伯登弟兄和姐妹：
我用心灵和声音感谢主，祂使我们注意到洛马林达，以便我们得着它。我感谢主差派了你们来帮助我以坚决的努力实现祂计划要成为我们的一大福气的事。雷德兰兹将成为一个中心，洛马林达也将如此。将尽快建立一所学校，主必开路。当我看到人们蜂拥到洛杉矶的通知时，就不得不想，要是洛马林达没有被卖给我们，现在会很容易出售。既有主楼和所有相关的建筑，我们就有很大的有利条件。我们若是存谦卑的心与上帝同行，并且按照祂已使我们兴旺的程度行事，就必有基督作我们的朋友和帮助者。“若有人要跟从我，就当舍己，背起他的十字架来跟从我”(太16:24)。这就是我们作门徒的条件。我们愿意遵守这些条件吗?{PC 190.3}
基督原是天国之君，却作出了无限的牺牲，来到一个被堕落的仇敌所带来的咒诅完全损毁了的世界。祂握住堕落的人类。祂邀请我们：“凡劳苦担重担的人可以到我这里来，我就使你们得安息。我心里柔和谦卑，你们当负我的轭，学我的样式;这样，你们心里就必得享安息。因为我的轭是容易的，我的担子是轻省的”(太11:28-30)。这是提供给我们的，如果我们愿意接受条件，每一个有利条件就都是我们的。我正试着最认真地做这件事。我们可以藉着欣然顺从上帝的旨意来作别人的榜样。让我们遵守条件吧，我们在遵守条件时，就必得享我们所渴求的安息。{PC 190.4}
关于霍尔登弟兄的提议，我的看法和你一样。我们担不起以高额薪水开始的计划。这乃是巴特尔克里克人的不幸，关于此点我有话要说。我们面前有巨大的传道工作园地。我们一定要留心基督的要求，祂我们的世界贡献了自己。我们可能做的任何事情都不应当留下不做。应当有整洁和秩序，每件事都要尽可能做得在所有方面都表现出周到来。但涉及到每周支付二十五美元的工资，并且根据所完成的外科手术给予大笔提成，在澳大利亚时已有亮光赐给我，说明绝不能这样，因为我们的记录会陷入危险中。曾被呈现在我面前的事，乃是原应在加利福尼亚州南部建立许多疗养院;因为那里会有大量的人口流入。许多人会追求那里的气候。{PC 191.1}
我们每一个人必须坚持上帝的劝勉，准备好效法耶稣基督的榜样。我们不能同意支付过高的工资。上帝要求祂手下的医师们顺从这一邀请：“我心里柔和谦卑，你们当负我的轭，学我的样式;这样，你们心里就必得享安息。因为我的轭是容易的，我的担子是轻省的”(太11:29,30)。{PC 191.2}
我们看到在信使们被差派到的每一个国家里，都应该给我们为福音操劳的传道人这么多的帮助。在每一个地方都需要有一所学校，在每一个地方也应该有一所疗养院。在耶稣基督里我们能得到帮助和效能来聪明地推进这工作。上帝看到了一些曾在纽约工作过的人所做的大炫耀;但祂并不赞同那种传福音的方式。严肃的信息与大量糠秕混在了一起，这给人留下的印象与我们的工作不协调。要把救恩的好消息传到每一个地方，要把警告传给世界;但我们若本着基督在祂一生的服务中给我们树立为榜样的精神行事，就必须实行节约。祂不会在任何地方以这么大的花销来表现健康改良。{PC 191.3}
福音是与光明和生命相关连的。假如没有日光，全部植物都会死亡，人类的生命也就不能存在。一切动物也都必死掉。我们大家都要考虑不可在任何方面奢侈。我们应当满足于用简单的方式所烹饪的清洁简单的饮食。这应当是上下各阶层人的饮食。要避免掺假的物质。我们正在为将来天国不朽的生命作准备。我们希望在光明中靠着那大医师的能力来做我们的工作。大家都要尽自我牺牲的本分。我们每人都要向基督学习。“你们当学我的样式，”祂说：“我心里柔和谦卑，……这样，你们心里就必得享安息”(太11:29)。{PC 191.4}
在医疗布道工作上、在楼房、在服装或任何一方面的装饰上大事炫耀，都是违背上帝旨意的。要慎重考虑我们的工作，使之符合我们救主的计划。祂原可让众天军来展示祂为真实君王的性质，但祂却撇下那一切，以人性的衣袍来到我们的世界，以人性忍受了人类所受的诸般试探。祂在凡事上受了试探，与人们受试探一样，好能显明我们有可能成为凯旋的得胜者，与基督合一，像基督与父合一。祂到自己的地方来，自己的人却不接待祂;然而凡接待祂的，就是信祂名的人，祂就赐他们权柄，作上帝的儿女。{PC 192.1}
上帝号召安息日复临信徒向世界显明，我们是在为基督已去预备的地方作准备，基督是去为那些愿意藉着顺从在耶稣里的真理来洁净自己心灵的人预备地方。要让每一个愿意来效法基督的人都舍己，背起自己的十字架来跟从祂。那位大教师就是这么说的。
向全家的人致以爱意，
怀爱伦(印章){PC 192.2}
1-Nov-05
“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, California
Brother And Sister Burden,
I thank the Lord with heart and soul and voice that he has brought Loma Linda to our notice, that we might obtain it. I thank the Lord that he has sent you to help me carry out in determined effort that which he designed should be a great blessing to us. Redlands will be a center, and so also will Loma Linda. A school will be established as soon as possible, and the Lord will open the way. I could not but think, as I read the notice of the people flocking into Los Angeles, if Loma Linda had not been sold to us, there would now be a ready sale for it. With all the buildings in connection with the main building, we have large advantages. If we will walk humbly with God, and do according to that which he has prospered us, we will have Christ as our friend and helper. “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” These are the terms of our discipleship. Will we comply with them??{PC 190.3}
Christ was the Prince of heaven, but he made an infinite sacrifice, and came to a world all marred with the curse brought upon it by the fallen foe. He lays hold of the fallen race. He invites us, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” The offer is ours, and every advantage is ours if we will accept the terms. I am trying to do this most earnestly.?We can be an example to others by our cheerful obedience to the will of God. Let us comply with the conditions, and in complying we shall find the rest we crave.?{PC 190.4}
