复临信徒的家庭是实行和教导安息日复临信徒准则和规范的家庭，也是身为复临信徒的父母接受基督的指派，帮助家人成为基督徒的地方。为了圆满地完成这项任务，身为安息日复临信徒的父母应当努力寻求可能获得的一切帮助。
怀爱伦曾为父母们写下了许多珍贵的勉言。她论述了家庭各方面的问题，并就今日困扰审慎而焦虑之父母的许多问题，提供了具体的指导。她在离世前几年，表示希望出版“一本针对基督徒父母的书，”阐明“母亲的职责及其对儿女的影响”。本书的出版旨在实现这一愿望。
《复临信徒家庭》是为繁忙的父母而准备的一本手册，也是家庭能够而且应该达到的典范或理想。她解答了你们的许多问题，是从天父而来的智慧话语。
本书选自怀爱伦七十余年间的著作，特别是她为我们教会的期刊所撰写的数千篇文章。现行出版的书籍，特别证言的小册子，怀爱伦手稿的文档，均充实了本书的内容。每一章最后注明了材料的来源。由于不同来源，写于不同时代的材料按照逻辑顺序编排，偶然可能不可避免地出现思路或语气的脱节，因为编辑只负责选择和编排题材，并添上小标题。
本前言撰写于怀爱伦著作出版办公室。本书的编辑遵循怀爱伦给托管委员会有关将她的文搞编辑出版的指示。她说：其中所包含的，“是主所赐给我，要传达给祂子民的教训。”
世界有史以来，没有任何时期比如今更迫切需要这一类书籍。父母和儿女从来没有象现在这样迫切希望解答困扰他们的难题。家庭也从来没有象今日这样处在严重的危机中。
我们每一个人都知道：社会的状况反映了国内各家庭的状况。我们也知道，家庭的变化必将反映在社会的变化中。《复临信徒家庭》为此而出版，作为基督徒家庭图书馆的一部分，深盼能完成所负的重要使命。
怀爱伦著作托管委员会
1952年
THE ADVENTIST HOME IS A HOME WHERE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST STANDARDS AND PRACTICES ARE LIVED AND TAUGHT, A PLACE TO WHICH SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST FATHERS AND MOTHERS ARE COMMISSIONED BY CHRIST TO GO AND MAKE CHRISTIANS OF THE MEMBERS OF THEIR OWN HOUSEHOLDS. AND IN ORDER TO PERFORM THAT TASK WELL, SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST PARENTS ARE LOOKING FOR ALL THE HELP THEY CAN POSSIBLY FIND.[1]
ELLEN G. WHITE HAS WRITTEN MUCH AND VERY VALUABLE COUNSEL FOR PARENTS. SHE HAS TOUCHED UPON EVERY PHASE OF THE HOME, AND OFFERS SPECIFIC INSTRUCTION ON MANY OF THE PROBLEMS WHICH GIVE SO MUCH CONCERN TO THOUGHTFUL AND OFTEN ANXIOUS PARENTS TODAY. SOME YEARS BEFORE HER DEATH, SHE INDICATED HER DESIRE TO GET OUT "A BOOK FOR CHRISTIAN PARENTS" THAT WOULD DEFINE "THE MOTHER'S DUTY AND INFLUENCE OVER HER CHILDREN." IN THE PRESENT WORK AN ENDEAVOR HAS BEEN MADE TO FULFILL THIS EXPECTATION.[2]
THIS BOOK, THE ADVENTIST HOME, IS AT ONCE A SORT OF HANDBOOK OR MANUAL FOR BUSY PARENTS, AND A PATTERN OR IDEAL OF WHAT THE HOME CAN AND SHOULD BECOME. HERE ARE THE ANSWERS TO YOUR MANY QUESTIONS, THE WORDS OF WISDOM FROM THE HEAVENLY FATHER.[3]
IN COMPILING THIS WORK, EXCERPTS HAVE BEEN DRAWN FROM THE ELLEN G. WHITE WRITINGS PENNED THROUGH SEVEN DECADES, BUT ESPECIALLY FROM THE THOUSANDS OF E. G. WHITE ARTICLES WHICH WERE PREPARED FOR THE JOURNALS OF THE DENOMINATION. THE CURRENT PUBLISHED WORKS, SPECIAL TESTIMONIES ISSUED IN PAMPHLET FORM, AND THE E. G. WHITE MANUSCRIPT FILES HAVE ALSO ENRICHED THE VOLUME. APPROPRIATE SOURCE CREDITS ARE GIVEN IN CONNECTION WITH EACH CHAPTER. AS THE EXCERPTS DRAWN FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES WRITTEN AT DIFFERENT TIMES ARE LINKED TOGETHER IN THEIR LOGICAL SEQUENCE, THERE MAY BE OCCASIONALLY A SLIGHT UNAVOIDABLE BREAK IN THOUGHT OR MANNER OF ADDRESS, FOR THE COMPILERS ARE LIMITED IN THEIR WORK TO SELECTING AND ARRANGING THE SUBJECT MATTER AND SUPPLYING THE HEADINGS.[4]
THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN PREPARED IN THE OFFICE OF THE ELLEN G. WHITE PUBLICATIONS. THE WORK HAS BEEN DONE IN HARMONY WITH MRS. WHITE'S INSTRUCTION TO HER TRUSTEES IN PROVIDING "FOR THE PRINTING OF COMPILATIONS" FROM HER MANUSCRIPTS, FOR THEY CONTAIN, SHE SAID, "INSTRUCTION THAT THE LORD HAS GIVEN ME FOR HIS PEOPLE."[5]
NEVER IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD HAS A BOOK LIKE THIS BEEN NEEDED MORE URGENTLY THAN IT IS RIGHT NOW. NEVER HAVE PARENTS AND CHILDREN BEEN MORE ANXIOUS FOR THE RIGHT ANSWER TO THE THINGS WHICH TROUBLE THEM. NEVER HAVE HOMES BEEN IN SUCH JEOPARDY AS THEY ARE TODAY.[6]
EVERY ONE OF US KNOWS THAT CONDITIONS IN SOCIETY ARE BUT A REFLECTION OF CONDITIONS IN THE HOMES OF THE NATION. WE LIKEWISE KNOW THAT A CHANGE IN THE HOME WILL BE MIRRORED IN A CHANGED SOCIETY. TO THIS END THIS VOLUME --THE ADVENTIST HOME--HAS BEEN PREPARED AND, AS A PART OF THE CHRISTIAN HOME LIBRARY, IS NOW SENT FORTH ON ITS IMPORTANT MISSION BY THE PUBLISHERS AND[7]
THE TRUSTEES OF THE ELLEN G. WHITE PUBLICATIONS.WASHINGTON, D.C. MAY 8,1952[8]
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