致相关人员
1869年3月写于巴特尔克里克
亲爱的拉塞尔弟兄：我有许多话要对你说，但恐怕我没有力量写出来。去年六月我蒙指示看见你不像别人了解你一样了解你自己。你认为自己的能力比你所拥有的要强。你不是一个有聪明算计和良好判断力的人。你在这方面有缺陷。你认为自己有资格在更广阔的领域采取行动，做更大的生意。这是不对的。你是一个让你的想象力建造空中楼阁，却几乎完全忽视了现在的工作和责任的人。你非但没有开始从事你的工作，尽管它很卑微，并且觉得自己有责任认真而且忠心地做那工作，反而在想象中把目光转向其它某个更令人愉快的工作，你认为这将证明是一个更大的成功。{PH107 2.1}
主并没有将最大数量的银子托付给你，因为你没有能力善用它们。你一生都不满意，因为你没有处理更大数量的银子。你想过，要是你能有五千两可以利用，你就能做某件大事——你就能有所表现——能完成某种伟大的善工。主委托给了你少量的银子，当你表现出正确而且成功地管理这些银子时，祂就会增加你的责任。在主将更大的信任托付给你之前，你应当对较小的责任感到满足和快乐。你应当记住，最令上帝喜悦的不是大工程，而是我们在做祂所赐的工作时所具有的精神。我们若尽心尽意作工，凡事忠心，虽或工作微小，在上帝面前却会完全可蒙悦纳，且会有赏赐。{PH107 2.2}
我蒙指示看见你感到不快乐、不满意和不安，认为如果你能改变一下，就会有所改善;但是，你从一个地方搬到另一个地方所能做出的任何外在的改变，都不会使你的家更幸福。你带着你的烦恼。你不能逃避你自己，也不能逃避你的家人。{PH107 3.1}
我看到你不会因为自己的责任而让自己作为一名医生参与到一个机构中来，从而获得成功。你天生是个善良的人，但你缺乏管理业务的精力和智慧。{PH107 3.2}
1868年10月25日，纽约亚当斯中心，我蒙指示看见你的兴趣不在保健院。你的心思意念在别处。你在不断地做白日梦——看到前方的美好时光，憧憬着更美好的未来。在这样做的过程中，你不断地让自己参与其中，也在为自己最终会成功而沾沾自喜。所有这些预期都将被证明是沙漠中的海市蜃楼，除非你完全改变你的行动路线。你一直在计划和计算由自己负责来开办一个事业。你吸引了那些认识你却不了解你之人的兴趣。{PH107 3.3}
但是不能这样。我要本着敬畏上帝的心对我的弟兄姐妹们说，拉塞尔弟兄不是那个人。你们并不了解他。他无法使这样的事业取得成功。我不会让人们在健康改良上遭受另一次失望，就像他们已经遭遇的那样。如果有必要，我将公开警告他们，以便防止这种情况发生。所有的错误和狂热的运动最终都落在我身上。我收到了一些最尖刻的来信，指责我在他们朋友的死亡中起了重要作用。这些朋友走了极端，结果很糟糕，责备却落在我身上。拉塞尔弟兄，我希望你确实有自知之明;然后你的心灵才会有更多的安息。你总觉得你一定在做一项伟大而重要的工作，其实你并没有能力去做这项伟大的工作。{PH107 4.1}
我蒙指示看到了你的婚姻。你犯了一个很大的错误。这是你的智慧和判断力的一个样本。如果你能看到上帝是如何看待你在这件事上所走的道路的，你就不会对你所能充任的大领域有如此崇高的看法。你有失去母亲的孩子，他们需要一个有理智、经验和良好家政的女子来管教他们。在选择你的妻子时，你是否明智地、谨慎地商量着行事了?不，确实没有。你随从自己的想像，选择了一个女孩——一个没有纪律，没有经验的女孩，让她作你们孩子的母亲。在这件事上，你证明自己缺乏判断力，缺乏推断因果的能力。{PH107 4.2}
