给举办布道会议之人的建议
服务的呼召
怀爱伦
基督不知疲倦地操劳，为要完成祂来到这个世界要完成的伟大工作。祂想要拯救失丧人类的愿望在所有场合都是显而易见的。祂在公开服务期间周流四方行善事。祂的使命是要帮助那些需要帮助的人，寻找失丧的人，扶起被压倒的人，医治病人，向忧伤悲痛的人说同情安慰的话。祂的心总是体恤人类的祸患。祂多么认真地为罪人作工啊!祂多么恒切地努力预备门徒将福音信息传到地极啊!祂将自己放在服务的坛上，献为活祭。{PH092 3.1}
既然天上的至尊基督都这样作工，我们跟从祂的人岂可顾惜自己呢?在这些末后的日子里，有一项大工要完成。需要不断的活动。“黑暗遮盖大地，幽暗遮盖万民”(赛60:2)。许多人远离基督，在罪的旷野漂流。他们在应许的约上是外人。主快要来了。上帝的审判已经在地上了。难道我们要让未受警告的大众还没有为来生作准备就下到黑暗和死亡里吗?{PH092 3.2}
我们只要体念到耶稣是怎样认真地从事将福音的种子撒遍世界，那么我们这生存于宽容时期即将终止时候的人，就必不倦地劳力，将生命的粮分给行将沦亡的人了。为什么我们如此冷淡漠不关心呢?为什么我们的心如此不易受感动呢?为什么我们如此不愿献身去做基督奉献了祂一生的工作呢?必须有所作为，治愈那已控制了我们的可怕的漠不关心。但愿我们羞愧地俯首，因见到我们原可做那么多去撒真理的种子时却做了那么少。{PH092 3.3}
我亲爱的弟兄姐妹们哪，我以仁爱温柔的言语向你们讲话。要起来毫无保留地献上自己，去做把现代真理的亮光传给那些在黑暗中的人的工作。要感染那大“工师”的精神。要从那位罪人的“朋友”学习怎样去为患有罪病的生灵服务。当记着在凡跟随祂之人的生活上，也必须显示祂生平所显示的同样的献身，同样使一切社交上的要求和一切属世的爱情都服从上帝的圣工。务须始终以上帝的要求为至上。基督的榜样要激励我们付出不断的、自我牺牲的努力，为他人谋福利。{PH092 4.1}
上帝呼召每一位信徒参与祂的服务。真理若不实践于生活之中，不传与他人，就要损失其赐生命的能力——其医治的功效。各人都必须学习从事工作，站在各自的位分上作肩负重担者。教会每加添一分子，就应当多有一个推进伟大救赎计划的工具。当整个教会联合一致，完全的合而为一之时，就要成为一个活泼有为的传道机构，受圣灵的支配行动。{PH092 4.2}
所需的准备
我们若诚心寻求，祂必定为我们修平前面的道路。在我们周围服务的门已经敞开。但愿我们虔诚地研究所当作的工，然后以充足的信心去工作。我们当镇定而谦逊地以基督的柔和谦卑工作，意识到面前有艰难的日子，我们时刻需要上天的恩惠，以求明白怎样作人的思想工作。忍耐、谦卑、像上帝的工人必有东西表明自己的工作。{PH092 5.1}
无论团体还是个人，我们的成功都不在于人数、地位和知识造诣，而在于与基督同行同工。我们越充满祂的精神，就越热爱圣工，越喜爱跟从夫子的脚踪行。我们的心就会充满上帝的爱;我们就会用真挚的心和能力，述说那被钉十字架的救主。当祂被高举在人们面前时，当他们仰望祂的自我牺牲、祂的良善、祂的温柔怜悯、祂的谦卑、祂的苦难时，他们的心就会被熔化和折服。{PH092 5.2}
各城应当得到光照
在我们的各城传道的工作不仅仅落在那些讲道的人身上，而且落在凡阅读和听见这道的人身上。上帝号召祂的百姓打破严格室内服务的束缚。祂希望有成百上千的人在我们的各城中做着基督在地上时曾做的工作，——鼓舞悲伤的人，加强软弱的人，安慰哀伤的人，传福音给贫穷的人。在美国的许多城市中，几乎还没有采取任何措施来传扬警告的信息。我们生活在这些拥挤中心的弟兄姐妹应当让他们的光照在道德的黑暗中。可能不止一个人会认为他的光太小，无济于事，但他应当记住，光是上帝给他的，他有责任让光发出来。别人也许会用它来点燃自己的蜡烛，而他的光也许是引导别人走出黑暗的手段。{PH092 5.3}
我们对邻舍的责任
甚愿成千上万更多的上帝子民意识到我们所处的时代，和我们应当在园地服务、在挨家挨户的操劳中去做的工作。我们有许许多多的邻舍不知道真理。我们应当与他们熟识起来，设法吸引他们归向基督。我们若进入我们邻舍的家去销售或赠送我们的书报，存谦卑的心教导他们真理，就必有天上的光伴随，这光会住在这些邻舍的家里。我们应当“用平安的福音当作预备走路的鞋穿在脚上”(弗6:15)，我们应当准备好去挨家挨户地把真理带给民众。有时我们会发现做这种工作很考验人;但我们若是本着信心出发，主就必行在我们前面，且必差遣祂的天使在我们努力使邻舍认识真理时与我们合作。{PH092 6.1}
散发书报
在用几个麦饼和几条鱼使群众吃饱的神迹上，从基督的手传到接受者手中的食物越变越多。我们书刊的散发也必如此。上帝的真理在传递的过程中会发扬光大。基督怎样指示门徒把剩余的零碎收拾起来，以免糟蹋，我们也当保存那含有现代真理之书报的每一断篇零页。虽然是撕下的一页，其中含有第三天使信息的真理，对于某个寻求真理者的心所发挥的影响，那是无人能估计的。{PH092 7.1}
有许多地方是传道人的声音所达不到的。惟有我们的书刊——充满人们所需圣经真理的书籍、报刊和小册子——才能达到。我们的书刊应散布各地。要在各水边播撒真理的种子;因为我们不知道哪一样会发旺，是早撒的还是晚撒的。我们凭着自己错误的判断，可能以为把书刊给某些人是不妥当的;其实他们最容易接受真理。我们不知道分发含有现代真理的小册子，会有什么结果。{PH092 7.2}
我蒙指示，文字布道工作应当复兴，应当不断成功地推进这项工作。我觉得很感激我们的天父，因为我们的弟兄姐妹对销售《基督比喻实训》很感兴趣。通过销售这本书，已经成就了很大的善工;这项工作应当继续。推销《基督比喻实训》的努力已经证明在文字布道园地可以做成什么。这一努力乃是一个永远不应被忘记的教训，教我们知道如何以带来成功的常常祷告的信赖的方式推销书报。如果我们的书报员认真积极地开始销售我们的大部头，满心认识到这些书含有有上帝想要传到世界的指示，我们许多的大部头就能销售出去。伴随着说服的力量，祈祷的力量，上帝爱的力量，文字布道士的工作不会、也不可能没有成果。{PH092 7.3}
对灰心的人说一句话
许多人又悲伤又灰心，在信心和倚靠方面很软弱，以致不能将上帝的丰盛应许据为己有。要让他们有所作为，去帮助某个比他们自己更需要帮助的人，他们就会靠着上帝的力量强壮起来。要让他们参加销售我们书报的善工。这样他们就会帮助别人，而所获得的经验会使他们确信自己是上帝的助手。当他们恳求主帮助他们时，祂就会带领他们到那些正在寻求亮光的人面前。{PH092 8.1}
认真努力的结果
当我们教会的肢体们在一周期间尽自己的本分服侍主的时候，他们就会从正在使许多人身心俱毁的沮丧中惊醒。当他们为别人作工的时候，他们才会在聚集敬拜上帝的时候有许多对别人有益的话要讲。安息日的聚会才会像按时分粮;因为人人都会将宝贵的供物带给主。当上帝的子民看到罪人的大需要，就是回转、不再侍奉撒但而来侍奉永生上帝时，他们在安息日所作的见证才不会黑暗阴郁，而会充满喜乐和勇气，生命和能力。他们就非但不会思想和谈论弟兄姐妹们的缺点错误和自己的考验，反而会思想和谈论基督的爱，并且认真努力要变成为主作工更有效的人。{PH092 9.1}
PH092 - Suggestions to Those Holding Missionary Conventions
【A Call to Service By Mrs. E. G. White】
