YKD1896

In God We Trust—Days in USTC (7)

我们相信 神----我在科大的日子(7) 

  摘要

    这篇文章记录了我是认识基督的过程。在我小时候，一次次无意的接触，最后都成了撒播在心里的种子。我第一次进入教堂----上海国际礼拜堂是2006年2月19号，现已有一年多了。在这一年里，包括在宁波、杭州、合肥，这种信仰一直在坚固我，尽管我还没有受洗。

    我不是宗教狂热分子。但基督确实给了我内心的平静与刚强。我的信仰，有以下三个原则：

1、建立在传统文化基础之上。中国文化中，有很多思想，和基督教思想是一致的，比如“唯天为大”就是对神的敬畏，“仁者爱人”就是一种“爱人如已”。我深爱着我们的文化与国家。

2、尊重其它宗教，包括无神论者。有些人经常无端攻击信佛的人，说佛教是“魔鬼”，我厌恶这种指责。

3、为教会的合一祷告。基督宗教分裂成新教，天主教，东正教等教派，历史上还发生过很多宗教战争。但，我们都是信奉独一的神，都是基督的羔羊，为何要“本是同根生，相煎何太急”呢？我非常渴望看到各个教派之间的团结与理解。

这篇英文写的文章很长，又有语法错误；我想，这篇摘要已经把主要内容概括出来了。

最后，谢谢读者们的厚爱。

On Feb.19th, 2006 I entered a church for the first time. It was Shanghai Community Church which locates near the cross of Urumchi Road and Hengshan Road, in a district filled with the sense of Old Shanghai. It was built by a group of Americans about 80 years ago and has been there as a witness of so many historical affairs ever since.

That visit was not simply a “sight-seeing” for me. It was a turning point of my religion. Most of the youth in China are, as I used to be, antitheists, due to the education we receive and the social tradition that has lasted. This country is ruled by the Communist Party, who proclaims to believe in Marxism only. Although its Chapter doesn’t prohibit religious belief, but there is an “unwritten law” that a Party member should not believe in God, Buddha or any other religions, and thus people with religions are not accepted to this organization. Like many other people, I’m still not clear where this “unwritten law” root. Nevertheless, that “law” prevails and the Youth League, which is subordinated to the Party and has extended its membership to almost every high school students, accepts it without any doubts. With this background knowledge, it is not hard to understand the prevailing of antitheism in China.

Before entering the gate of the Community Church, I had experienced many affairs related to Jesus Christ. The earliest memory was in my cousin’s home when I was younger than 10 years old. There one day came a teenaged girl talking with my cousin about the terrible scene of the Final Day which I guess was from the Revelation. She said that only those who believed in Jesus could be saved. Of course I didn’t know much about religion at that time. I was really frightened by the scenes she described.

When I was in junior school, the girl seated before me told me that there was a church near her home and she often heard euphonic hymns. Another classmate once told me there was a church in his village and the elders often welcomed the children to the church by providing them with sweets and saying “Come here children and you will be wiser.” He didn’t take it seriously at that time, but till now I can remember his description clearly.

Actually there WAS a church built in 1878 in my town, with a big red cross printed on the white wall. Below the cross was written “Christian Church”. I had walked past it for countless times ever since I was 6-year-old but never entered. Last year, however, when I was in my hometown and prepared to attend Sunday Worship there, I found it no longer a church but a kindergarten named “Kindergarten of Grace”. I asked a resident and was told that the church had moved to a new building nearby, with a much larger capacity. I rode there at once and attended the Worship in the beautiful church. Thank Goodness, the number of believers in our town has greatly increased and I am one of them.

Before the autumn of 2004, I just “knew” something about Christian. I was not a Christian at all. I had visited the many Buddhist temples, worshiped the idols, and received a booklet from a temple. And in breakfast I didn’t eat meat as my grandmother is always doing. But my mother was afraid that I might be affected by the negative aspects of Buddhism and become a monk one day (a Buddhist monk is required to keep single all his life). The most important thing was that I didn’t understand the teaching of Buddhism, and in all their ceremonies I just felt jollification, but nothing related to repent or moral affairs. I gave up that religion at last.

