历史上的新危机

shiyi18

(jfljhta fnlaitfc JJttsstatt §rager Ettion Journal letter.
1897年1月。致祈祷者联盟的成员: 亲爱的基督里的朋友们，-
由于上帝的温柔怜悯，使我恢复了健康。
由于神的温柔怜悯，使我恢复了健康，在将近两年的病痛和沉默之后，我被允许再次向你们讲话。
在经过近两年的疾病和沉默之后，我被允许再一次向你们讲话。在这样做的时候，我感到不得不向神发出赞美的声音，不仅为过去和现在的力量，也为长期持续的病痛。主所赐给我的东西中，很少有能比在病中的日子更充满祝福的。
比现在结束的虚弱和不活动的日子更充满祝福的事情
结束。尽管涉及到所有的事情，但神的恩典被发现是足够的，而对我们有福的主的爱和能力所获得的新知识是一种补偿，远远超过任何痛苦。请允许我感谢你们为我所做的祈祷。
请允许我感谢你们为我所做的祷告，这些祷告在很大程度上支持了我，并最终使我康复。我相信我们的天父会将所有这些回归到你们自己的生活中，并相信他可以像你们要求的那样祝福你们
我相信我们的天父会把所有这些都归到你们自己的生活中，而且他可以像你们要求他祝福我那样祝福你们。你们中的大多数人都知道，我在工作中遇到的病痛是我前往美国的原因。
是我第二次去中国的原因，也是我最终环游世界的原因。我在中国呆了一年多，沿着中国的海岸线和内陆地区旅行了几百英里，最后，在许多条约规定的港口接触到了
在中国停留了大半年，沿着海岸线和内陆地区旅行了几百英里，最后，在环绕地球的大异教徒国家的许多条约港口接触到了
我对我们的主的意义有了一个全新的理解。
我对我们的主的命令的含义有了全新的理解。
他说："你们求庄稼的主，叫他打发人去收庄稼"。没有一个基督徒能像上帝所看到的那样看待这个世界，而不去感受，至少在某种程度上，像上帝一样
感受，也不会有基督在看到众人像没有牧人的羊一样分散在各地时的那种怜悯。显而易见，整个世界都在恶者的掌控之中。尽管主为所有人而死，尽管他把他的能力全部奉献给了
祂通过圣灵将祂的能力丰盛给了地上的教会。
尽管教会在每个时代都能接触到所有国家和每一个生物，但整个世界对基督和圣灵几乎一无所知，就像上帝从未拿出他的力量来拯救一样，就像我们的主人和主从未吩咐他的孩子把好消息传到最远的地方一样。
我们的主人和主从来没有命令他的孩子把喜讯传到地球的最远处。这是个较短的旅程
比大多数人所知道的要短得多，而穿越异教所需的时间则比
而穿越热土所需的时间却比大多数人理解的要长。到现在
到现在，尽管自基督死而复生以来已经过去了19个世纪
虽然基督死而复生已经过了十九个世纪，但在我们这个小地方之外的大国
根据圣经中确定的话语，由于他们没有上帝，他们也是 "没有希望"。
盼望"。确实需要怜悯，也需要
祈祷的需要。整个世界的需要就是中国此时的特殊需要。毫无疑问，今天中国的异教徒比一百年前传教士工作开始时的人数还要多。
一百多年前，中国的异教徒人数更多。除此之外，中国已经来到了历史上的一个新危机。
到了历史上的新危机。最近与日本的战争
导致这块土地摆脱了长期的闭关锁国，而我们也即将看到。
毫无疑问，我们即将看到中国境内的许多重要变化。
在其境内的许多重要变化。但随着这些变化，其人民中会出现更多的不敬虔而非敬虔，因为外国地区的文明进步者往往是撒旦的仆人而非见证者。
往往是撒旦的仆人，而不是基督里真理的见证人。
此外，文明不是基督教，而且所谓的 "基督教 "往往并不意味着灵魂皈依上帝。如果我们可以从中国的条约港口来判断，那里的文明已经消失，我们担心不义的闸门即将向中国的数百万人打开，这是过去所没有的，而且传教士团体将被迫向上帝呼求，正如我们中的一些人长期以来所祈祷的那样，福音可以在文明之前而不是后面，许多人对文明抱有很大希望。无论怎样，都需要向主作无尽的祷告，让他在这个时候以一种特殊的方式将中国放在各地上帝子民的心上，以便现在打开的门可以立即进入，已经开始的工作可以得到维护和进一步推进，并让这一代人中从未听说过耶稣之名的垂死的数百万人在他们走之前被告知那位已经死去、复活并将再次出现的耶稣。
我们很高兴知道，你们作为中国内地传教祈祷联盟的成员，以一种特殊的方式认识到你们在为中国祈祷方面的特权；此外，你们被圣灵引导，为我们祈祷，使我们能够从高处获得能力，完成我们对那片土地和人民的服务。我们无法告诉你们，知道一千多名基督徒朋友在这样一个神圣的联盟中为我们祈祷，对我们来说是多么大的力量；我们渴望这项事工能够继续下去，并且能够增加它。现在我们回顾一下，作为一个使团，我们为中国服务了31年，目前我们认为这些年的服务成果是上帝对我们的恩赐的一个信号。我们不能宣称自己有任何类似于不间断的信仰或忠诚；但我们认为耶稣是赦免罪恶的人，是错误的主宰，是接受不完美服务的人，是伟大而荣耀的工人，他使我们无法完成的事情得以实现。"所有这些，以及上帝所看到的任何信仰和圣洁，都是你们自己和其他人祈祷的结果。随着祈祷的进行，工作得到了发展；当祈祷在任何意义上减少时，工作就在那段时间里枯萎了。一切都取决于上帝；因此一切都取决于祈祷。祈祷为上帝创造了空间，并部分地消除了我们对他的限制。那么，任何人都不要以为，因为传道会已经建立起来，有了国内和国外的组织，有了分散在中国各地的七百名工人，有了三百名本地的助手，有了许多站和外站，有了学校、医院和药房，就不再需要祈祷了；不要以为，因为上帝在过去的这些年里，在资金、工人和其他一切方面，已经如此显著地满足了我们的需要，无论有没有祈祷，他都会这样做。不要以为现在有这么多人为我们祈祷，即使有一两个人不继续祈祷也没有什么关系。我们今天需要，将来也需要，不是减少祈祷者，而是增加祈祷者。为了我们自己和中国的利益，我们渴望在我们的范围内大大增加代祷，包括祈祷者的数量，以及祈祷的频率和强度。如果那些在传教会内外与我们同工的人愿意和我们一起等待，那么已经做了这么多的上帝将做得更多。
中国的数百万人。
恳求我们荣耀的主。传道会自开始工作以来，并没有成为所有组织中最小和最弱的组织。
我们当时什么都不是，我们现在也是什么都不是。那么，亲爱的朋友们，请祈祷，并邀请其他人祈祷，让上帝用他的智慧弥漫我们的无知。
我们的软弱能得到祂的力量，并使我们的虚无成为展示祂的能力和威严的场合和机会。
使我们的虚无成为展示祂的能力和威严的机会，为祂的名迅速从中国聚集出一群人。我们要再次提醒你们，你们的任何朋友都可以加入
加入我们的联盟，成为其中的一员，并在上帝面前成为纪念者。
只要告诉我们他的名字和地址。一旦收到该人直接提供的信息，或通过已经是联盟成员的人提供的信息，我们就会向他发送一份关于他的信息。
我们将发送一张会员卡。这张卡和
卡片或《中国的百万人口》的副本不收费。
如果可能的话，我们将把《中国百万》的副本转发给联盟的每个成员，为期一年；但是，如果有人希望支付卡片的费用，他可以这样做。
然而，如果有人想支付卡片的费用，他可以通过汇款25美分来实现；如果他想支付《中国百万》的费用，他可以通过汇款来实现。
如果他想支付报纸的费用，他可以再汇50美分来支付。愿上帝在他的恩典和怜悯中听到并回应我们对彼此和中国的共同祈求，并在今年倾注如此大的祝福，以至于没有足够的空间来接受它。因此，"归于那爱我们，用自己的血洗净我们的罪，并使我们成为上帝和他父亲的君王和祭司的人；愿荣耀和统治权归于他，直到永远。阿门。" 带着感激的回忆。
你在我们的主里，-^Y ?-iUHome主任。




(jfljhta fnlaitfc JJttsstatt §rager Ettion Journal letter.
January, 1897. To tlie Members of the Prayer Union : Dear Friends in Christ,—
Through the tender mercy of God in restoring me to