Christ labored untiringly to accomplish the great work that He came to this world to perform. His desire to save the lost race was manifest on all occasions. During His ministry He went about doing good. It was His mission to help those in need of help, to seek the lost, to lift up the bowed down, to heal the sick, to speak words of sympathy and consolation to the sorrowing and the distressed. His heart was ever touched with human woe. How earnestly He worked for sinners! How constant were His efforts to prepare His disciples to carry the Gospel message to the ends of the earth! He placed Himself on the altar of service, a living sacrifice.?{PH092 3.1}[1]
If Christ, the Majesty of heaven, worked thus, should we, His followers, spare ourselves? In these last days there is a great work to be done. Unceasing activity is called for. “Darkness hath covered the earth, and gross darkness the people.” Many are far from Christ, wandering in the wilderness of sin. They are strangers from the covenant of promise. The Lord is coming soon. Already the judgments of God are in the land. Shall we let the unwarned multitudes go down into darkness and death without a preparation for the future life??{PH092 3.2}[2]
If we only realized how earnestly Jesus worked to sow the world with the gospel seed, we, living at the very close of probation, would labor untiringly to give the bread of life to perishing souls. Why are we so cold and indifferent? Why are our hearts so unimpressible? Why are we so unwilling to give ourselves to the work to which Christ consecrated His life? Something must be done to cure the terrible indifference that has taken hold upon us. Let us bow our heads in humiliation, as we see how much less we have done than we might have done to sow the seeds of truth.?{PH092 3.3}[3]
My dear brethren and sisters. I speak to you in words of love and tenderness. Arouse, and consecrate yourselves unreservedly to the work of giving the light of the truth for this time to those in darkness. Catch the spirit of the great Master-worker. Learn from the Friend of sinners how to minister to sin-sick souls. Remember that in the lives of His followers must be seen the same devotion, the same subjection to God’s work of every social claim and every earthly affection, that was seen in His life. God’s claims must always be made paramount. Christ’s example is to inspire us to put forth unceasing, self-sacrificing effort for the good of others.?{PH092 4.1}[4]
God calls upon every church-member to enter His service. Truth that is not?lived, that is not?imparted to others, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Every one must learn to work, and to stand in his lot and place as a burden-bearer. Every addition to the church should be one more agency for the carrying on of the great plan of redemption. The entire church, acting as one, blending in perfect union, is to be a living, active missionary agency, moved and controlled by the Holy Spirit.?{PH092 4.2}[5]
【The Needed Preparation】
As surely as we seek the Lord earnestly, He will make the way plain before us. All around us are doors open for service. Let us prayerfully study the work to be done, and then enter upon it with full assurance of faith. We are to labor in quietness and humility, in the meekness and lowliness of Christ, realizing that there is a trying time before us, and that we shall always need heavenly grace in order to understand how to deal with minds. It is the patient, humble, Godlike worker who will have something to show for his labors.?{PH092 5.1}[6]
