《教会证言》卷五由《证言》第31、32和33辑组成，跨越的时间不到十年。第31辑于1882年发表，但包括了1881年及其后的信息。第32辑于1885年发表。第33辑发表于1889年。同年，这三辑《证言》被合编为《教会证言》卷五。3.1
这是一个很有意思的时代。基督复临安息日会正处在迅速发展的阶段。1882年在北美创建了两所新的高等学校。一所在马萨诸塞州的兰开斯特，另一所在加利福尼亚州的赫尔兹堡。这样，教育工作就从本会在巴特尔克里克的中心，向地极扩展。十年以前，我们的第一所学校在巴特尔克里克开办。两年以后，新教学楼落成。十年以来，这项新的重要工作遇到了许多问题。有时问题还相当严重，因此主多次通过预言之灵，为这项工作发出了特别的指示，引导和保护这项工作。这些信息所涉及的问题，从纪律到课程，构成了本卷的一部分。3.2
本卷《证言》所包括的九年，也是怀爱伦写作多产的时代。1882年重印了《经历与目睹》和《属灵的恩赐》第一卷。同年，这两本书被合编为《早期著作》。为了满足对《证言》的不断要求，头30编《证言》在1885年重印，合编为《教会证言》卷一至卷四，如我们今天所见的。1883年出版了《使徒行述》的前身《使徒保罗传》。在1884年，怀夫人完成了《属灵的恩赐》第四卷，即《善恶之争》，并立即出版。不久，这本书通过文字布道士进入千家万户。在短短的三年中，这本书印了十版。1888年，增订版的《善恶之争》也出版了，就是我们今天所看到的版本，代替了原先的简本。3.3
巴特尔克里克本会在巴特尔克里克的中心也有了稳步发展。出版社增添了新的设备。疗养院和学院的形势很好并继续发展壮大。这些发展把大批基督复临安息日信徒吸引到巴特尔克里克。本卷证言的前一部分指出了这么多复临信徒聚集在一个中心的害处，以及他们减少责任感和降低标准的不可避免的倾向。这些机构的发展也带来了危险，就是使工作变得机械化，失去了初期淳朴的精神。出版社尤其存在这个危险。本卷证言强调节约、勤劳和警醒，为领导和管理人员提供了工作的指导。4.1
这时，一方面要处理本会总部长期工作中的问题，另一方面在美国西北部靠太平洋的地区开发了新的园地，许多人接受了信息。随着新区的开发，发生了许多新的问题。怀爱伦曾两次亲自去西北部访问。关于第二次访问，她给在那里工作的人写了许多勉言，涉及圣工和当地传道人利益的重大实际问题。这些传道人在坚强和思想独立的人中间工作。那些人来到西部，在新开发的广大地区建立了自己的家园。他们充满着活力和勇气，有着坚毅的个性。很多人有坚强的信仰，接受了复临信息的呼唤。这些充满活力的拓荒者，需要上帝圣灵强大的能力，来陶冶基督徒的品格。他们需要防备贪财和属世野心的警告。4.2
作者对传道人员发出了诚恳的劝勉，指出他们的信息有被个性强烈的信徒歪曲的危险，并劝他们不要疏忽教会建筑的兴建，象有些地方的情况那样。她还警告不要忽视为上帝圣工捐献的保证。这些勉言和涉及新区工作许多问题的其他勉言，在本卷证言中占有重要的位置。5.1
基督复临安息日信徒的眼光正越来越多地转向世界的园地。在过去十年里，我们在欧洲开发了工作。1885年，赫士格长老和科利斯长老带着一批工人，被派往澳大利亚，到这个南半球的大陆开工。两年以后鲁滨逊长老和博伊德长老进入了非洲。同年，平信徒亚伯拉罕•拉路弟兄把信息传到了香港。1889年，文字布道士在南美开工。连怀爱伦也蒙召前往海外，与1885年出访欧洲，在那里旅行，劝勉，演讲和写作达两年半时间。1887年6月，她在挪威的莫斯出席了基督复临安息日会在美国之外举行的第一个帐棚大会。她在海外的工作取得了很大的成绩。5.2
在本卷证言所包括的时期中，少数几年前离开我们教会的不满分子给圣工带来了很大的阻力。他们的攻击主要集中在预言恩赐的人和她这些年建设和鼓励教会的著作。也是在这些年间，我们的一位主要传道人迷失的方向，不久就开始拆毁他以前所帮助建立的工作。本卷收录了怀爱伦劝他悬崖勒马的两封信函，一封在571页，另一封在621页。但挽救的努力没有成功。他反而猛烈抨击怀爱伦和预言的恩赐。当然这种攻击阻止不了基督复临安息日会的圣工，但显然分散了人的注意力，应予以阻止。5.3
怪不得有关预言恩赐的几篇重要文章是在这段时间写成的。其中有一篇成了1888年版《善恶之争》序言的基础。其他文章收录在本卷。在这段时期，怀爱伦收集了她所已经发表有关教会证言性质和作用的文字，编成一篇38页的文章，收录在本卷接近最后的部分。6.1
1888年秋天，在美国明尼苏达州的明尼阿波利斯召开了一次重要的总会大会。这次会议向与会者提出了有关因信称义伟大真理更深刻的见解。一些人未能对这个本应辉煌照耀的真理敞开心怀，导致怀爱伦带头鼓励人们殷勤研究圣经，打破他们认识真理的障碍。次年，即1889年的总会大会上，传道人和平信徒们都在交流会上报告说：“‘过去的一年’是‘他们生命中最重要的一年。’从上帝圣言中发出来的光是清晰明亮的，那就是因信称义，基督是我们的义。……发言的人普遍见证说，这个临到我们的亮光和真理的信息，正是我们时代的信息，无论传到哪里的教会，都会带来解脱和上帝的福气”（《怀爱伦文稿》 1889年第10号，引自《在属灵恩赐的果子》第234页）。上帝给祂的子民的信息，把失败的危险转变为光荣的胜利。6.2
在本卷的写作接近尾声时，美国出现了酝酿全国性星期日法案的危机。这使怀女士想起了在背道的基督教和罗马教联合起来进行逼迫时，教会所要面临的冲突和问题。本卷清楚地展示了那些明白这个问题的人处在可悲的昏睡之中，并呼吁他们行动起来。7.1
《教会证言》卷五涉及的话题要比九卷证言中的其他各卷多。这是最后一组包括给个人见证的证言。《教会证言》卷六要到十一年以后才出版。7.2
本卷证言对于今日的教会仍有很大的价值。因为其中及时的警告和劝勉是很切合实际的。本卷全部的严肃论述，都强调末日的临近，和需要为迫近的冲突作准备，呼吁传道人作更深地献身，告戒管理人员，劝勉医务人员，警告教师不可接受属世的原则，鼓励他们引导学生从事救灵的工作，敦促文字布道士树立更高的标准，教导父母处理好家庭生活和教育子女，谴责了实质上违背基本真理的“新光”，呼吁平信徒投身到复兴和改革中去。7.3
本卷证言的教训和警告，在基督复临安息日信徒拓展工作领域的时候，曾发挥鼓舞和警示的作用。这些证言在今天依然发挥同样的影响。7.4
——怀爱伦著作托管委员会
A little less than a decade is spanned by?Testimonies?Nos. 31 to 33, which comprise volume 5. The first was published in 1882, but includes messages given in 1881 and onward. No. 32 was published in 1885, and No. 33 came from the press in 1889. That same year the three were united in one book—volume 5.?{5T 3.1}[1]
This was an intensely interesting period in the rapidly developing work of Seventh-day Adventists. In North America two new advanced schools were started in the year 1882, one at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, and the other at Healdsburg, California. Thus, from our denominational center at Battle Creek, the educational work was beginning to reach out toward the ends of the earth. Ten years earlier our first school had been opened at Battle Creek, and two years later its new buildings had been dedicated. During these ten years many problems incident to the pioneering of this new and important line of endeavor were met. Sometimes the issues were large, and in not a few instances special counsel was given through the spirit of prophecy to guide and guard this work. These messages dealing with problems, from discipline to curriculum, form a part of this book.?{5T 3.2}[2]