health, I am permitted, after nearly two years of sickness and
silence, to address you once more. In doing so, I feel constrained to raise my voice of praise to God, not only for past and present strength, but also for the long continued sickness. Few things that the Lord has ever granted me have been more
full of blessing than the days of weakness and inactivity now
ended. In spite of all they involved, God's grace was found to be sufficient, and the new knowledge obtained of the love and power of our blessed Lord was a compensation far outweighing any suffering. Allow me to thank you for the prayers which
you offered in my behalf, and which went so far both to sustain, and, finally, to restore me. I trust our Father may return all such into your own lives, and that He may bless you as you
have asked Him to bless me. As most of you know, the sickness which overtook me in my
work was the occasion of my going to China for a second time, and, ultimately, of journeying around the world. Staying in China for the greater part of a year, travelling some hundreds of miles along its coast and into the interior, and, finally, touching
at a large number of the treaty ports of the great heathen
nations encircling the globe, I came into an altogether new
understanding of the meaning of our Lord's command when He
said, " Pray ye the Lord of the harvest that He will send forth labourers into His harvest." No Christian can look upon this world as God sees it without feeling, somewhat at least, as God
feels, and without having- something of the compassion that Christ had as He beheld the multitudes scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd. Manifestly, the whole world lies in the evil one. Though the Lord died for all ; though He gave
the fulness of His power, through the Spirit, to His Church
on earth ; though the Church could have reached all the nations and every creature in each generation, the world at large is almost in as dense ignorance of Christ and the Holy Ghost as if God had never put forth His power to save, and as if our Master and Lord had never commanded His children to bear the glad
tidings to the uttermost part of the earth. It is a shorter journey
out of Christendom than most people know, and it takes longer
to pass through heathendom than most will understand. To
this hour, though nineteen centuries have passed since Christ
died and rose again, the great nations, outside of our little corner
of the earth, know not God, and, according to the sure word of Scripture, as they are without God, they are also " without
hope." There is indeed need of compassion, and there is need
of prayer. The need of the world at large is China's special need at this time. There can be no doubt that there are more heathen in China to-day than there were when missionary work began
there, one hundred years ago. Besides this, China has come
to a new crisis in its history. The late war with Japan has
resulted in bringing the land out of its long seclusion, and we
are upon the point of seeing, no doubt, many important changes
within its borders. But with these changes will come in amongst its people more of ungodliness than of godliness, for the advancers of civilization in foreign parts are more often the
servants of Satan than witnesses to the truth as it is in Christ.
