God, that we may be able to give to every man that asks us, a reason of the hope that is in us, with meekness and fear.?{5T 519.1}[7]
§17
我们队伍中的传道人和工人们此时的特别努力，应该是使青少年的注意力从一切令人兴奋的小说转移到先知更确的预言上。每个为永生奋斗之人的注意力，都应集中于圣经。{5T519.2}[8]
§18
The special effort of ministers and of workers all through our ranks for this time should be to turn away the attention of the youth from all exciting stories to the sure word of prophecy. The attention of every soul striving for eternal life should center upon the Bible.?{5T 519.2}[8]
§19
考虑到关于阅读令人兴奋的小说我曾写过的一切，再看到你所写的推荐人阅读《鲁宾逊漂流记》，《汤姆叔叔的小屋》，和《伊索寓言》，对我来说似乎极其奇怪。我的弟兄啊，你写那篇文章是犯了一个错误。若是这些书在你要销售的那些书中，我请求你决不要再把它们提供给我们的青少年了。你的职责是唤起他们注意圣经；不要藉着向他们提供有魅力的故事书成为他们的试探者，那会使他们的心转离圣经的学习。我们自己必须就饮于生命水，否则我们就会不断为自己凿出破裂不能存水的池子。{5T519.3}[9]
§20
It seems wonderfully strange to me, considering all I have written in regard to the reading of exciting stories, to see a recommendation from your pen to read?Robinson Crusoe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and Aesop’s Fables. My brother, you made a mistake in writing that article. If these books are among those which you have for sale, I beg of you never to offer them again to our youth. It is your duty to call their attention to the Bible; do not become their tempter by offering to them attractive storybooks, which will divert their minds from the study of the Scriptures. We must ourselves be drinking of the water of life, else we will be constantly hewing out for ourselves broken cisterns which can hold no water.?{5T 519.3}[9]
§21
撒但有一千种方法和计划悄悄混进青少年不安定的心里；除非人心坚定而完全地持住上帝，并本着良心保守自己的心从事对圣经的查考，变得在我们的信仰上有根基，他们就必被诱捕。我们不可片刻放松警惕。我们不可容许自己按冲动行事。我们必须看守自己的心和儿女的心，好使他们不被撒但的种种试探所引诱。{5T519.4}[10]
§22
There are a thousand ways and plans that Satan has of creeping in to unsettle the minds of youth; and unless the soul is firmly and fully stayed upon God, and conscientiously guarded upon the very point of keeping the mind employed?in searching the Scriptures and becoming grounded in our faith, they will surely be ensnared. We cannot be off guard for a moment. We cannot allow ourselves to move from impulse. We must set a guard about our minds and the minds of our children, that they may not be allured by Satan’s temptations.?{5T 519.4}[10]
§23
我们正处在赎罪的大日。我们应该经常研究现在基督在天上圣所为上帝的子民所从事的神圣工作。我们应该教导儿女预表性的赎罪日表示什么意思，以及它乃是在上帝面前极其谦卑并认罪的特别时辰。赎罪日的原型也具有同样的性质。每一个藉着言传身教教导真理的人，都要使号角吹出定音。你需要不断培养灵性，因为你生来并不具有属天的心意。摆在我们前面的大工要带领人们远离世界的风俗和习惯，在灵性、虔诚上高而又高，认真为上帝作工。你的工作是传讲第三位天使的信息，向世界发出最后的警告。愿主祝福你，给你属灵的眼光。我既看到你的危险，就本着爱心写了这个给你。请怀着祷告的心仔细思考这些事。{5T520.1}[11]
§24
We are in the great day of atonement, and the sacred work of Christ for the people of God that is going on at the present time in the heavenly sanctuary should be our constant study. We should teach our children what the typical Day of Atonement signified and that it was a special season of great humiliation and confession of sins before God. The antitypical day of atonement is to be of the same character. Everyone who teaches the truth by precept and example will give the trumpet a certain sound. You need ever to cultivate spirituality, because it is not natural for you to be heavenly-minded. The great work is before us of leading the people away from worldly customs and practices, up higher and higher, to spirituality, piety, and earnest work for God. It is your work to proclaim the message of the third angel, to sound the last note of warning to the world. May the Lord bless you with spiritual eyesight. I write this in love, seeing your danger. Please consider these things carefully and prayerfully.?{5T 520.1}[11]