In regard to the proposition made by Brother Holden, I look at the matter as you do. We cannot afford to start out on the high wage plan. This was the misfortune of the people in Battle Creek, and I have something to say on this point. We have before us a large field of missionary work. We are to be sure to heed the requirements of Christ, who made himself a donation to our world. Nothing that we can possibly do should be left undone. There is to be neatness and order, and everything possible is to be done to show thoroughness in every line. But when it comes to paying twenty-five dollars a week, and giving a large percentage on the surgical work done, light was given me in Australia that this could never be, because our record is at stake. The matter was presented to me that many sanitariums would have to be established in Southern California; for there would be a great inflowing of people there. Many would seek that climate.?{PC 191.1}
We must stand in the counsel of God, every one of us prepared to follow the example of Jesus Christ. We cannot consent to pay extravagant wages. God requires of His under-physicians a compliance with the invitation, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”?{PC 191.2}
We see so much help to be given to our ministers laboring in the gospel in every country where messengers are sent. In every place there needs to be a school, and in very many places a sanitarium. In Jesus Christ is our help and our sufficiency to carry the work forward intelligently. God has looked upon the great display made by some who have labored in New York; but He does not harmonize with that way of preaching the gospel. The solemn message becomes mingled with a large amount of chaff, which makes upon minds an impressions that is not in harmony with our work. The good news of saving grace is to be carried to every place; the warning must be given to the world, but economy must be practised if we move in the spirit of which Christ has given us an example in his life-service. He would have nothing of such outlay to represent health reform in any place.?{PC 191.3}
The gospel is associated with light and life. If there were no sunlight, all vegetation would perish, and human life could not exist. All animal life would die. We are all to consider that there is to be no extravagance in any line. We must be satisfied with pure, simple food, prepared in a simple manner. This should be the diet of high and low. Adulterated substances are to be avoided. We are preparing for the future, immortal life in the kingdom of heaven..We expect to do our work in the light and in the power of the great, mighty Healer. All are to act the self-sacrificing part. Every one of us is to learn of Christ. “Learn of me,” he says; “for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”?{PC 191.4}
All the great displays that have been made in the medical missionary work, or in buildings, or in dress, or in any line of adornment, are contrary to the will of God. Our work is to be carefully studied, and is to be in accordance with our Saviour’s plan. He might have had armies of angels to display his true, princely character, but he laid all that aside, and came to our world in the garb of humanity, to suffer with humanity all the temptations wherewith man is tempted. He was tempted in all points as human beings are tempted, that he might reveal that it is possible for us to be victorious overcomers, one with Christ as Christ is one with the Father. He came unto his own, and his own received him not; but as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believed on his name.?{PC 192.1}
God calls upon Seventh-day Adventists to reveal to the world that we are preparing for those mansions that Christ has gone to prepare for those who will purify their souls by obeying the truth as it is in Jesus. Let every soul who will come after Christ, deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow him. Thus saith the great Teacher.?{PC 192.2}
Love to all the family,
Ellen G. White (stamp) -
搜索
