致区会职员和学校负责人
(1900年12月30日写于加利福尼亚州圣赫勒那)
区会职员和我们各学校的负责人：
我们每一个部门的工作都应当按照周到大方的思路计划。工作的每一部门都应当保护、造就和加强其它每一分支。要聘请具有各种才能和特性的人推进各部门的工作，各人都必须对自己的部门付出特别的努力;然而各人都有特权研究其所在整体的健康和福利并为此努力。{PH161 1.1}
我们因出版和销售《基督比喻实训》为我们的学校所成就的善工而感谢主。我们欢喜快乐，因为我们有这么多人献身于这项工作，而且他们的努力证明很成功。我们欢喜快乐，因为我们的区会和书报社的职员们已把自己的影响力和精力投入到这伟大的事业，而且传道人、查经员、书报员和教会肢体们无论老少都非常乐意付出特别的努力，快快地接济我们的学校。{PH161 1.2}
要让这项善工稳健、持久、大规模地推进，直到本会所有学校最后的债务都还清，并且筹集起一笔资金来，用于在重要的园地建立学校，那些园地极需教育工作。{PH161 1.3}
当传道人和查经员蒙召去从事其它工作时，我们各教会的成员要对他们说：“前去做指定给你们的工作吧，我们会继续工作，推销《基督比喻实训》，争取我们学校的自由。”任何人都不要认为这一工作既有1900年和1901年的特别努力就可停止不做了。这个园地永远不会枯竭，应当推销这本书，在未来的年月中帮助我们的学校。{PH161 1.4}
我们的出版社怎样向我们的学校显出极其慷慨大方，我们学校的管理者和教师们也要照样非常体贴出版社和书报社的利益。{PH161 2.1}
学校的人应该对专职的书报员说：“我们很高兴你们对这项工作感兴趣，也很高兴有你们的帮助，但救济我们的学校不是我们惟一感兴趣的工作，也不是这时候惟一的工作。我们所有关于现代真理的书籍，包括健康改良，都是人们所需要的。因此我们鼓励你们继续从事你们的常规工作。”无利经销《基督比喻实训》的书报社需要增加常规业务量来得到维持，在人工成本上已经花费自数万美元的出版社也需要大大增加常规业务量，以便承受因慷慨而有的压力。因此我们请求你们前所未有地将精力投入到常规工作中去。{PH161 2.2}
“对我们来说，我们会鼓励所有年龄和经验都合适的学生藉着销售我们的书来为学校作工，但我们也会像从前的年月一样殷勤地训练那些特别有资格从事文字布道工作的人，经销其它书籍以致学校能尽到本分，向正规的文字布道队伍供应新兵。”{PH161 2.3}
我们的区会职员和州书报代理应该通观工作的各方面及其所有方位。他们培养和指导《基督比喻实训》销售工作的方式应当使为学校的利益而做的工作稳步前进，同时使常规的文字布道力量不致被削弱，而是会加强。{PH161 2.4}
我们的出版社做了一件高尚的事，大大帮助减轻了我们学校的债务。我们难道不要计划打算替他们的利益着想，像他们如此慷慨地替学校着想吗?在我们一切的计划中，都要维持尊荣、公正和慷慨的原则。应当制定明智的计划去救济其他迫切需要帮助的机构。主不希望我们忽视祂为散布亮光而指定的机构的福利。{PH161 3.1}
那么，就让我们努力推进减轻学校债务的光荣大工而不叫我们的专职文字布道士离开他们所经手的宝贵书籍的销售工作吧。让我们鼓励还没有成功销书记录的学生们使自己适合在假期为学校从事可蒙悦纳的工作吧。让我们鼓励我们教会的肢体们与他们已有如此美好开端的工作一同高尚地前进吧。我们要对书报社和出版社说：“要有耐心，从那些这样获得经验之人的行列中，你们将有许多人加入书报员队伍。”那么就让我们殷勤作工以实现这个期望吧。{PH161 3.2}
甚愿我们看待这些事的方式能使我们大家都本着智慧和谐一致地行动!作计划的人从未打算让《基督比喻实训》的销售导致其它宝贵书籍的销售工作被忽视。我们决不要重演以往年月的错误，那时曾主张园地里一次只应销售一本书，结果主已指出特别重要应该来到百姓面前的书籍就在我们的出版社束之高阁了。让我们的州代理和他们的文字布道队伍不间断地继续从事他们的常规工作吧。{PH161 3.3}
要让销售《基督比喻实训》的人本着信心祈求主帮助他们说出会对他们销书时遇见的人成为一个福气的话。要小心地利用机会撒播真理的种子。不要介绍教义问题，也不要参与辩论，而要说到基督徒的信心和盼望。这样你们就会与你们后来可以手拿圣经去探望的人熟悉起来，可以将上帝赐给你们的亮光反照在他们身上。你们会得着机会去安慰沮丧灰心的人，扶起被压下的人。{PH161 4.1}
所有的书报工作都应该被认为是福音传道工作。主必赐祂的恩典给凡愿意本着谦卑设法从事这工作的人，也必为将真理的种子撒进好土里开路。我们没有时间可以浪费，没有时辰或时刻可以花在自私的娱乐上。我们作为与上帝同工的人，应当以全部的兴趣和真诚的活力努力将人从火中抢出来，连那被情欲沾染的衣服也当厌恶(犹23)。我在异象中看到许多救人宝贵机会被忽视和错失了。让我们现在看到我们能为我们的救主拯救多少灵魂吧。“智慧人必发光如同天上的光;那使多人归义的，必发光如星，直到永永远远”(但12:3)。(签名)怀爱伦。{PH161 4.2}
PH161 - To Conference Officers and Managers of Our Schools
(St. Helena, Cal.,December 30, 1900)
To Conference Officers and Managers of Our Schools.Every department of our work should be planned on considerate, generous lines. Every branch of the work should protect, build up, and strengthen every other branch. Men of varied abilities and characteristics are employed for carrying forward the various branches of the work, and each must give his own branch special effort; but it is the privilege of each to study and labor for the health and welfare of the whole body of which he is a member.?{PH161 1.1}[1]
We thank the Lord for the good work being done in behalf of our schools in the publication and sale of the book, “Christ’s Object Lessons.” We rejoice that so large a number of our people have given themselves to the work, and that their efforts are proving so successful. We rejoice that our conference and tract society officers have given their influence and energy to this grand enterprise, and that ministers, Bible workers, colporteurs, and church members, old and young, have all engaged so heartily in the special effort to speedily relieve our schools.?{PH161 1.2}[2]
Let this good work go forward steadily, perseveringly, grandly, till the last debt is removed from all our schools, and a fund is created for the establishment of schools in important fields, where there is great need of educational work.?{PH161 1.3}[3]
As ministers and Bible workers are called to other labors, let the members of our churches say to them, “Go forward with your appointed work, and we will continue to labor for the circulation of “Object Lessons,” and for the freedom of our schools.” Let no one feel that this work should stop with the special effort of 1900 and 1901.?The field is never exhausted, and this book should be sold for the help of our schools for years to come.?{PH161 1.4}[4]
As our publishing houses have shown themselves exceedingly large-hearted and liberal toward our schools, so let our school managers and teachers be very considerate of the interest of the publishing houses and the tract societies.?{PH161 2.1}[5]
