1910年8月8日
1910年7月16日写于加利福尼亚州疗养院
亲爱的克雷斯弟兄和姐妹:
我已收到并阅读了你们的信。我要说,我没有亮光说你们与塔科马帕克疗养院的关系应该断开。这种关系可能会对你们在城市中从事布道工作特别有利,你们还可以帮助在华盛顿的健康机构。作为主的仆人,分别出来从事福音传道工作,你应该完全有资格讲述真理,向罪人指出身心的伟大医治者。{PC 42.2}
我没有亮光说明你应该完全脱离疗养院。但你担任主任医师对你来说不会言行一致,因为你在各城的工作会使你大部分时间不在疗养院。你的传道工作不会使你没有资格与弟兄们就机构的工作进行磋商,也不会取消你在疗养院的时候从事医师工作的资格。{PC 42.3}
你们二人都要受上帝的引导和教导。你们若是天天都各自寻求祂,就必拥有圣灵的引导。我能看到你非常需要神圣的智慧来使你能够担任两个职务,——既作一位高明的医生,又作一位福音传道人。必须天天归正,以便成功地将身体和灵魂的工作融合起来。我无法详细告诉你这事应该怎么成就,但我知道,你可以在传道事工中做一项重要的工作,教导你为之劳苦的灵魂,使他们信靠耶稣基督。要鼓励受苦的人接受那位大医师的治疗,以治愈身体和灵魂。{PC 42.4}
疗养院是提出令人信服的真理的最有利的地点。我希望我们所有的医生都能和那位伟大的主任医师有一种活生生的联系,以便他们能明智地对病痛的人说话。那些在我们的疗养院里服务的人需要被圣化,以便他们能适时地说出话来,介绍基督为罪病心灵的医治者和患病受苦的身体的医治者。{PC 42.5}
不应该使用有毒的药物。当你遇到不响应使用简单疗法的情况时,要在祷告中将它带到主面前。跟祂谈谈,惟有祂能提供帮助。用温柔和信心引用简单的经文。作为基督所拣选的医生,说出祂的话,有时是要使人服罪,但总是要激发希望。 在为病人操劳时,要考虑必须使他们觉悟这个事实,即,基督来到我们的世界为要拯救将亡的人。{PC 43.1}
我感到痛苦的是没有付出更坚决的努力去争取人相信真理。我感到痛苦的是许多知道真理的人在我们为照顾病人而建立的机构中表现的漠不关心。许多来到这些机构的人对重大的生死问题一无所知,他们需要开导。但在那些与我们的疗养院有关的人中,似乎缺乏对上帝的真诚追求,以便说出可能会发挥影响支持真理的话。这是我们的各教会和健康机构常常没有完成的工作。那些在这些机构工作的人应该作基督的代表。{PC 43.2}
在你们的劳碌中,你们是在替基督办事。头脑必须保持开放,好接受来自祂的印象。如果你明白福音的信息,如果,当你接触那些未得救的人时,你不代表真理的拯救影响,记住你要负责任。{PC 43.3}
当我看到许多人,甚至我们一些担任圣经教师的弟兄没有天天归正时,我无法向你描述留在我脑中的印象。基督随时准备赐下智慧和恩典;但是那些担负要职的人如果不每日归正,就不能引人行走义路。他们若倚靠自己所认为的智慧,就必误导指望他们的人,令人以为这些传道人明白所托付给他们的神圣工作。凡承担责任的人需要警醒,藉着谦卑的祈祷得以成圣、提炼和洁净。他们若不意识到自己的真实状况,若不变成基督的样式,就决不能表显耶稣里的真理。{PC 43.4}
在夜间的异象中,我似乎在向大批会众讲下面的话:{PC 43.5}
“你要大声喊叫,不可止息;扬起声来,好像吹角。向我百姓说明他们的过犯;向雅各家说明他们的罪恶。他们天天寻求我,乐意明白我的道,好像行义的国民,不离弃他们上帝的典章,向我求问公义的判语,喜悦亲近上帝”(赛58:1,2)。{PC 43.6}
主现在有一项决意要做的工作。我们需要忠于真理知识的福音传道人。各种性质的许多虚言将会被引进来作为讨论的题目。我们在与人心打道时必须有良好的、成圣的常识。愿主圣化我们的心思意念,使我们能把握要完成的重要工作。{PC 43.7}
我在极其认真地给弟兄们写们;因为我不能保持缄默。夜复一夜,我很痛苦。有一个世界要受警告。疏于去做多年前就应该以不同的方式开始的工作,使这项工作更难计划和执行。愿主现在赐智慧。如果工人们将灵魂、心灵和身体完全奉献,就会有很大的成就。{PC 44.1}
我读过一些信件,讲述在纽约市举行的有关城市工作的会议。当你看到需要做的工作的规模时,你就能更好地理解为什么我如此强烈地感到有必要唤起我们的人,以便他们意识到现状。愿主教导我们的传道人如何开始从事每一个工人都应感兴趣的伟大工作。我既看到人们正在意识到现状,我们主要的弟兄们似乎决定要认真地把握工作,我就有了更多的希望。我现在要感到更有勇气了。{PC 44.2}
Sanitarium, Calif.,July 16, 1910
Dear Brother and Sister Kress,
I have received and read your letters. I will say that I have not received light that your connection with the Sanitarium at Takoma Park should be broken. This connection may be a special advantage to you in your missionary work in the cities, and you may also be a help to the health institution in Washington. As the Lord’s servant, set apart to the gospel ministry, you should be fully qualified to speak the truth, pointing sinners to the great Healer of both soul and body.?{PC 42.2}
I have had no light that you should wholly disconnect from the Sanitarium. But it would not be consistent for you to act as head physician; for your work in the cities will lead to your absence from the institution a large part of the time. Your ministerial labor will not disqualify you for counseling with your brethren regarding the work of the institution, nor for doing the work of a physician in the Sanitarium while you are there.?{PC 42.3}
You are both to be led and taught of God. If you individually seek Him daily, you will have the Holy Spirit’s guidance. I can see that you greatly need divine wisdom to enable you to serve in two positions of responsibility,—as a skillful physician, and also as a preacher of the gospel. There must be a daily conversion in order to blend successfully the work for body and soul. I can not tell you in detail just how this should be done, but I know that you can do an important work in the ministry of the Word, in instructing the souls for whom you labor to believe in Jesus Christ. Encourage the suffering ones to receive treatment from the great Physician, for the healing of both body and soul.?{PC 42.4}
A sanitarium is a most favorable place in which to set forth convincing truths. I would that all our physicians might have a living connection with the great Chief Physician, that they might speak wisely to the suffering sick. Those who minister in our sanitariums need to be sanctified, that they may speak words in season, presenting Christ as the Healer of sin-sick souls, as well as of afflicted and diseased bodies.?{PC 42.5}