你对你妻子的行为也表明，你要么没有理解我们存在的法则，要么无视生命和健康的法则，随从了自己的意愿。你在你年幼的妻子顶多成熟到三分之二的时候就和她有了孩子。你的训词在许多与健康有关的事上可能是好的;但是你的榜样既然如此违背生命律，你的训词就没有什么价值了。{PH107 5.1}
你看到你年幼的妻子在你的孩子中间是个孩子，她既没有尊严也没有自我控制，她太年轻了，根本无法承受一个家庭的负担、约束和操劳，你的孩子们能更好地照顾自己，甚至比你给他们当母亲的人更能照顾他们：然而，你虽知道这一切，却没有足够的力量控制你的身体，防止更大的罪恶。{PH107 5.2}
你随从情欲增加了你家的人口。你把孩子生到世上，尽管你知道他们得不到适当的照顾和训练。你亏待了你年幼的妻子，指望她在还没有经验或能力时去尽一个女人的本分。你认为自己有能力管理自己的事务。你认为你的判断是不成问题的。事实证明，你只能处理很小的才能，只做很小的工作。你藉着照料今天的责任会显出更大的智慧，尽管今天的工作可能很小，也要停止你的白日梦，别再建造空中楼阁。{PH107 5.3}
你有一个不幸的家庭。你的孩子们日子不好过。他们带着没有改正的习惯长大，那些习惯会摧毁他们的效用，若不改革，最终会使他们与上帝的面隔绝。谁对此负责呢?作父亲的要负责，他不了解自己，却认为自己有资格去管理。要是你的孩子们能有一位成年的母亲，她的年龄和你差不多，是一个有经验和自我控制的女人，你的孩子们在品格上就会与现在大不相同。{PH107 6.1}
鼓励他们接受洗礼和与教会联合的愿望几乎毫无用处;因为这只会使他们成为伪君子。家庭的影响会足以抵消教会可能产生的所有为善的影响。母亲更值得同情而不是责备;因为她知道自己没有资格在这些孩子面前扮演母亲的角色。她知道你认为她错了，你看到了她的错误，这让她很痛苦。你应该有耐心，但要在你的家庭中采取一种立场，尽你所能，去弥补你软弱的判断力所带来的邪恶。{PH107 6.2}
主对你的要求不会超过你所能做的。“按着各人的才干给他们银子：一个给了五千，一个给了二千，一个给了一千，就往外国去了”(太25:15)。不同的信托与我们的各种能力相称。每一个人都按照自己已知的做事能力分配了工作，并且期待相应的结果。{PH107 6.3}
受托银子的管家得到赏赐，不是因为他作了很伟大的工作，而因为他在不多的事上有忠心。上帝衡量人不是根据结果，而是根据动机。如果管家是忠心的，他就是成功的，而且必定得到最后的奖赏，不管他的使命有多小。{PH107 7.1}
我们准备好对我们的行为进行严肃的调查了吗?主会看着你的行为说：“好，你这又良善又忠心的仆人”吗?要忠实地做今天的工作。承担你道路上的负担。愉快地完成今天摆在你面前的任务。主必帮助你的努力。你太愿意左倾右倾了。要听从使徒的命令。“凡事都不可亏欠人”(罗13:8)。让这成为你未来生活中的重点。{PH107 7.2}
你最好过得很谦卑，并且保持良心清白。凡事都不可亏欠人，你就不会有这么多的困惑了。要量入为出。避债如避大恶。对你来说，陷入债务、为未来的成功而沾沾自喜要比实现自己的期望、解放自己容易得多。你不善理财，不善管理。你不应该依靠自己的判断。你应该与那些已使人生成功的人商量，并以他们的忠告为指导。你如果愿意这么做，就会免去许多大考验，你的道路也会更令上帝喜悦。{PH107 7.3}
怀爱伦
*****
我们很高兴地声明，H.C.米勒弟兄完全接受了最近关于他的证言，并且摆脱了那些设法使他反对证言之人的影响。米勒弟兄已在最近在巴特尔克里克教会举行的聚会上作了很好的见证。{PH107 7.4}
怀雅各，怀爱伦
PH107 - To Whom it May Concern
(Battle Creek,March, 1869.)
