亲爱的伯登弟兄:
刚才读了你的信。我刚看完就说:“我不会征求任何人的意见,因为我对这件事毫无疑问。”我劝威利给你发一封电报,不要花时间征求弟兄们的意见。要尽一切办法得到那块地产,以便占有它,然后获得你足能支付的所有钱来占有那个地方。这就是我们应该拥有的那块地产。不要耽搁;因为它正是我们所需要的。一得到它,工作组就可以在其中开始运作。我认为可以获得足够的帮助来完成这件事。我希望你确保在得到购买那块地产的权利方面不会浪费时间。我们将尽最大努力帮助你筹集资金。我知道雷德兰兹和里弗赛德应当开工,我祈求主开恩,不要让别人而不是我们得到这块地产。{PC 235.3}
我们从旧金山到华盛顿进行了一次非常愉快的旅行。在车厢里举行了好几次诗歌礼拜,这很成功。我们一行人之外的许多乘客都加入了歌唱。{PC 235.4}
我正在从离家前三周患上的感冒恢复过来。星期四上午,我在大帐篷里讲了道,安息日上午又讲了一次。大帐篷里挤满了人,有人告诉我,即使是坐在后面座位上的人,也能很清楚地听到我的声音。我将在我的讲稿写出来后寄给你一份。{PC 235.5}
今天,星期日,赫斯格长老上午讲了道。下午的聚会被雷暴打断了。雨水透过大帐篷,人们不得不急急忙忙走到小帐篷里。{PC 235.6}
这里的学校和疗养院正在做一项很好的工作。正在收到完成十万美元基金的钱。上个星期五的上午,在一次为此目的举行的聚会上,代表们为华盛顿的工作交纳了大约六千美元。许多区会当时没有得到充分的报告,在本周末,还会交上来几千美元。{PC 236.1}
我们希望这次聚会将是成就许多善事的手段。主若看见我们在恳切寻求祂,祂就必被我们寻见。唉,超越工作的简朴实在是令人悲哀。 当我们谦卑到足以领受智慧时,主一定会教导我们祂的道路。我是如此渴望上帝:我必须有刚强的信心,我必须有坚定的见证,这是不会被削弱的。圣经的真理将会获胜,我的心多么渴望看到我们的教会肢体获得深刻的经验,这将经得起摆在我们面前的考验。{PC 236.2}
让我们趁耶和华可寻找的时候寻找祂,相近的时候求告祂吧。“恶人当离弃自己的道路;不义的人当除掉自己的意念。归向耶和华,耶和华就必怜恤他;当归向我们的上帝,因为上帝必广行赦免”(赛55:7)。{PC 236.3}
让我们为自己的脚把道路修直了吧。主必不让那些爱祂并守祂诫命的人被仇敌破坏。要做简短的工作。让我们阅读和研究《以赛亚书》第五十五章和第五十六章吧;因为它们包含着奇妙的鼓励,耶和华要我们将一切可能的提升带给祂的子民。{PC 236.4}
“耶和华如此说:你们当守公平,行公义;因我的救恩临近,我的公义将要显现。谨守安息日而不干犯,禁止己手而不作恶;如此行、如此持守的人便为有福。{PC 236.5}
“与耶和华联合的外邦人不要说:耶和华必定将我从祂民中分别出来。太监也不要说:我是枯树。因为耶和华如此说:那些谨守我的安息日,拣选我所喜悦的事,持守我约的太监,我必使他们在我殿中,在我墙内,有记念,有名号,比有儿女的更美。我必赐他们永远的名,不能剪除。{PC 236.6}
“还有那些与耶和华联合的外邦人,要事奉祂,要爱耶和华的名,要作祂的仆人,就是凡守安息日不干犯,又持守我约的人。我必领他们到我的圣山,使他们在祷告我的殿中喜乐。他们的燔祭和平安祭,在我坛上必蒙悦纳,因我的殿必称为万民祷告的殿。主耶和华,就是招聚以色列被赶散的,说:在这被招聚的人以外,我还要招聚别人归并他们”(赛56:1-8)。{PC 236.7}
这是主的话。要开辟每一个可能的地方。我们应当本着信心操劳,持定那保证要为我们行大事的能力。我们应当本着信心在洛杉矶、在雷德兰兹和里弗赛德向外传播。{PC 237.1}
Dear Brother Burden,
Your letter has just been read. I had no sooner finished reading it then I said, “I will consult no one; for I have no question at all about the matter.” I advised Willie to send you a telegram without spending time to ask the advice of the brethren. Secure the property by all means, so that it can be held, and then obtain all the money you can make sufficient payments to hold the place. This is the very property that we ought to have. Do not delay; for it is just what is needed. As soon as it is secured, a working force can begin operations in it. I think that sufficient help can be secured to carry this matter through. I want you to be sure to lose no time in securing the right to purchase the property. We will do our utmost to help you raise the money. I know that Redlands and Riverside are to be worked, and I pray that the Lord may be gracious, and not allow any one else to get this property instead of us.?{PC 235.3}
We had a very pleasant trip from San Francisco to Washington. Several times a song-service was held in the car, and this took well. Many of the passengers outside of our party united in the singing.?{PC 235.4}
I am recovering from the cold that I caught about three weeks before leaving home. On Thursday morning I spoke in the large tent, and on Sabbath morning I spoke again. The large tent was crowded, and I am told that my voice could be heard very distinctly even by those on the seats at the very back. I shall send you a copy of my talk when it is written out.?{PC 235.5}
