《何竟如此》是我看过的最短的一本宣教士传记, 1934年英文版只有87页。中文版由
我大伯尹道明2009年翻译出版, 也是我们与大家分享的版本。
这本小册子介绍了一位20世纪初来华的一位苏格兰宣教士 - 巴富义医生。巴富义医生
于1930年与200位宣教士一同来到上海, 当时中日战争刚刚爆发, 战争风云四起, 他在
上海学习中文并立刻置身于救死扶伤的行列一共十个月。巴富义医生在上海时得到神
进一步的呼召前往新疆, 一个鲜为人知, 极其艰难, 也极其有需要的地方宣教。他们
一行五人开着一辆破旧的卡车, 带着各种医疗器具, 医药物品从北京途径戈壁沙滩一
个月后到达新疆哈密, 之后一个月到达乌鲁木齐。当时新疆正处军阀, 俄罗斯, 维吾尔
人之间的兵荒马乱之中。
巴富义医生在那样令人绝望危险的环境能做什么？
答案是: 他的呼召, 他的本行！以基督的爱, 以及自己精湛的医疗技术夜以继日的救死
扶伤。四个月后, 由于极其疲劳和感染伤寒, 巴富义医生死在新疆, 年仅29岁, 在华
一共十六个月: 十个月在上海, 两个月前往新疆, 四个月在新疆救死扶伤。这十六个月
, 他没有建立一间教会, 也不知道他向多少人传了福音, 有没有人信福音。
巴富义医生的生命何竟如此？意义何在？
这本小册子将为我们提供答案, 这本小册子将重新定位我们的人生！
在此也挑战各位思考我们自己的生命意义:
我们生命的意义何在？我们的生命何竟如此？
“我实实在在地告诉你们, 一粒麦子不落在地里死了, 仍旧是一粒, 若是死了, 就结出
许多子粒来”。
(耶稣基督)
To What Purpose? is the shortest missionary biography I have ever read, with only 87
pages in 1934 edition. Chinese edition was translated and published by my older uncle Yin
DaoMing in 2009, and it is also the version we share with you now.
This booklet introduces a Scottish missionary who came to China in the early 20th century,
Dr. Emil Fishbacher came to Shanghai in 1930 with other 200 missionaries, just after the
outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War. Dr Fishbacher immediately became involved in learning
Mandarin Chinese and saving lives for ten months. While in Shanghai, Dr. Fishbacher was
further called by God to go to Xinjiang, a little-known, but very difficult, and yet extremely
needy place to go. The group of five drove a battered truck carrying medical equipment and
supplies from Beijing to Hami, Xinjiang, and Urumqi (now WuLuMuQi) a month after passing
through the Gobi desert. At that time, Xinjiang was in the midst of chaos between warlords,
Russians, and Uighurs.
What can Dr. Fishbacher do in such a desperate and dangerous environment?
The answer is: His calling, and His professional! With the love of Christ and his superb
medical skills, he works day and night to save lives. Four months later, due to extreme
fatigue and typhoid fever, Dr. Fishbacher died in Xinjiang at the age of 29, a total of 16
months in China: 10 months in Shanghai, 2 months travelling to Xinjiang, and 4 months in
Xinjiang to save lives. During these sixteen months, he did not plant a church, and it is not
known to how many people he had shared the Gospel to, and whether or not had believed.
To what purpose ?
This booklet will give us the answer!
I also challenge you to reflect about the meaning of our own lives:
To What Purpose do We Live ?
Tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a
single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. (Jesus Christ)