Not a poisonous drug should be used. When you have a case that does not respond to the use of simple remedies, take it to the Lord in prayer. Talk to Him as the only one who can help. Quote simple scripture with tenderness and faith. As Christ’s chosen physicians, speak His words, sometimes to convince of sin, but always to inspire hope. When laboring for the patients, consider that their sensibilities must be awakened to the fact that Christ came to our world to save perishing souls.?{PC 43.1}
I am pained that there are not more decided efforts put forth to win souls to a belief of the truth. I am pained at the indifference manifested in our institutions established for the care of the sick, by many who know the truth. Many who come to these institutions are ignorant of the great life and death question, and they need to be enlightened. But among those connected with our sanitariums there seems to be a lack of earnest seeking after God, that they may speak words that will exert an influence for the truth. This is a work too often left undone in our churches and in our health institutions. Those connected with these institutions should be representatives of Christ.?{PC 43.2}
In your labors you are acting in Christ’s stead. The mind must be kept open to receive impressions from Him. If you understand the gospel message, remember that you are accountable, if, when you come in contact with those who are unsaved, you do not represent the truth in its saving influence.?{PC 43.3}
I am unable to describe to you the impression made upon my mind when I realize that many, even among our brethren who are teachers of the word, are not daily converted. Christ stands ready to impart wisdom and grace; but those in important positions of responsibility can not guide others in the right paths unless they are converted daily. If they rely upon their own supposed wisdom, they will mislead others who look to them believing that these ministers understand the sacred work entrusted to them. Those who accept responsible charges need to be on their guard, and by humble prayer to be sanctified, refined, and purified. Unless they sense their true condition, and unless they become Christlike, they can never reveal the truth as it is in Jesus.?{PC 43.4}
In the night seasons I seem to be addressing large congregations in the words:?{PC 43.5}
“Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like trumpet, and show My people their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek Me daily, and delight to know My ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.”?{PC 43.6}
The Lord has a decided work to be done now. We need ministers of the gospel who are true to the knowledge of the truth. Many fables of every character will be brought in as subjects of discussion. We must have good, sanctified, common sense in dealing with human minds. May the Lord sanctify our hearts and minds that we may lay hold upon the important work to be done.?{PC 43.7}
I am writing to my brethren most earnestly; for I can not hold my peace. Night after night I am in agony. There is a world to be warned. The neglect to do work that should have been started in various lines many years ago has made the work much harder to plan for and to execute. May the Lord now give wisdom. If the workers make a complete consecration of soul, mind, and body, much may be accomplished.?{PC 44.1}
I have read letters telling of the meetings held in New York City regarding the city work. As you see the magnitude of the work that needs to be done, you can better understand why I have felt so keenly the necessity of having our people arouse that they may sense the situation. May the Lord teach our ministers how to take up the great work that should interest every worker. I have more hope as I see that the situation is being sensed, and that our leading brethren seem determined to take hold of the work earnestly. I shall now feel more courage. -?{PC 44.2}