In 2004 I was sent to Hong Kong as an exchange student. I was met by two groups of fellows preaching the Good News. I had some patient with one, but declined the other directly. I didn’t think they were good preachers. And they even used so-called “science” to persuade me, which made me antipathy. Later some one told me that it was easy to get rid of such preachers, by saying that “I am already a Catholic.” Luckily, I hadn’t met preaching groups from then on, otherwise I would be lying before God.

One day I was having dinner with a friend and his roommate. We mentioned religion, and his roommate said, “If you are interested, I will be pleased to share you something about Christ.” Actually I didn’t like to be a Christian at that time, but I admire his words. Now I’ve met many preachers, young or aged, trying to persuade the passersby to believe in Jesus Christ. I respect their piety and courage, yet personally don’t agree with this action. Lord told us, “You are like salt for the whole human race. You are like light for the whole world.” As a Christian, before preaching, we need to improve ourselves to higher standard, to be examples on morality, diligency, and friendliness. And full understanding of this religion especially the Bible is a necessary. I’m still working on that. I hope when others comment me, they will say, “He is an honest man, and faithful. He is welcomed by the community, and has gained a happy and full life through diligent hands.”

In that year, I decided to have Christmas in Hong Kong, to experience a Western-style festival. At first I planed to go to a church to celebrate Christmas. When I told a friend, he replied me that a teacher of his university, i.e. University of Hong Kong, had a plan to organize students from Mainland to a Protestant Christmas Ceremony. So I asked whether I could join them. He said it would be OK. 

The ceremony was not held in a church, but in Hong Kong Exhibition Centre because there were so many people. The language was English and the priests and people singing and dancing were White people. They had some plays on the stage, but I didn’t understand what they were talking. The deepest impression was that the whole celebration was like a concert of pop-music. People played guitar, piano and many electronic instruments, which was far from my original image of a religious Christmas, which should have been held in a grant hall of a church with all the people being very serious. It was the first time that I attended the activity of Protestant Church. On the way back that night, we saw many people leaving Catholic churches. I thought their ceremony might be closer to my image. After that night I gradually knew some of the differences between Protestant and Catholic. As historic books told me, Protestant reformers simplified the ceremony and their churches were less luxury. Now I felt that, through experiencing.

After returning to Shanghai, I heard that in Hong Kong, churches would give a Bible to people who wanted to for free, I told a friend who was still in Hong Kong to bring me a English-versioned Bible. He promised and got a New International Version after he came back to Mainland. Now I am really grateful to him because it was my first time reading the Bible. Without piety but in a purpose of just improving English, however, after reading a few chapters in Genesis, I lost the patience to read the next parts. The book became a show-piece on my shelf.

It was not until in February 2006 that I read this book again, after some heavy blow. I was so sad that even doubt whether I could sustain over that night. I though of the Bible and read it. I read the words in Matthew, which had effected me ever since:

“Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

“Ask and it will be given to you,

Seek and you will find,

Knock and the door will be opened to you.”

I put the Bible near my pillow, by touching it, got the strength to neglect the worry of the day. That night I had the idea of going to a church. At once I remembered of Shanghai Community Church, which was mentioned by my piano teacher in the class just after the Christmas of 2005. I got up and searched the location in Internet and made the decision of going there in the coming Sunday. I typed a letter to a friend Pesce, who was also an exchange student and had accepted Christian, telling her that I felt being saved by Bible. With those things done, I went back to sleep.

I was encouraged by Pesce in her reply. And on Sunday, i.e. Feb. 19, 2007, I went to Shanghai Community Church. Bibles and Collections of Anthems were provided on every chair. It was the first time I entering a church, and it is a milestone in my religion. I followed others, and sang the anthems with gratitude.