The nine-year period of this volume was also a time of extensive writing and publishing on the part of Ellen White. In 1882 arrangements were made to reprint?A Sketch of the Christian Experience and Views of Ellen G. Whiteand?Spiritual Gifts Volume One. The same year these two books were united in one volume and entitled?Early Writings. To meet the constant demand for the?Testimonies, The first thirty numbers were reprinted in 1885 in four books—Volumes 1 to 4, as they appear today.?Sketches from the Life of Paul, The forerunner of?The Acts of the Apostles, was published in 1883. In 1884, Mrs. White completed her work on?Spirit of Prophecy Volume Four—The Great Controversy, and it was published?immediately. It soon found its way through colporteur channels to many thousands of homes, and ten editions were rolled from the presses in three short years of time. In 1888 the enlarged?Great Controversy, the book we know so well today, was published, taking the place of the earlier, briefer volume.?{5T 3.3}[3]
At the denominational headquarters in Battle Creek there was a steady growth. New equipment was added in the publishing house. The sanitarium and the college were greatly prospered and continued to grow. These developments brought large numbers of Seventh-day Adventists to that city. The hazards of so many Adventists gathering in one center, with the inevitable tendency to a feeling of less responsibility and toward lower standards, is pointed out in the early part of this volume. These institutional developments were also fraught with the danger that the work would become mechanical and lose its initial simplicity. Such dangers appeared especially in the publishing house. The testimonies of this volume stress economy, industry, alertness, and furnish managers and foremen with guiding instruction for their tasks.?{5T 4.1}[4]
At this same time, while problems of long-established work were being met at our headquarters, out in the Pacific Northwest new fields were being developed, and many were accepting the message. With the opening of these frontier regions, there were many new problems. Ellen White herself made two visits to the Northwest and in connection with the last trip wrote much counsel to those who were laboring there—counsel on practical subjects vital to the welfare of the work and the ministers who were working among the sturdy, independent-minded men and women who had pushed westward and established their homes in these vast, newly opened regions. These were men and women of energy, daring, rugged individuality; and many were persons of deep conviction who accepted the call of the Advent message. These vigorous pioneers needed the strong, molding influence of the Spirit of God in the development of Christian character. They needed?warnings against the love of money and worldly ambitions.?{5T 4.2}[5]
To the ministry were sent earnest counsels pointing out the danger that their messages might be shaped by the opinions of strong-minded church members. Counsel was given to guard against carelessness in the erection of church edifices, as seen in some instances. Warnings were also given against lightly regarding pledges of gifts to God’s cause. All these and other counsels dealing with many other problems connected with the work in these new territories occupy a prominent place in this volume.?{5T 5.1}[6]
The eyes of Seventh-day Adventists were being turned more and more to the world field. For a decade we had been carrying on work in Europe. Now, in 1885, Elders S.N. Haskell and J.O. Corliss, with a company of workers, were sent to Australia to open up work in that southern continent. Africa was entered two years later by Elders D.A. Robinson and C.L. Boyd, and the message was carried to Hong Kong that same year by a layman, Brother Abraham La Rue. Then, in 1889, colporteurs commenced their work in South America. Even Mrs. White was called overseas, leaving for Europe in 1885. There she spent two and a half years traveling, counseling, speaking, and writing. In June, 1887, at Moss, Norway, she attended the first Seventh-day Adventist camp meeting held outside the United States. Her ministry overseas was much appreciated.?{5T 5.2}[7]
