(1892年8月3日写于澳大利亚墨尔本)
亲爱的弟兄姐妹们：
关于在这个国家要做的工作，我费了好几个晚上的心思，睡了又醒。在这个广阔的传道园地里，为推进主的圣工，有大量的工作要做。我们既非常缺乏资金和工人，又不知如何着手。我们必须在上帝面前谦卑己心，献上真诚、热切的祷告，让资源丰富的主为我们开路。“银子是我的，金子也是我的，”“千山上的牲畜也是我的”(该2:8;诗50:10)。荣耀之主基督的生活是我们的榜样。祂来自丰富辉煌的天国。但祂放下自己的王冠和王袍，用人性披覆祂的神性。为什么?为了设身处地与人接触。祂并没有列身于地上的富人或贵族之中。基督的使命是要达到世上极穷的人。祂自己从小就是木匠的儿子。祂难道不知道克己的意义吗?天国的丰盛和荣耀本是祂的，但祂为了我们的缘故却成为贫穷的，使我们因着祂的贫穷而成为富足。祂使命的真实根基乃是舍己和自我牺牲。世界原是祂的，祂造了世界;可是人子在祂自己所造的世界里，却没有枕头的地方。祂说：“狐狸有洞，天空的飞鸟有窝，人子却没有枕头的地方”(太8:20)。{SpTA03 3.1}
在建立和发展这个国家的圣工时，非常需要资金，好使我们在短时间内成就大事。我们能做成这工的唯一方法，就是时刻专注上帝的荣耀，以致不会有人说我们：“他们开了工，却不能完工”。在创建一项更大规模的工作时，我们一开始就要从心中完全除去骄傲和属世的野心。有人间最伟大的教师基督作我们的榜样，我们就不必犯错。“我是世界的光。跟从我的，就不在黑暗里走，必要得着生命的光。”“若有人要跟从我，就当舍己，天天背起他的十字架来跟从我”(约8:12;路9:23)。我们务要学习这个榜样，步步询问：“这是主的道路吗?”我们如果不时刻向人强调克己和自我牺牲，就会犯严重的错误。{SpTA03 4.1}
这片传道园地的圣工尚处于初期阶段。信徒们刚开始过基督徒的生活。我们之所以很牵挂这班人，是因为他们今后还必须学习更重要的真理。他们似乎还没藉着实际信仰真理和因真理全然成圣，而达到应有的状态。如果上帝的子民完全跟从耶稣，步步都信赖他，我们救赎主谦卑舍己生活中的言语和榜样就会成为他们的亮光和力量。愿我们的心声是：“祢是我的榜样。”“人若立志遵着祂的旨意行，就必晓得这教训”(约7:17)。没有什么比像基督那样生活，舍己，与祂一同寻找拯救失丧的人更加理想的了。{SpTA03 4.2}
单单为了炫耀的家具，一件也不要购买。要购买实用耐久的物品。要教育人们实行克己。要认识到每一块钱都有救灵的价值，因为如果把那一块钱用在传道工作中，就可能使人认识真理。我们也许有较高的品味，喜爱美丽而艺术性的东西;但是基督岂不拥有最精致、最纯正、最圣洁的品味吗?祂的家原在天上，可是祂却舍去自己;从马槽到髑髅地，祂的一生都以屈辱为标记。在工作开始的时候，我们不可重犯在美国遭主责备的错误，铺张浪费，满足骄傲炫耀的心理。要小心避免这一类的事。{SpTA03 5.1}
在饮食、服装和我们校舍的设施方面，我们应该保持真敬虔的简朴。许多人愿意舍己和多作牺牲，为了捐助传道工作使之成功。如果让这些弟兄姐妹看到这些资金花费在最好的细麻布，更贵的家具或桌上的物品上，那将对他们产生很不良的影响。对于我们在这个国家现在和将来的工作效果来说，没有什么比这更加不利的了。克己是教育学生的第一门课。要让他们耳濡目染。学校的所有设备都要传达这方面实际的教训，使圣工单靠不断的牺牲而推进。{SpTA03 5.2}
我们的一举一动都要紧随我们救主的榜样。我对这种事深有感触。我们必须考虑如何工作才能取得成功。我们参加工作，心中必须被基督的灵充满。这样，我们才会认识到必须用谦卑的方法推进我们的工作。我们的传道人和他们的妻子应该成为服装朴素的榜样。他们的着装应该整洁，舒适，布料要优质耐用，但要避免奢侈和装饰，因为即使不贵，这些东西也会暴露我们的弱点。我们应该教导青少年着装朴素而整洁。要去掉多余的装饰，即使花费不高。{SpTA03 5.3}
有人认为戴婚戒是一件大事，我们传道人的妻子应该随从这种风俗。但这是不必要的。传道人的妻子应当拥有将她们的心和耶稣基督相连的金环。那就是基督徒的树上所结的果子，即纯正圣洁的品格，真正的爱心、温柔与敬虔。这样，她们无论在哪里都会发挥安全可靠的影响。漠视风俗会引起非议，但这不是我们接受风俗的正当理由。这种风俗在美国并非必不可少。美国人可以阐明自己的立场。我们不一定佩戴这个记号，因为我们并没有不忠于我们的婚约，而且戴婚戒也不一定证明我们的忠诚。我对这种随风从俗的现象如同酵母那样蔓延深感不安。我们不要花一分一厘去购买金戒指，来证明我们已婚。在这种风俗盛行的国家里，我们无须指责戴婚戒的人。如果他们心安理得，就让他们戴吧。但不要让我们的传道士感到戴婚戒会增加他们的感化力。如果他们是基督徒，就应该表现在他们基督化的品格中，表现在言语，工作，家庭生活和人际交往上，表现在他们的恒久忍耐和仁慈中。他们会彰显夫子的精神，拥有祂优美的品格，可爱的性情和同情的心肠。{SpTA03 6.1}
【Economy to be Practiced in All Things】
(Melbourne, Aus., August 3, 1892.)
