一部东方史诗

      

               Introduction

IN modern missions nothing is more fascinating, instructive, encouraging and thrilling than the lives of those who are enacting the new Acts of the Apostles. On the foreign field we seem to be back again in the early years of the Christian Church, to be living over again the experiences of those who first carried Christianity to now Christian people. And every mission field has its superb and shining example of devotion, courage, self-sacrifice, faith, statesmanship and Christian wisdom. Every field proudly treasures certain great and famous names, and uses them as names to conjure with. These are the recognized vintage of the Church universal.

  简介

在现代宣教历史上，最有意义，最鼓舞人心，最令人震撼的，是宣教士们用生命见证并撰写的‘新’《使徒行传》。他们穷极一生，经历了《使徒行传》中所描述的耶稣的使徒最初建立教会和传播福音的艰难历程。他们在异国他乡，就像回到了基督教会形成的初期，亲身体验那些将福音精神传播至今的先行者们传道殉道的人生经历。我们宣教布道的每一个领域都随处可见光辉卓越的典范。他们的精神表现在奉献，勇敢，自我牺牲，忠诚，政治家风度以及基督徒的智慧。每个领域的典范都当之无愧，他们名字如其内涵，召唤着并激励着无数基督徒。这些宣教士的生命历程被公认为是普世教会传承下来的瑰宝。

Some achieve general reputation, others a local recognition which is beyond all words. Every mission is   richly blessed in the lives of some who have done or are doing an immortal work, without reaching such fame as Livingstone's or Carey's or Martyn's. The time always fails us to tell of many who, through their faith, subdued kingdoms, ruled righteously, gained the fulfilment of God's promises, shut the mouths of lions, quelled the fury of the flames, escaped the edge of the sword, found strength in the hour of weakness, were valiant in war, routed hostile armies and did those other marvellous deeds that belong to the life of faith.

 

宣教士当中有人只获得了一般的声誉，有人却在当地获得了不可言喻的认可。然而对于过去或者现在一直为神做工的传道人来说，即便没有得到像利文斯通、凯里或马丁那样的圣誉，他们每一次的传道，都充满了圣灵的祝福。时间往往让我们淡忘了那些人们—他们因着信仰，平息王国的暴乱，公正地掌管国家，获得了上帝承诺的奖赏；他们让狮子闭嘴，使愤怒火焰熄灭，或让你避开锋利的刀剑，在脆弱的时刻找到支撑的力量；他们使你在战争中英勇无畏，击溃敌军，并完成了那些属灵的千秋伟业。