Dear Bro. Russell: I have many things to say to you, but fear that I have not strength to write them. I was shown last June that you did not understand yourself as well as others understand you. You give yourself credit for greater ability than you possess. You are not a man of wise calculation and good judgment. You are deficient in this respect. You think yourself qualified to act in a broader sphere, to do a larger business. This is not correct. You are a man who will let your imagination build air-castles, but overlook almost entirely present work and present duty. Instead of taking up your work, humble though it be, and feeling that it is your duty to do that work with earnestness and faithfulness, you are looking away in imagination to some other work more agreeable, which you think will prove a greater success.?{PH107 2.1}[1]
The Master has not committed to you the largest number of talents, because you have not the ability to improve them. You have been dissatisfied all your life, because you did not have the handling of a greater number of talents. You have thought that if you could have the five to improve upon, you could do some great thing—you could make?some show—could accomplish some great and good work. The Master has intrusted to you small talents, and when you show right and successful management of these, he will increase your responsibility. Until the Lord commits greater trusts to you, you should be content and happy with smaller responsibility. You should remember that it is not the large work which is the most pleasing to God; but the spirit which we possess in doing the work he gives. If we put our whole heart and soul into the work, and do everything with faithfulness, little though the work may be, it will be wholly acceptable in the sight of God, and will bring its reward.?{PH107 2.2}[2]
I was shown that you feel unhappy, dissatisfied, and restless, and think if you could make a change it would make an improvement; but any outward changes which you can make by moving from place to place, will not make your home more happy. You carry your troubles with you. You cannot run away from yourself, nor your family.?{PH107 3.1}[3]
I saw that you would not make engaging in an Institute as a physician upon your own responsibility, a success. You are naturally a kind-spirited man; but you lack energy and wisdom to manage business.?{PH107 3.2}[4]
At Adams Center, N. Y., October 25, 1868, I was shown that your interest was not in the Institute. Your heart and mind are elsewhere. You are day-dreaming continually—seeing a good time ahead, and living upon future better prospects. In thus doing, you keep yourself constantly involved, yet flattering yourself that you will finally succeed. All these anticipations will prove like a mirage in?the desert, unless you entirely change your course of operations. You have been planning and calculating to commence an enterprise upon your own responsibility. You were engaging the interest of those who are acquainted with you, yet do not know you.?{PH107 3.3}[5]
But this cannot be. I shall, in the fear of God, say to my brethren and sisters, Bro. Russell is not the man. You do not know him. He cannot make such an enterprise a success. I will not permit the people to meet with another disappointment in the health reform, such as they have met with. I will warn them publicly, if necessary in order to prevent this. All the mistakes and fanatical movements fall back upon me in the end. I have the most bitter letters from some, charging me with having been instrumental in the death of their friends. These friends went to extremes, and the result has been bad, and the reproach falls upon me. I wish, Bro. Russel, that you did know yourself; then you would have more rest of spirit. You feel all the time you must be doing a great and important work, when you have not the ability to perform this great work.?{PH107 4.1}[6]
I was shown in regard to your marriage. You made a great mistake. Here is a specimen of your wisdom and judgment. If you could see how the Lord regards such a course as you have pursued in this matter, you would not have such exalted views of the large sphere you could fill. You had motherless children who needed the care of a woman of sound sense, experience and good government to discipline them. Did you move judiciously, with caution and counsel in selecting your wife? No, indeed. You followed your?fancy, and chose a girl—an undisciplined, inexperienced girl, and installed her the mother of your little ones. In this you have given evidence of being deficient in judgment, deficient in reasoning from cause to effect.?{PH107 4.2}[7]