Today, Sunday, Elder Haskell spoke in the forenoon. The afternoon meeting was broken up by a thunderstorm. The rain came through the large tent, and people were?obliged to hurry away to the small tents.?{PC 235.6}
A good work is being done on the school and sanitarium land here. Money is coming in for the completion of the one hundred thousand dollar fund. Last Friday morning, at a meeting held for this purpose, about six thousand dollars were handed in by the delegates for the Washington work. A great many Conferences had not at that time reported fully, and at the end of this week, there will be several thousand dollars more to hand in.?{PC 236.1}
We hope that this meeting will be the means of accomplishing much good. If the Lord sees that we are in earnest in seeking Him, He will be found of us. Oh, it would be sad indeed to get above the simplicity of the work. When we are humble enough to receive wisdom, the Lord will certainly teach us His way. I have such a hungering and thirsting after God: I must have a strong faith, and I must bear a decided testimony, which will not be weakened. Bible truth will prevail, and oh, how my heart longs to see our church members obtaining a deep experience, which will stand the test that is before us.?{PC 236.2}
Let us seek the Lord while He may be found, and call upon Him while He is near. “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God; for He will abundantly pardon.”?{PC 236.3}
Let us make straight paths for our feet. The Lord will not leave those who love Him and keep His commandments to be spoiled by the enemy. A short work is to be done. Let us read and study the fifty-fifth and fifty-sixth chapters of Isaiah; for they contain wonderful encouragement, and the Lord wants us to bring all the uplifting possible to His people.?{PC 236.4}
“Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice; for My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.?{PC 236.5}
“Neither let the son of the stranger that hath joined himself to the Lord speak saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from His people; neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my Sabbaths, and choose the things that please Me, and take hold of My covenant: Even to them will I give in Mine house and within My walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.?{PC 236.6}
“Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him, and to love the name of the Lord,?to be His servants, every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of My covenant; even them will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer; their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon Mine altar; for Mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. The Lord God, which gathereth the outcasts of Israel, saith, Yet will I gather others to Him, beside those that are gathered unto Him.”?{PC 236.7}
Here is the word of the Lord. Open up every place possible. We are to labor in faith, taking hold of a power that is pledged to do large things for us. We are to reach out in faith in Los Angeles and in Redlands and Riverside. -?{PC 237.1}