I kept on going to the church on Sunday, and gradually know some customs and teaching. Because I was curious of the difference between Protestant Church and Catholic Church, one day after the Sunday worship, I went to Xujiahui Catholic Church. I was hungry and thought maybe I could eat the bread there. The church was very large, with beautiful paintings and statuaries. The Mass had not begun yet, and I joined others learning new anthems. Before every seat was a horizontal rod covered with leather. I though it was for placing the feet, so I put my feet on it. Later when the Mass began, from time and time, people knelt down on that rod. Suddenly I felt myself guilty to God. In one procedure during the Mass, people prayed peace to each other and handed each other. This scene made me feel very warm as a member in the community. Then before the Eucharist, a priest said, those who had baptized please stand in a line and receive the bread while those hadn’t baptized should not have the bread and please cross your hands in front of the chest and receive the benediction from the priest. Thanks to his words, or I would have committed more guilt. After the Mass, I asked the people how the church enrolled new believers. A man said, “I have noticed that you sang well. Would you be interested to join the Choir of Friday because we lack of a baritone.” After some consideration, I replied, “I will come if I make up my mind. But if I don’t come this Friday, I will not be a member of the Choir.” At last I chose Protestant Church and didn’t go to Catholic Church. In my inner heart, I know that we are brothers and sisters in both churches, worshiping the same God and admit Jesus Christ as our Savior.   

The next week in Community Church, I asked a priest, “How can I be baptized?” He told me that it was very serious to baptize, so people were required to attending Worships for at least one year in order to strengthen their faith. After that, people who had made up their mind could attend a catechism class. Baptism would be held after the catechism class.

I keep attending Sunday Worships regularly. Church has become part of my life. On Sundays especially in other cities, I would look for the churches there and attend. In the summer of 2006 I graduated from SJTU. And from September I would go on study in USTC.

When I was still in Shanghai, I searched in Internet for the location of Hefei Church. I got the answer that there used to be an old building in No. 74 of Suzhou Road. But it was in danger and was dismantled. A new building was under construction at the same place. On the second Sunday after arrived in Hefei, I went to that address, only to find the whole Suzhou Road was in repairing. I could neither find No. 74 nor the church. Then I came back and searched in Internet again. A web-page showed the detailed way to the temporary church: near the cross of Huaihe Rd. and Suzhou Rd. is a tall building named Gulou Shopping Mall; there is an alley to the east of the building; walking along the alley for about 30 meters, on the wall of a white building, there is a board with the title “Protestant Association of Hefei”; that’s the location of the temporary church.

The next Sunday morning, I telephoned the church to ask the time of Worship. Then I set out using the “road map”. Without much effort, I found the building. Actually only the second and third floor of the building is leased to the church. At that time, I heard a priest teaching through loudspeaker. So I quickly found a seat in an office-liked room, with many people listening there. But I didn’t see the priest. I thought maybe this preaching was transmitted from another place by radio waves.

The next time I went there, I climbed up to the third floor, and there was a big hall, with rows of seats. There had already been many peoples waiting for the Worship. The number of people is estimated to be more than one thousand every session, and there are three sessions every Sunday. The first one: 7:00--8:30a.m., the second one: 9:00--10:30a.m., and the third one: 1:00--3:30p.m. In summer, the time will change a bit.

The Order of Worship is listed as follow:

0. "TREAD SOFTLY"

1. Prelude "The Lord is in His holy temple" No. 396 in the ‘New Collections of Anthems’

2. Call to Worship

3. Hymn by all

4. Prayer (The Lord's Prayer)

5. The Apostolic Creed

6. Hymn by all

7. Prayer

8. Hymn by all

9. Scripture Reading

10. Hymn, by the Choir

11. Sermon

12. Hymn "Lord, dismiss us with Thy blessing" No. 146 in the 'New Collection of Anthems'

13. Benediction

14. Amen

There have been so many stories related to church ever since Feb. 19, 2006. I have experienced the religious festivals like Eastern and Christmas, and seen a marriage, Baptism and Holy Communion. I have met many people in the church, and communicated with them. Sometimes there were discrepancies and we could not persuade each other. I’m not an extremist. When arguing about Chinese culture and Christian, different sects of Christian, or different religions, I insist on the following three principles:

1.       A belief based on the tradition of the nation and culture;

2.       Pray for the unification of the Christian Church, including the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church and Protestant Church. We all believe in one LORD and admit Jesus Christ as our Savior.

3.       Paying equal respect to those with different religions, like Jewish, Buddhism, Islam, Taoism, Hindu and etc. I will not rebuke other religions.

It seems that this article could come to an end. Thanks to God’s work, I have turned to a new page of my life. I’m really blessed by God during the year. Brothers and sisters, I’m writing this article to share you my own experience. The Lord is reliable, and His words are good teachings. I will pray for you, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!