As a people, and as individuals, our success depends not on numbers, on standing, nor on intellectual attainments, but on walking and working with Christ. The more fully we are imbued with His spirit, the greater will be our love for the work, and the greater our delight in following in the footsteps of the Master. Our hearts will be filled with the love of God; and with earnestness and power we shall speak of the crucified Saviour. As He is uplifted before the people, as they behold His self-sacrifice, His goodness, His tender compassion, His humiliation, His suffering, their hearts will be melted and subdued.?{PH092 5.2}[7]
【The Cities to be Enlightened】
The ministry of the word in our cities rests not merely upon those who preach the word, but upon all who read and hear the word. God calls upon His people to break the bands of their precise, indoor service. He would have hundreds in our cities doing the work that Christ did while on this earth,—cheering the sorrowful, strengthening the weak, comforting the mourners, preaching the gospel to the poor. In many of the cities of America scarcely anything has been done to proclaim the message of warning. Our brethren and sisters living in these crowded centers should let their light shine amidst the moral darkness. More than one may think that his light is too small to do any good, but he should remember that it is what God has given him, and that he is held responsible for letting it shine forth. Some one else may light his taper from it, and his light may be the means of leading others out from the darkness.?{PH092 5.3}[8]
【Our Duty Toward Our Neighbors】
Oh, that thousands more of God’s people had a realization of the times in which we are living, and of the work to be done in field service, in house-to house labor! There are many, many of our neighbors who know not the truth. Let us become acquainted with them and seek to draw them to Christ. Entering the homes of our neighbors to sell or to give away our literature, and in humility to teach them the truth, we shall be accompanied by the light of heaven, which will abide in these houses. Our feet “shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace,” we shall be prepared to go from house to house, carrying the truth to the people. Sometimes we shall find it trying to do this kind of work; but if we go forth in faith, the Lord will go before us, and will send His angels to co-operate with us in our efforts to bring our neighbors to a knowledge of the truth.?{PH092 6.1}[9]
【The Distribution of Literature】
In the miracle of feeding the multitude with a few loaves and fishes, the food was increased as it passed from Christ to those who accepted it. Thus it will be in the distribution of our publications. God’s truth, as it is passed out, will multiply greatly. And as the disciples by Christ’s direction gathered up the fragments which remained, that nothing should be lost, so we should treasure every fragment of literature containing the truth for this time. None can estimate the influence that even a torn page, containing the truths of the third angel’s message, may have upon the heart of some seeker after truth.?{PH092 7.1}[10]
