《进度报告》
1907年12月3日
1、一个重要的证言
(以下证言写于1902年，致当时在澳大利亚的欧文长老){RP December 3, 1907, par. 1}
我要回答你的问题，就是星期日的法令如果通过，我们应采取什么方针。{RP December 3, 1907, par. 2}
早些时候我们也曾见到有出现此危机的可能，当时上帝给我的指示是：如果世人被从下面来的势力所鼓动，要强迫人守星期日，安息日复临信徒就该见机行事，不在星期日作平常的劳动，而去从事传道工作。{RP December 3, 1907, par. 3}
宗教狂热之徒既要强制推行星期日的法令，你们的违抗只会加甚他们的逼迫。不要给他们借口，说你们是犯法的人。若是他们去约束一班既不怕上帝又不怕世人的人，则过不多时，他们就会觉得钳制人并不是有趣的事情，也会看出要人严守星期日是不方便不合理的。你只要拿着圣经，一直进行你传道的工作，仇敌就必发现他反而坏了自己的事。一个人用聪明的方法，采取和平的手段，不做那要触犯人的工作，同时却做最紧要的工作，那么，他决不会受兽的印记。{RP December 3, 1907, par. 4}
如果我们专用星期日的光阴来做传道的工作，就夺去了那些以侮辱安息日复临信徒为乐之任情行事的狂热者手中的鞭子。他们一看见我们用星期日的光阴去拜访人，与人查经谈道，就会知道定出星期日的法律来阻止我们的工作是无效的了。{RP December 3, 1907, par. 5}
当一个人，无论白人还是黑人，因为星期日休假而被捕时，他就处于非常不利的地位。他遭到羞辱，几乎没有希望得到公正的审判。在南方各州，当守安息日的人因为在星期天工作而被捕时，他们常常被送进监狱，被迫在安息日工作。耶和华并没有命令他们把自己安置在必须亵渎祂圣安息日的地方。{RP December 3, 1907, par. 6}
我们的各教会应该了解避免这一困难的方法。我们可以用星期日的时间进行多项工作，为主成就很多事。这一天，我们可以举行露天布道和家庭聚会，或者挨家拜访人。擅长写作的人，可利用星期日的时间来写稿子。尽可能在星期日举行礼拜聚会。这些聚会要安排得非常精彩吸引人。唱的诗歌，要振奋人心，讲的道要具有救主仁爱的能力和应许。要讲论节制和真正的宗教经验。这样你就能学会如何工作，并感化许多人。{RP December 3, 1907, par. 7}
我们学校的教师也当利用星期日专做传道的工作。我蒙指示，知道他们如此行就能破坏仇敌的奸谋。做教师的可带学生去为那些不明白真理的人举行聚会。这样他们的成就一定比用任何别的方法更大。{RP December 3, 1907, par. 8}
命人遵守每周第一日的律法，是背道之基督教的产物。星期日原是罗马教的产物，经过基督教界的抬举超过了上帝的圣安息日。在任何情形上，上帝的子民决不能对此表示敬意，但是我也希望他们知道：若上帝要他们避免争端，而他们却奋起反抗，这也不是遵行上帝的旨意。因为这样他们就要造成深刻的偏见，使真理无法传开。所以不要在星期日表示什么违法的举动。如果你们在一处地方这样行受了羞辱，则在别处地方也必有同样的事发生。我们尽可利用星期日作为进行与基督这一方面的工作有利之事。我们须尽力存柔和谦卑的态度而行。{RP December 3, 1907, par. 9}
REPORT OF PROGRESS
3-Dec-07
An Important Testimony
[The following testimony was written in 1902, and was addressed to Elder Irwin, who was in Australia at the time.]?{RP December 3, 1907, par. 1}
I will try to answer your question as to what you should do in the case of Sunday laws being enforced.?{RP December 3, 1907, par. 2}
The light given me by the Lord at a time when we were expecting just such a crisis as you seem to be approaching, was, that when the people were moved by a power from beneath to enforce Sunday observance. Seventh-day Adventists were to show their wisdom by refraining from work on that day, devoting it to missionary effort.?{RP December 3, 1907, par. 3}
To defy the Sunday laws will but strengthen in their persecution the religious zealots who are seeking to enforce them. Give them no occasion to call you law-breakers. If they are left to rein up men who fear neither God nor man, the reining up will soon lose its novelty for them, and they will see that it is not consistent nor convenient for them to be strict in regard to the observance of Sunday. Keep right on with your work, with your Bibles in your hands, and the enemy will see that he has worsted his own cause. One does not receive the mark of the beast because he shows that he realizes the wisdom of keeping the peace by refraining from work that gives offense, doing at the same time a work of the highest importance.?{RP December 3, 1907, par. 4}
When we devote Sunday to missionary work, the whip will be taken out of the hands of the arbitrary zealots who would be well pleased to humiliate Seventh-day Adventists. When they see that we employ ourselves on Sunday in visiting the people, and opening the Scriptures to them, they will know that it is useless for them to try to hinder our work by making Sunday laws.?{RP December 3, 1907, par. 5}
When a man, white or black, is arrested for Sunday breaking, he is placed at a great disadvantage. He is humiliated. And it is well-nigh hopeless for him to obtain a fair trial. Often when Sabbath-keepers in the Southern states are arrested for working on Sunday, they are sent to the chain-gang, where they are forced to work on the Sabbath. The Lord does not command them to place themselves where they are obliged to dishonor his holy rest-day.?{RP December 3, 1907, par. 6}
Our churches should understand the methods to be used in avoiding this difficulty. Sunday can be used for carrying forward various lines of work that will accomplish much for the Lord. On this day open-air meetings and cottage meetings can be held. House-to-house work can be done. Those who write can devote this day to writing their articles. Whenever it is possible, let religious services be held on Sunday. Make these meetings intensely interesting. Sing genuine revival hymns, and speak with power and assurance of the Saviour’s love. Speak on temperance and on true religious experience. You will thus learn much about how to work, and will reach many souls.?{RP December 3, 1907, par. 7}
Let the teachers in our schools devote Sunday to missionary effort. I was instructed that they would thus be able to defeat the purposes of the enemy. Let the teachers take the students with them to hold meetings for those who know not the truth. Thus they will accomplish much more than they could in any other way.?{RP December 3, 1907, par. 8}
The law for the observance of the first day of the week is the production of apostate Christendom. Sunday is the child of the papacy, exalted by the Christian world above the sacred day of God’s rest. In no case are God’s people to pay homage to it. But I wish them to understand that they are not doing God’s will by braving opposition when he wishes them to avoid it. Thus they create prejudice so bitter that it is impossible for the truth to be proclaimed. Make no demonstrations on Sunday in defiance of the law. If this is done in one place, and you are humiliated, the same thing will be done in another place. We can use Sunday as a day on which to carry forward work that will tell on the side of Christ. We are to do our best, working with all meekness and lowliness.?{RP December 3, 1907, par. 9}
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