第35章 致加利福尼亚南部的工人
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第35章 致加利福尼亚南部的工人
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Chap. 35—To the Workers in Southern California
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（最初发表在《特别证言》系列二第十号《耶和华我们的君王》中）。
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今天早上我不能安睡，心里很为加利福尼亚州南部的情况担忧，上帝已将工作分配给每一个人，但有人却不虔诚地以其个人的责任为念。{9T277.1}[1]
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[Published first in?Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 10,?Jehovah is Our King.]
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This morning I cannot rest. My mind is troubled over the situation in Southern California. God has given to every man his work, but there are some who are not prayerfully considering their individual responsibility.?{9T 277.1}[1]
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一位工人虽被选举担任某种职分，但那职分本身并不足以使他具有前所未有的才能。高位并不能给予品格以基督化的美德。人若自以为他个人的智力足以筹划设计各部分的事工，这就适足显示其愚不可及了。因为在地广人众，工作部门繁复的区会中，其责任的繁重，是决非任何一人的心力所能独自负担的。{9T277.2}[2]
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When a worker is selected for an office, that office of itself does not bring to him power of capability that he did not have before. A high position does not give to the character Christian virtues. The man who supposes that his individual mind is capable of planning and devising for all branches of the work reveals a great lack of wisdom. No one human mind is capable of carrying the many and varied responsibilities of a conference embracing thousands of people and many branches of work.?{9T 277.2}[2]
§9
然而还有一种较此更大的危险显示于我，那就是在本会工人的心目中，已发生着一种观念，以为我们的传道人和其他职工，应听命于某几位为首职工的心意来划定他们的责任。一个人的思想和意见，决不应认为是足以管理并主持全区会的。个人与会众各有其当尽的责任。上帝已将某种或多种才能赐给每一个人去利用并增进。人若运用这些才能，就可增加他服务的能力。上帝也赐给每个人判断力，并且要祂的工人使用及增进这种恩赐。一个区会的会长决不可认为他个人的见解应驾乎众人的见解之上。{9T277.3}[3]
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But a greater danger than this has been revealed to me in the feeling that has been growing among our workers that ministers and other laborers in the cause should depend upon the mind of certain leading workers to define their duties. One man’s mind and judgment are not to be considered capable of controlling and molding a conference. The individual and the church have responsibilities of their own. God has given to every man some talent or talents to use and improve. In using these talents he increases his capability to serve. God has given to each individual judgment, and this gift He wants His workers to use and improve. The president of a conference must not consider that his individual judgment is to control the judgment of all.?{9T 277.3}[3]
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在任何区会中，所有提案若未经弟兄们对问题的各方面周详考虑，决不可草草通过。有时因为某些计划是会长提的，大家就认为可以不需要求教于主；因此有些对于信徒灵性无益的提案，也竟然通过了。其后果与当初所臆测的大相悬殊。这种举动不是上帝所定规的。有许许多多的提案经众人赞成表决之后，所发生的影响远出乎原先的意料之外；要是那些赞成的人在付表决之前，多用功夫从各方面考虑这问题，他们就决不会愿意赞成了。{9T278.1}[4]
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In no conference should propositions be rushed through without time being taken by the brethren to weigh carefully all sides of the question. Because the president of a conference suggested certain plans, it has sometimes been considered unnecessary to consult the Lord about them. Thus propositions have been accepted that were not for the spiritual benefit of the believers and that involved far more than was apparent at the first casual consideration. Such movements are not in the order of God. Many, very many matters have been taken up and carried by vote, that have involved far more than was anticipated and far more than those who voted would have been willing to assent to had they taken time to consider the question from all sides.?{9T 278.1}[4]
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在现今的时代中，我们对于上帝的工作，决不容有轻忽或怠慢的态度。如果我们要想对那将要临到的事有所准备，就必须天天急切地寻求主。我们必须扫除心中一切优越感；而在心灵中栽培真理活泼的原则。不论是青年，老年，和中年的人，现今都应实行基督品格上的美德；天天求灵性上的发展，以致可以在主的服务上作贵重的器皿。{9T278.2}[5]
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We cannot at this time afford to be careless or negligent in the work of God. We must seek the Lord earnestly every day if we would be prepared for the experiences that come to us. Our hearts are to be cleansed from every feeling of superiority, and the living principles of the truth are to be planted in the soul. Young and aged and middle-aged should now be practicing the virtues of Christ’s character. They should daily be making spiritual development, that they may become vessels unto honor in the Master’s service.?{9T 278.2}[5]
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“耶稣在一个地方祷告，祷告完了，有个门徒对祂说：求主教导我们祷告，象约翰教导他的门徒”（路11:1）。基督在答应门徒这一请求而教导他们的祷告中，并不用夸张动听的言辞，只是用很简单的话语，说出心灵中的需要，话虽简短，却直接关系日常的需要。{9T278.3}[6]
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“And it came to pass, that, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said unto Him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”?Luke 11:1. The prayer that Christ gave to His disciples in answer to this request is not made in high-flown language, but expresses in simple words the necessities of the soul. It is short and deals directly with the daily needs.?{9T 278.3}[6]