Besides this, civilization is not Christianity, and often so-called" Christianity " does not mean conversion of souls to God.If we may judge from the treaty ports in China, where civili-zation has already gone, we fear that the flood-gates of iniquityare about to be opened upon China's millions as not in all thepast, and that missionary bodies will be forced to cry to God,assome of us have prayed for long, that the Gospel maygobefore rather than behind the civilization from which manyarehoping so much. However this may be, there is need ofincessant prayer to the Lord, that He may lay China in a specialway upon the hearts of God's people everywhere, at this time,to the end that the doors which are now opened may be at onceentered, that the work which has been begun may be preservedand further advanced, and that the dying millions of this generation, who have never yet heard the name of Jesus, maybetold, ere they go hence, of Him who died and rose and is comingagain.
It is a joy to us to know that you, as members of the ChinaInland Mission Prayer Union, have recognized in a special wayyour privilege in reference to praying for China ; and that inaddition, you have been led of the Spirit to offer prayer for us,that we may be empowered from on High for the fulfilment ofour service toward that land and its people. We cannot tell youwhat strength it is to us to know that over one thousand Christianfriends are banded together in such a holy league of prayer in ourbehalf; and we covet a continuance of this ministry, as wellas an increase of it. We now look back, as a Mission, tothirty-one years of service for China, and we see at present theoutcome of these years of service as a signal token of God'sprovidential dealings with us. We can make no claim to anythinglike unbroken faith or faithfulness, on our part ; but we beholdJesus as the forgiver of sins, the over-ruler of mistakes, theaccepter of imperfect service, and the great and glorious Workerwho has brought to pass what we could not have accomplished.All this, and whatever of faith and holiness God has seen, havebeen the result of prayer offered by yourselves and by others.The Mission was born of prayer and it has been continuedthrough prayer. As prayer has been made, the work hasflourished ; as prayer has in any sense decreased, the work hasfor that time languished. Everything has depended upon God; therefore everything has depended upon prayer. Prayer hasmade room for God and has taken away, in part, the limitationswhich we have put upon Him. Let no one think then, becausethe Mission has become established, with its home and foreignorganizations, with its seven hundred workers scattered abroadthroughout China, with its three hundred native helpers, andwith its many stations and out-stations, and with its schools,hospitals and dispensaries, that there is no more need for prayer; let no one think that because God has so remarkably suppliedour need during all the years that have passed, in funds, inworkers, and in all else, that He will do so whether there is or isnot prayer. And let no one think that there are so many prayingfor us now that it will little matter if one or two do not continueto pray. We need to-day, and will need in the future, not lessprayer but more prayer. For our own sakes and for China'ssake, we long for a great enlargement of intercession in ourbehalf, both in the number of those who pray, and in thefrequency and in the intensity of the prayers offered. God, Whohas done so much, will do far more, if those who are one withus in service, both in and out of the Mission, will but wait with
CHINA'S MILLIONS.
importunity upon our glorified Lord.. The Mission has not become something since it began its work, the smallest and
feeblest of all organizations ; we were nothing then, and we are nothing now. Pray then, beloved friends, and invite others to pray, that God may pervade our ignorance with His wisdom,
our weakness with His strength, and make our nothingness the occasion and opportunity for the display of His might and
majesty, to the speedy gathering out from China a people for His name. We would remind you again that any of your friends may join
in our Union as a member of it, and a remembrancer before God,
by giving us his name and address. Upon receiving this, direct from the person, or through one who is already a member
of the Union, we will send a card of membership. There is no
charge for the card, or for the copy of "China's Millions" which
will be forwarded, if possible, to each member of the Union for a year ; if, however, any person wishes to cover the expense
of the card, he may do so by remitting twenty-five cents ; if
he wishes to cover the cost of the paper, he may do so by remitting an additional fifty cents. Be assured that we will pray for you, as you pray for us.May God in His grace and mercy hear and answer our unitedpetitions for one another and for China, and pour out in thispresent year such a blessing that there shall not be room enoughto receive it. And thus " Unto Him that loved us, and washed us fromour sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priestsunto God and His Father ; to Him be glory and dominion,for ever and ever. Amen." With grateful remembrances,
Yours in our Lord, • ^Y ??- -iUHome Director.