The school men should say to the regular canvassers, “We are glad of your interest in this work, and should be glad of your assistance; but the relief of the schools is not the only work in which we are interested. It is not the only work for this time. All our books on present truth, including health reform, are needed by the people. Therefore we urge you to go forward with your regular work. The tract societies that are handling “Christ’s Object Lessons” without profit need an increased volume of regular business for their support, and the publishing houses that have given so many thousands of dollars in labor, need a greatly increased volume of regular business, that they may sustain the strain brought upon them by their liberality. We beg of you, therefore, to throw your energies into the regular work as never before.?{PH161 2.2}[6]
“On our part we will encourage all our students of sufficient age and experience to work for the schools by selling our book, but we will also work as diligently as in former years to train those specially qualified for the canvassing work, to handle other books, so that the schools may do their part in furnishing recruits to the force of regular canvassers.”?{PH161 2.3}[7]
Our conference officers and State canvassing agents should take comprehensive views of the work in all its phases and all its bearings. They should so foster and guide this work of selling?“Christ’s Object Lessons,” that the regular canvassing force shall not be weakened, but that it shall be strengthened, while the work in behalf of the schools is going steadily forward.?{PH161 2.4}[8]
Our publishing houses have done a noble thing in giving so largely to help in lifting the debts from our schools. Shall we not plan to be considerate of their interests, as they have been so generously considerate of the schools? In all our planning, the principles of honor, justice, and generosity are to be maintained. Judicious plans should be laid to relieve other institutions that are in pressing need of help. The Lord would not have us lose sight of the welfare of any of his appointed instrumentalities for the diffusion of light.?{PH161 3.1}[9]
Let us endeavor, then, to carry forward the grand and glorious work of lifting the indebtedness from the schools, without calling our regular canvassers away from the sale of the precious books they are handling. Let us encourage students who have not made a record as successful canvassers to fit themselves to do acceptable work for the schools during vacations. Let us encourage our church members to go forward nobly with the work they have so well begun. Let us say to the tract societies and publishers, Be patient. And from the ranks of those thus gaining an experience you will have many to enter the general canvassing force. Let us then work diligently to fulfill this expectation.?{PH161 3.2}[10]
O that we might view these matters in such a way that all would move in wisdom and in harmony! It was never intended by the framers of the plans that the sale of “Object Lessons” should lead to the neglect of other precious books. We must never repeat the mistakes of past years, when the plea was made that only one?book at a time should have the field, and as a result, books that have been signified as specially important to come before the people were left idle on the shelves of our publishing houses. Let our State agents with their canvassing forces keep right on with their regular work uninterrupted.?{PH161 3.3}[11]
Let those who handle “Christ’s Object Lessons” pray in faith that the Lord will help them to speak words which will be a blessing to those whom they meet while presenting the book for sale. Carefully improve the opportunities to sow the seeds of truth. Do not introduce doctrinal subjects, nor engage in controversy, but speak of the Christian’s faith and hope. Thus you will become acquainted with persons whom you may afterward visit, with the Bible in hand, and upon whom you may reflect the light which God has given to you. You will find opportunities to comfort the depressed and discouraged, and to lift up those that are bowed down.?{PH161 4.1}[12]
All the work of canvassing should be considered as evangelistic work. The Lord will give his grace to all who will seek for it in humility, and he will open ways for the dropping of seeds of truth into good soil. We have no time to lose, no hours or moments to devote to selfish pleasure. We, as workers together with God, are to labor with all interest and earnest energy to pull souls out of the fire, hating even the garment spotted with flesh. There have been presented before me the very many precious opportunities to save souls, which have been unheeded and lost. Let us now see how many souls we can save for our Saviour. “They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.”?{PH161 4.2}[13]
---(Signed) E. G. White[14]
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