You have also shown, by your course with your wife, that either you have not understood the laws of our being, or that you have followed your own inclinations in defiance of the laws of life and health. You have had children by your girl-wife when she was not more than two-thirds matured. Your precepts in many things in reference to health may be good; but when your example is so contrary to the laws of life, your precepts are of but little worth.?{PH107 5.1}[8]
You saw that your girl-wife was a child among your children, that she possessed neither dignity nor self-control, that she was altogether too young to bear the burdens, confinement and care of a family, and that your children could better take care of themselves, and even had more care than the one you had placed over them as their mother: Yet with all this knowledge you had not sufficient control of your body to prevent greater evils.?{PH107 5.2}[9]
You followed passion and increased your family. You brought children into the world when you knew that they could not be properly cared for and trained. You have wronged your girl-wife by expecting her to do the duties of a woman when she had not the experience or ability. You thought yourself capable of managing your own affairs. You thought your judgment unquestionable. Facts have proved you capable of handling but small talents, and doing only a small work. You would show greater wisdom by attending to?the duties of today, small work though it may be, and ceasing your day-dreaming and castle-building.?{PH107 5.3}[10]
You have an unhappy family. Your children have a hard time. They are growing up with habits uncorrected, which will destroy their usefulness, and, unless they reform, will shut them at last from the presence of God. Who is responsible for this? The father, who knows not himself, yet thinks he is qualified to manage. Could your children have had a mother of mature years, her age measuring nearly with your own, a woman of experience and self-control, your children would be far different in character from what they are.?{PH107 6.1}[11]
There is but little use in encouraging their desire for baptism and uniting with the church; for it would only have a tendency to make them hypocrites. Home influences would more than counteract all the influences for good the church may have. The mother is more to be pitied than blamed; for she knows she is not qualified to act the part of a mother to these children. She knows you think she errs, that you see her errors, and this makes her miserable. It becomes you to have patience, yet to take a position in your family, and to do what you can, to remedy the evil your weak judgment has brought about.?{PH107 6.2}[12]
The Master will not require of you more than you can perform. “Unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.” The different trusts are proportioned to our various capacities. To every man is given his work according to his known powers to perform, and corresponding results are expected.?{PH107 6.3}[13]
The reward is given to the steward intrusted with the talents, not because he has done so great a work, but because of his fidelity over a few things. God measures not according to the results, but according to the motives. If the steward is faithful he is successful, and is sure of the final reward, however small may have been his mission.?{PH107 7.1}[14]
Are we prepared for the solemn investigation of our works? Will the Master look upon your work and say, “Well done good and faithful servant?” Do the work of today with fidelity. Take up the burdens in your path. Do cheerfully the duties that are before you to do today. And the Lord will help you in the effort. You are too willing to bend to the right and left. Obey the apostle’s injunction. “Owe no man anything.” Make this a point in your future life.?{PH107 7.2}[15]
You had better live very humbly, and keep a clear conscience. Owe no man anything, and you will not have so much perplexity. Live within your means. Shun debts, as you would a great evil. It is much easier for you to slide into debt, flattering yourself with future success, than it is to realize your anticipations and free yourself. You are a poor financier. You are a poor manager. You should not rely upon your own judgment. You should counsel with men who have made life a success, and be guided by their counsel. If you would do this, you would save yourself great trials, and your course would be more pleasing to God.---Ellen G. White?{PH107 7.3}[16]
With pleasure we state, that Bro. H. C. Miller has fully received the recent testimony concerning him, and stands free from the influence of those who?would seek to turn him against the testimonies. Bro. Miller has borne good testimonies in the recent meetings held by the church at Battle Creek.?{PH107 7.4}[17]
---James White, Ellen G. White[18]
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