我亲爱的母会,
我应该对你说点什么呢? 我不知道当我回到自己的国家时我该做些什么, 因为你们对我非常慈爱。我倾尽所有也找不到一句话足够表达对你的感谢,所以我只能感谢上帝给我们预备了如此美善的教会。我在英国待了两年,见过很多奇妙的事, 最奇妙的是教会奇妙的爱。你的慈爱和善举深深感动了我, 所以我下定决心把最好的献给我们亲爱的阿爸父。我想请你们为我和我的国家祈祷, 而我们也会同样为亲爱的英格兰祈祷。我期望中国能像我一样热爱英格兰,英格兰也热爱中国,而英国和中国在一起,热爱耶稣。
我即将回到自己的祖国,但我把我许多的爱留在英格兰,我永远不会忘记我亲爱的朋友。我在美丽如仙境般的英格兰度过了一段很快乐的时光。你送我去伯明翰传教士学院,这给了我极大地幸福, Happy Kingsmead!我在那里学习了一年,学到了很多有用的知识,现在我认识了很多人。学校有很多同工,我们来自不同的差会:有卫斯理教会、始初循道会、教友会、圣公会、还有派我过来的圣道公会。我们学校的学生不仅来自英国,也来自其他国家:瑞典、挪威、荷兰、丹麦、瑞士、印度、中国、马达加斯加。我和他们都熟识也很爱他们。我们肤色不同,服饰不同,语言不同;但我们有同一位上帝,我们心灵相通;我们都是亲密的弟兄姊妹,一同住在世界大家庭里;这是我在心爱的英格兰学到的最重要的事情了。
大学毕业后,传教委员会给了我一个很好的的机会,去游历各地的教会,去结交许多的朋友,去感受你们奇妙的爱。现在你们派遣我亲爱的朋友苏慕才女士和我一起回中国。母会给了我所有的快乐,我已无法用语言表达,唯愿上帝赐福给你们所有人。
深切地热爱着你们的中国姑娘
李霜梅
译者:珛莉
编:柏苗
鸣谢:东旻博士为此译稿提供了宝贵的建议,在此致谢!然译文究竟怎样,文责自负,各位敬请批评指正!
附英文原文:
A letter from Miss Li Shuang Mei
My DEAR MOTHER CHURCH,
WHAT shall I say to you? I don’t know what I shall do when I go back to my own country,because you have been too kind to me. I have no words enough to say thank-you,so 1 will thank God for giving us this kind Mother Church. I have been in England two years, and I have seen many wonderful things,but the most wonderful thing is the great love of the Church. All your kindness and your good influence have moved my heart,,so I have made up my mind I will do my best for our dear Heavenly Father all my life.I want you to pray for me and for my country, and we will pray for dear England. I want China to love England as I do, and England to love China, and all together love Jesus Christ.
I am going back to my home, but I leave plenty of love in England, and I will never forget my dear friends.I have had a very happy time in beautiful, fairy England. It gave me great happiness when you sent me to the Birmingham Missionary College, Happy Kingsmead! I have studied there for one year; and have learnt many useful things.I know many people now.We had people from different missionary societies in our College: Wesleyan,Primitive Methodist,Friends,Church of England and I United Methodist. And not only English people come to our College, but some from other countries,Sweden,Norway,Holland,Denmark, Switzerland,India,China,Madagascar.I know them all very well,and I love them very much.We only have different skin different,different clothes, different language;we all have the same God, and the same heart;we are all dear brothers and sisters, one big family in the world;that is the great thing I have learnt in dear England.
After College the Missionary Committee gave me a very good opportunity to go round to the Churches, to know many friends,and to see your wonderful love.Now you are sending my dear friend Miss Squire back to China with me.The Mother Church has given all happiness to me I don’t know what to say, only God bless you all.
With very much love,
From your Chinese girl,
SHUANG-MEI LEE.
Missionary Echo,1922年3月,60页.
柏苗
关于李霜梅的一点介绍:
李霜梅,又称李多迦(加),云南昭通人,虔诚的基督徒。昭通李氏家族是最早归入基督里的汉族之一,当时在这里传教的是来自英国的圣经基督徒教会(The Bible Christian Church),即后来的圣道公会、循道公会。在这其中,柏格理和邰慕廉是最为人熟知的两位传教士。李霜梅的哥哥李国钧(李约翰)、李国镇(李司提反)是著名的牧师,而她从小的时候就跟随柏格理等人学习。约1909年英国女传教士苏慕才来到昭通主持有美会女校,李霜梅和苏慕才便成为了最要好的朋友,一起服侍,一起生活。1920年,李霜梅孤身一人前往英国拜访回国休假的苏慕才,并在那里的教会的安排下上了几年学。两年后他同苏慕才一起回中国,继续办理昭通的女校。苏慕才直至1949年后才从昭通离开。50年代时,李霜梅曾在家人的帮助下要办理护照,前往英国看望苏慕才,但被拒绝前往英国,于是就回家了。在那个疯狂的年代,她因着信仰的缘故被投入监狱很长时间,文革结束后由在昭通的亲人接回家赡养,1982年归天,享年九十六岁。她的一生都在为主而工作,独身到老,是一位令人尊敬的上帝的爱女!
(图为苏慕才和李霜梅,载Missionary Echo)