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每一个人都有向主陈述自身的特别需求，并对日常所受福惠表示感激的特权。然而将许多冗长无味，聊无生气的精神，缺乏信心的祷告献给上帝，非但不足以使祂喜欢，反而成了重累。唉！我们真是十分需要清洁悔过的心，也需要加强我们的信心。救主应许说：“你们祈求，就给你们；寻找，就寻见；叩门，就给你们开门”（太7:7）。我们需要训练自己信靠主的这句话，并使我们一切的工作都蒙主的恩眷和光照。我们要持定基督，并且持定不放，直到我们确知那改造之恩的能力已在我们身上表现出来。我们若要反映神圣的品格，就非信靠基督不可。{9T278.4}[7]
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Every soul has the privilege of stating to the Lord his?own special necessities and to offer his individual thanksgiving for the blessings that he daily receives. But the many long and spiritless, faithless prayers that are offered to God, instead of being a joy to Him, are a burden. We need, oh, so much! clean, converted hearts. We need to have our faith strengthened. “Ask, and it shall be given you,” the Saviour promised; “seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”?Matthew 7:7. We need to educate ourselves to trust in this word and to bring the light and grace of Christ into all our works. We need to take hold of Christ and to retain our hold of Him until we know that the power of His transforming grace is manifested in us. We must have faith in Christ if we would reflect the divine character.?{9T 278.4}[7]
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基督以神性而披上人性，度了克己与祈祷的生活，天天与试探奋斗，以便扶助今日为试探所侵的人。祂是我们的效率与力量。祂希望人类因领受祂的恩典，得与上帝的性情有份，而脱离世上从情欲来的败坏。人若忠心查考新旧两约所载上帝的话，并使之化入其生命中，就必从而得到属灵的智慧与生命。应当将这话郑重地藏在胸中。相信上帝的话和基督改革人生的力量，就足以使相信的人作祂的工，并在主里面做快乐的人。{9T279.1}[8]
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Christ clothed His divinity with humanity and lived a life of prayer and self-denial, and of daily battle with temptation, that He might help those who today are assailed by temptation. He is our efficiency and power. He desires that, through the appropriation of His grace, humanity shall become partakers of the divine nature and thus escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. The word of God in the Old and New Testaments, if faithfully studied and received into the life, will give spiritual wisdom and life. This word is to be sacredly cherished. Faith in the word of God and in the power of Christ to transform the life will enable the believer to work His works and to live a life of rejoicing in the Lord.?{9T 279.1}[8]
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我屡蒙指示，要向我们的人说：你们要信靠上帝；不可依靠任何有错的人来划定你们的责任。你们有权力可以说：“我要将祢的名传与我的弟兄，在会中我要赞美祢。你们敬畏耶和华的人要赞美祂！雅各的后裔都要荣耀祂！以色列的后裔，都要惧怕祂。因为祂没有藐视憎恶受苦的人，也没有向他掩面；那受苦之人呼吁的时候，祂就垂听。我在大会中赞美祢的话是从祢而来的；我要在敬畏耶和华的人面前还我的愿。谦卑的人必吃得饱足；寻求耶和华的人必赞美祂，愿你们的心永远活着”（诗22:22-26）。{9T279.2}[9]
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Again and again I have been instructed to say to our people: Let your faith and trust be in God. Do not depend on any erring man to define your duty. It is your privilege to say: “I will declare Thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise Thee.?Ye that fear the Lord, praise Him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify Him; and fear Him, all ye the seed of Israel. For He hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath He hid His face from him; but when he cried unto Him, He heard. My praise shall be of Thee: ... I will pay my vows before them that fear Him. The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek Him: your heart shall live forever.”?Psalm 22:22-26.?{9T 279.2}[9]
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这几节经文是十分中肯的。教会每一个肢体都应当明了只该向上帝去寻求明白自己的责任。弟兄彼此商议固是应当的；然而每当人规定弟兄应做什么的时候，惟愿他们答复说，他们业已拣选主为他们的顾问。凡愿虚心寻求主的人，就必知道祂的恩典是够用的。可是一个人若容别人来站在他和上帝所指示他的本分之间，信赖这人，以之为向导，他就离弃了真正的立场，而落到一个虚假危险的地步了。这样的人非但不能生长发育，反将丧失他的灵性。{9T280.1}[10]
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These scriptures are right to the point. Every church member should understand that God is the one to whom to look for an understanding of individual duty. It is right that brethren counsel together; but when men arrange just what their brethren shall do, let them answer that they have chosen the Lord as their counselor. Those who will humbly seek Him will find His grace sufficient. But when one man allows another to step in between him and the duty that God has pointed out to him, giving to man his confidence and accepting him as guide, then he steps from the true platform to a false and dangerous one. Such a man, instead of growing and developing, will lose his spirituality.?{9T 280.1}[10]
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无论何人都没有补救品格上缺欠的能力。我们各人的希望和信靠，都必寄于那位超人之主。我们永远要记得帮助是从那位大能者而来的。主已为每一个愿意接受的人预备了所需要的帮助。（1907年10月3日写于加利福尼亚州疗养院）{9T280.2}[11]
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There is no power in any man to remedy the defective character. Individually our hope and trust must be in One who is more than human. We need ever to remember that help has been laid on One who is mighty. The Lord has provided the needed help for every soul who will accept it.?{9T 280.2}[11]