| 是一或是二 | |
| 經文: 「就是那在以法蓮手中的，與猶大的杖一同接連為一，在我手中成為一根。」（以西結書卅七：19） | |
| 若你問我：「你相信那一個？」我會說：「兩個都信。」「為什麼？」「因為上帝就是這麼定意的。」有一百萬的非洲人民溶入三億人口的大英國協，這件事的發生都在上帝的安排之下，讓這兩條大川小河匯為一道主流。這兩個國家，無論大小，他們都有各自的歷史、各自的民族性，以及各自的優缺點，在上帝的計劃下，都有各自發展的空間。 我們為何要自找麻煩地問：這是一條河或是兩條河？人們不希望接受兩個種族混合的觀點，因有礙他們的權益，他們希望單純化以一族來統治。但他們忘記上帝所說：「上帝己將他們融合，人們不要插手干預。」 那些真正明白上帝心意，且願照祂旨意行的人，必定瞭解上帝的雙重呼召：既能忠實保存各民族的個別獨特性，又能兼顧較小民族的福祉，置此民族的命運在上帝旨意的蔭庇下。 上帝在這塊土地上，給祂的百姓一個神聖偉大的呼召，就是順服祂的旨意，藉著祂的大愛，尊嚴地做一個真正南非人；同時也能做一個忠心的大英國協子民，而我們對上帝的愛，和對眾人的愛，就是我們行為最佳的動機。 以法蓮和猶大的杖，在上帝的手中成為一根，仍保有各自的獨特性，彼此間的愛維繫了相互的合一。「以法蓮不嫉妒猶大，猶大也不眼紅以法蓮。」上帝要成就對我們的承諾，有一個條件，「就是我們要藉著禱告，將我們的百姓交在上帝的手中，因為在上帝的手中，就能合而為一。」是的，讓我們藉著祈禱，將我們的同胞放在上帝的手中，祂「能」也「肯」將那合一的愛放在我們每一個人的心中。 | |
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| ONE STREAM OR TWO STREAMS? | |
| Scripture: "The stick of Ephraim, and the stick of Judah, I will make them one stick, and they shall be one in Mine hand."—EZER. xxx vii. 19. | |
| If any one were to ask me: "In which of these two do you believe?" my answer would be: "In both." "And why?" "Because God has so willed it." When the small stream of the Africander people, with less than one million souls, was turned into the mighty stream of the British Empire, with its three hun¬dred millions, it was God's will that this should happen. It was His will that in the great stream there should be two streams, side by side. The two nationalities, the smaller as well as the greater, have each their own history, their own national characteristics, and their own special virtues and shortcomings. In God's plan and council there was room for both. Why has there been such terrible strife and discord over the question: One Stream or Two Streams? Because people would not accept both viewpoints, and accord to each its right. They wanted one or the other, exclusively, in the foreground. They forgot that God had said: "What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." One who is really desirous of knowing and doing God's will—in His dealings with our people—must try to understand his twofold calling: to be faithful in preserving his own nationality; and at the same time to show his love and appre¬ciation of the second nationality, with whom, under God's Providence, his lot has been cast. God has given to His people, in this land, a great and holy calling, in submission to His will, and in the power of His love, to prove what it is to be a true Africander, and yet, at the same time, a faithful subject of the British Empire. Our love to God and to our neighbors will supply the right incentive. When Ephraim and Judah became one in God's hand, the difference between the two was not destroyed. Each kept his own characteristics. But the oneness was that of true unity and mutual love. "Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim." God will fulfil this promise to us; but on one condition: We must place our people in God's hand by our prayers. "They shall be one in Mine hand." Let us, by means of intercession, place our people in God's hand. He can, and will, give the love and mutual forbearance that is needed. | |
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