My Dear Brethren and Sisters,My mind has been very much exercised for several nights, sleeping and waking, in regard to the work to be done in this country. In this wide missionary field there is a great deal to be done in advancing the cause and work of the Master, and with the great want of means and of workers, we know not how it can be done. We must humble our hearts before God, and offer up sincere, fervent prayer that the Lord, who is rich in resources, will open our way. “The gold and silver is mine,” saith the Lord, “and the cattle upon a thousand hills.” The life of Christ, the Lord of glory, is our example. He came from heaven, where all was riches and splendor; but he laid aside his royal crown, his royal robe, and clothed his divinity with humanity. Why?—That he might meet men where they were. He did not rank himself with the wealthy, the lordly of earth. The mission of Christ was to reach the very poor of earth. He himself worked from his earliest years as the son of a carpenter. Self-denial, did he not know its meaning? The riches and glory of heaven were his own, but for our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might become rich. The very foundation of his mission was self-denial, self-sacrifice. The world was his, he made it; yet in a world of his own?creating, the Son of man had not where to lay his head. He said, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.”{SpTA03 3.1}[1]
Now in the establishment and broadening of the work in this country, means will be essential, that we may do a large work in a short time. And the only way we can do, is, in every movement, to keep the eye single to the glory of God, so that it may not be said of us, “They began to build, and were not able to finish.” In leading out to do a broader work, we need, at the very beginning, to put pride and worldly ambition entirely out of our hearts. Having before us the example of Christ, the greatest teacher the world ever knew, we need not make a mistake. “He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” We must study the Pattern, and inquire at every step, “Is this the way of the Lord?” We shall certainly make grave mistakes if we do not keep self-denial and self-sacrifice prominent before the people in every movement.{SpTA03 4.1}[2]
The work in this missionary field is yet in its infancy. The believers have made only a beginning in the Christian life; and the reason why we have felt so great a burden for this people is, that henceforth they may learn greater things. It doth not yet appear what they shall be through a practical belief in the truth, and the sanctification of the entire being by the truth. The words and example of our Redeemer in his life of humility and self-denial will be the light and strength of his people if they follow Jesus fully, trusting in him at every step. Let it be the language of our hearts, “Be Thou my pattern.” “He that willeth to do his will shall know of the teaching.” Nothing is so desirable as to live as Christ lived, to deny self as Christ denied?himself, and to labor with him in seeking to save that which is lost.{SpTA03 4.2}[3]
In the line of furniture, do not purchase one article merely to make a show. Get things that will be useful, and that will bear handling. Educate the people to practice self-denial. Let it be considered that every dollar may represent a soul, for some one might be brought to a knowledge of the truth through the use of that dollar in the missionary work. We may have very nice taste, and enjoy that which is beautiful and artistic, but had not Christ the very finest, purest, holiest taste? His home was heaven, yet he denied himself; humiliation marked all his life, from the manger to Calvary. In the beginning of the work, we must not reproduce the very things that the Lord has condemned in America, the needless, extravagant expenditure of money to gratify pride and love of display. Let everything of this order be scrupulously shunned.{SpTA03 5.1}[4]
In eating, dressing, and in the furnishing of our school-building, we want to preserve the simplicity of true godliness. Many will deny themselves and sacrifice much in order to contribute toward making the missionary work a success, and should they see this means expended upon the finest linen and the more expensive furniture or articles for the table, it would have a most unfortunate influence upon these brethren and sisters. Nothing could militate more decidedly against our present and future usefulness in this country. The very first lesson to teach the students is self-denial. Let their eyes, their senses, take in the lesson; let all the appointments of the school convey practical instruction in this line, that the work can be carried forward only by a constant sacrifice.{SpTA03 5.2}[5]
In every movement let us follow closely the example of our Saviour. I feel deeply over these things. We must consider in what lines to work in order to secure?success; we must come to the work with our hearts imbued with the spirit of Christ. Then we shall realize that our work must be carried forward in a humble way. Our ministers and their wives should be an example in plainness of dress; they should dress neatly, comfortably, wearing good material, but avoiding anything like extravagance and trimmings, even if not expensive; for these things tell to our disadvantage. We should educate the youth to simplicity of dress, plainness with neatness. Let the extra trimmings be left out, even though the cost be but a trifle.{SpTA03 5.3}[6]
Some have had a burden in regard to the wearing of a marriage ring, feeling that the wives of our ministers should conform to this custom. All this is unnecessary. Let the ministers’ wives have the golden link which binds their souls to Jesus Christ, a pure and holy character, the true love and meekness and godliness that are the fruit borne upon the Christian tree, and their influence will be secure anywhere. The fact that a disregard of the custom occasions remark, is no good reason for adopting it. Americans can make their position understood by plainly stating that the custom is not regarded as obligatory in our country. We need not wear the sign, for we are not untrue to our marriage vow, and the wearing of the ring would be no evidence that we were true. I feel deeply over this leavening process which seems to be going on among us, in the conformity to custom and fashion. Not one penny should be spent for a circlet of gold to testify that we are married. In countries where the custom is imperative, we have no burden to condemn those who have their marriage ring; let them wear it if they can do so conscientiously; but let not our missionaries feel that the wearing of the ring will increase their influence one jot or tittle. If they are Christians, it will be manifest in their Christlikeness of character, in their words, in their works, in the home, in association with others; it will be evinced by their patience and long suffering and kindliness. They will manifest the spirit of the Master, they will possess his beauty of character, his loveliness of disposition, his sympathetic heart.{SpTA03 6.1}[7]
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