There was also, during the time represented by volume 5, considerable opposition on the part of a small group of disaffected souls who years earlier had left our ranks. Their attacks were leveled primarily against the agent of the prophetic gift and her writings which have strengthened and built up the church through the years. Also during the decade of this volume, one of our leading evangelists lost his way and was soon actively engaged in tearing down a work he had formerly labored to establish. Two communications written by Ellen White to restrain this man from the plunge?he was about to take, are found in this book. One commences on page 571 and the other on page 621. The attempt to save him was fruitless, and he turned in bitter tirade on Mrs. White and the prophetic gift. While such attacks, of course, did not deter the work of Seventh-day Adventists, it is clear that they were recognized as distracting elements that should be counteracted.?{5T 5.3}[8]
It is not strange, then, that several vital articles touching on the prophetic gift were penned during this time. One of these forms the basis of the introduction to?The Great Controversy, 1888, edition. Others are found in this volume. It was at this time, too, that Mrs. White gathered from all the published?Testimonies?that which she had written on the nature and influence of the?Testimonies for the Church, and compiled them into a thirty-eight-page article found near the close of this volume.?{5T 6.1}[9]
In the fall of 1888 an important General Conference session was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota. At this meeting there came to those assembled a broader, fuller conception of the great truths of righteousness by faith. The failure of some to open their hearts to the light which was there caused to shine so brightly spurred Mrs. White to lead out in an encouragement to diligent Bible study and to break down the barriers to advancement in the perception of truth. At the General Conference session the next year, 1889, workers and laity alike reported in their social meetings that “the past year” had “been the best of their life; the light shining forth from the word of God has been clear and distinct—justification by faith, Christ our righteousness.... The universal testimony from those who have spoken has been that this message of light and truth which has come to our people is just the truth for this time and wherever they go among the churches, light and relief and the blessing of God are sure to come in.”—E.G. White?Manuscript 10, 1889, quoted in?The Fruitage of Spiritual Gifts, page 234. God’s message to his people?turned into a glorious victory the tide which threatened defeat.?{5T 6.2}[10]
As the writing of this volume was being brought to a close, a crisis threatened in the United States in the form of a proposed national sunday law. In this connection there was brought before Mrs. White the views of the impending conflict and the issues which the church must meet as apostate Protestantism unites with Catholicism to enforce oppressive measures. The pathetic lethargy of those who understood the issues was clearly portrayed, and there was a call to action.?{5T 7.1}[11]
In volume 5 there is a greater diversity of subjects than in any other of the nine volumes of the?Testimonies. This was the last of the group of?Testimony?volumes to contain “personal testimonies” addressed to various individuals. A period of eleven years was to elapse before the issuance of Volume 6 of?Testimony?writings.?{5T 7.2}[12]
This volume is of great value to the church today because of the practical nature of its timely warnings and counsels. Stressed all through it are solemn statements pointing out the nearness of the end and the preparation which is needed in the light of the impending conflict. Ministers are called to deeper consecration. Executives are admonished. Physicians are counseled. Teachers are warned against adopting worldly principles and are encouraged to guide their students into soul-winning services. Colporteur evangelists are urged to higher standards of qualification. Parents are given instruction regarding home life and child training. Those with so-called new light, but with a message contrary to the fundamentals of doctrine, are reproved. The rank and file of the people are called to a revival and reformation.?{5T 7.3}[13]
The instruction and warnings of this volume exerted a steadying, sobering influence upon Seventh-day Adventists as they were launching out into greater lines of endeavor. They exert the same influence today.?{5T 7.4}[14]
The Trustees of the Ellen G. White Publications.[15]
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