保尔森选集_《信函》1890年第35号

《信函》1890年第35号

1890年2月16日写于密歇根州巴特尔克里克

亲爱的韦塞尔斯弟兄：

我不得不为延迟回复你的信而道歉。我的职责似乎是参加传道短训班，并向聚集在那里的兄弟们讲话。然后我又必需让四名工人忙于各种各样的书。这事还有我写的许多信使我从凌晨三点一直忙到晚上七点。我的弟兄，我对你的困惑和考验深感同情。关于为病人祷告，此事非常重要，不可轻忽对待。我认为我们应把一切事带到主面前，把我们一切的软弱和困难都告诉祂。当我们在忧伤的时候，在不知如何是好的时候，二三位习惯于祷告的人应聚集在一起求主光照他们，向他们特别施恩，祂必重视他们的请求，应允他们的祈求。如果我们身体有软弱，就应坚定信靠上帝，把我们的病情向主陈诉。如果我们愿意和其他我们所信任的人一同祈求那位大能的帮助者耶稣，只要我们凭着信心求，帮助就一定会来到。我觉得我们太小信、太冷淡、太不热心了。{PC 28.1}

我知道，当一个人卧病在床，请教会的长老来时，要实行《雅各书》中的教训，要遵行其中的指示，奉主的名抹油在病人身上，以信心的祷告为他们祈祷。我们读到：“出于信心的祈祷要救那病人，主必叫他起来，他若犯了罪，也必蒙赦免”（雅5:15）。我们不应该为每一点小病去叫教会的长老来，因为这会把重担放在他们身上。如果大家都这样做了，他们的时间就会被挤满而不能做别的事情了，可是主赐给我们特权可以藉着诚恳的祷告亲自去寻求祂，完全投靠祂，把一切重担都卸给祂。祂曾邀请我们：“凡劳苦担重担的人可以到我这里来，我就使你们得安息”（太11:28）。耶稣愿意并且能够承担我们的一切软弱，加添我们的力量，医治我们一切的疾病，只要这对我们有好处并增进祂的荣耀。想到这一点，我们是多么感激啊！在基督和使徒时代，一些人的去世是因为主知道什么对于他们是最好的。我不会说一句话来减轻你的信心，令你困惑，让你担心。我们永远不会有太认真、对上帝有太多的信心和信任的危险。要有勇气，时常仰望耶稣。{PC 28.2}

我们能够为自己做些什么呢？这个问题需要小心谨慎地考虑。我必须了解自己，必须不断学习如何照料上帝给我的这座建筑——身体，使之保持在最佳的健康状态。我必须吃最有利于自己身体的食物。我必须特别注意自己的衣着，以保持血液的正常循环。我不可剥夺自己的锻炼和空气。我必须尽可能地摄取阳光，必须有智慧忠心地监护我的身体。在出汗的时候走进一个寒冷的房间是很不明智的，坐在风口上让自己受凉，也会表明我是一个不明智的管家。双脚和四肢冰凉地坐着，从而把血液从四肢驱赶到大脑和内脏中去，这也是很不明智的。在潮湿的天气我应该始终不让自己的脚受潮。我必须有规律地吃最合健康的食物，以制造出最优质的血液。在我的能力范围内，如果可以避免的话，就不要操劳过度。我若违犯了上帝为我的身体而制定的法律，就要悔改和改革，使自己处于最有利的地方接受上帝所预备之医生的治疗——纯洁的空气、纯净的水和宝贵而有医治之能的阳光。在解除痛苦上，水可作多方面的贡献。在进食之前喝清洁的热水(大约半夸脱即500毫升左右)总不会出毛病，反而会有益处。用猫薄荷香草沏的一杯茶会使神经镇静下来。葎草茶有助于睡眠。葎草膏放在胃上会减轻疼痛。如果眼睛衰弱、疼痛或发炎，柔软的法兰绒布在热水和盐中浸湿，会很快带来缓解。头脑充血时，若将双脚和四肢放到水中加上一点芥末，就能得到缓解。还有许多其它简单的疗法，对于恢复身体健康的功能会起到很大作用。主希望我们为自己使用这一切简单的方法，但人的尽头是上帝的机会。如果我们疏于去做几乎每一个家庭都力所能及的事，太懒惰，不肯运用自己可以运用的疗法，同时却去求上帝来解除疾病，就只是一种僭妄的行为。上帝希望我们工作，以获取食物。我们只有先开垦、耕作、种植，上帝才会让我们收成。然后上帝会赐下阳光、雨露和云彩，使植物生长。上帝在作工，人则与上帝配合，才会有撒种，有收成。上帝使地生出药草供人使用。如果我们明白这些根和药草的性质，正确地使用它们，就不必这么经常去看病了，人们的身体也会比现在健康得多。我相信我们在使用我所提到的疗法时，是在求告大医师。关于工作方式，我们肯定需要灵巧像蛇，驯良像鸽子。我们可能会很热心，但却可能是一种不明智的热心，会阻碍我们的道路。于是我们的工作就有受到限制以致成就很少的危险。{PC 28.3}

Now in regard to that which we can do for ourselves. There is a point that requires careful, thoughtful consideration. I must become acquainted with myself, I must be a learner always as to how to take care of this building, the body God has given me, that I may preserve it in the very best condition of health. I must eat those things which will be for my very best good physically, and I must take special care to have my clothing such as will conduce to a healthful circulation of the blood. I must not deprive myself of exercise and air. I must get all the sunlight that it is possible for me to obtain. I must have wisdom to be a faithful guardian of my body. I should do a very unwise thing to enter a cool room when in a perspiration; I should show myself an unwise steward to allow myself to sit in a draught,and thus expose myself so as to take cold. I should be unwise to sit with cold feet and limbs and thus drive back the blood from the extremities to the brain or internal organs. I should always protect my feet in damp weather. I should eat regularly of the most healthful food which will make the best quality of blood, and I should not work intemperately if it is in my power to avoid doing so. And when I violate the laws God has established in my being, I am to repent and reform, and place myself in the most favorable condition under the doctors God has provided,—pure air, pure water, and the healing, precious sunlight. Water can be used in many ways to relieve suffering. Draughts of clear, hot water, taken before eating (half a quart, more or less), will never do any harm, but will rather be productive of good. A cup of tea made from catnip herb will quiet the nerves. Hop tea will induce sleep. Hop poultices over the stomach will relieve pain. If the eyes are weak, if there is pain in the eyes, or inflammation, soft flannel clothes wet in hot water and salt, will bring relief quickly. When the head is congested, if the feet and limbs are put in a bath with a little mustard, relief will be obtained. There are many more simple remedies which will do much to restore healthful action to the body. All these simple preparations the Lord expects us to use for ourselves, but man’s extremities are God’s opportunities. If we neglect to do that which is within the reach of nearly every family, and ask the Lord to relieve pain, when we are too indolent to make use of these remedies within our power, it is simply presumption. The Lord expects us to work in order that we obtain food. He does not propose that we shall gather the harvest unless we break the sod, till the soil, and cultivate the produce. Then God sends the rain and the sunshine and the clouds to cause vegetation to flourish. God works and man cooperates with God. Then there is seed time and harvest. God has caused to grow out of the ground, herbs for the use of man, and if we understand the nature of those roots and herbs, and make a right use of them, there would not be a necessity of running for the doctor, so frequently, and people would be in much better health than they are today. I believe in calling upon the Great Physician when we have used the remedies I have mentioned. In regard to manner of labor, we certainly need to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. We might be very zealous, but it might be an unwise zeal, and serve to hedge up our way. Then there is danger of being so circumscribed in our work as to do very little good.{PC 28.3}

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