There are many places in which the voice of the minister can not be heard, places which can be reached only by our publications,—the books, papers, and tracts, filled with the Bible truths that the people need. Our literature is to be distributed everywhere. The truth is to be sown beside all waters; for we know not which will prosper, this or that. In our erring judgment we may think it unwise to give literature to the very ones who would accept the truth the most readily. We know not what may be the results of giving away a leaflet containing present truth.?{PH092 7.2}[11]
I have been instructed that the canvassing work is to be revived, and that it is to be carried forward with increasing success. I feel very thankful to our heavenly Father for the interest that my brethren and sisters have taken in the sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons.” By the sale of this book great good has been accomplished; and the work should be continued. The effort to circulate “Object Lessons” has demonstrated what can be done in the canvassing field. This effort is a never-to-be-forgotten lesson of how to canvass in the prayerful, trustful way that brings success. Many of our larger books could be sold if our canvassers should take up this work earnestly and energetically, filled with the realization that these books contain instruction that God desires to go to the world. Accompanied by the power of persuasion, the power of prayer, the power of the love of God, the canvasser-evangelist’s work will not, can not be without fruit.?{PH092 7.3}[12]
【A Word to the Discouraged】
Many are so sad and discouraged, so weak in faith and trust, that they can not appropriate to themselves the rich promises of God. Let them, then, do something to help some one more needy than themselves, and they will grow strong in God’s strength. Let them engage in the good work of selling our books and distributing our papers and tracts. Thus they will help others, and they will gain an experience that will give them the assurance that they are God’s helping hand. As they plead with the Lord to help them, He will guide them to those who are seeking for the light.?{PH092 8.1}[13]
【The Result of Earnest Effort】
When our church-members during the week act their part in the service of the Lord, they will be roused from the despondency that is ruining many, body and soul. As they work for others, they will have much that is helpful to speak of when they assemble to worship God. The Sabbath meeting will be like meat in due season; for all will bring precious offerings to the Lord. When God’s people see the great need of sinners being converted, turned from the service of Satan to serve the living God, the testimonies they bear in the Sabbath service will not be dark and gloomy, but full of joy and courage, life and power. Instead of thinking and talking about the faults of their brethren and sisters, and about their own trials, they will think and talk of the love of Christ, and will strive earnestly to become more efficient workers for Him.?{PH092 9.1}[14]
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