忠信之路——记神的仆人万鲍贤玲（一）

中文

前　言

　　“我要向山举目。我的帮助从何而来？我的帮助从造天地的耶和华而来。祂必不叫你的脚滑跌；保护你的必不打盹。看哪，保护以色列的，也不打盹，也不睡觉。保护你的是耶和华；耶和华在你右边荫庇你。白日太阳必不伤你，夜间月亮必不害你。耶和华要保护你，免受一切的灾害；祂要保护你的性命。你出你入，耶和华要保护你，从今时直到永远。” （圣经诗篇121篇）

　　上面这段经文，可以说是妈妈万鲍贤玲一生的写照。她的一生，是爱的一生：爱教会，爱弟兄姊妹，爱家人亲友，甚至爱陌生人，尽她一切的力量帮助所有她所接触的人；她的一生，也是信的一生：坚信神，在凡事上依靠祂，哪怕在最艰难困苦的环境中，也从没动摇过她对神的信念。这是妈妈留给我们最珍贵的遗产。妈妈的故事是一位属神之人的故事，她值得我们敬仰和学习，也是我们后代永远的榜样。01

早年生活

　　妈妈鲍贤玲，出生于1925年2月15日。父亲鲍国樑（外公）在上海拥有不少企业和地产。母亲张品芳（外婆）更是一个爱主、爱弟兄姊妹，并能完全摆上的基督徒，处处彰显神的荣耀。外婆在外公的上海四马路神洲大旅馆和杭州西湖饭店的每间客房里都放上《圣经》。外婆经常将钱财、物品奉献给教会和有需要的基督徒。任何弟兄姊妹有困难、病痛，她都伸手相助，常常把丈夫所给的日常生活费都捐给教会及弟兄姊妹。当她不好意思再向外公要钱时，就经常请妈妈去向外公要钱，因为妈妈是外公最心爱的女儿。

图1：外公鲍国樑抱着长女鲍贤玲

　　外婆有一幢房子，专门为了接待主的仆人：有外国传道人，还有一些肺结核病重的人和其他生病的人，每天外婆让人推车送三顿饭过去给他们。二次世界大战时，外婆还帮助了许多被关进日本人集中营的外国传教士，每个月都给他们送各样食品和生活必需品。这一切妈妈都看在眼里，记在心里，立志自己将来也能成为一位给出去的人。

　　在这种环境里长大的妈妈，的确像她母亲一样，也成为一个完全奉献的人。她从小为他人着想，尽心尽力无私地助人, 学习服事神的仆人和所有需要的人。上大学时，她不顾他人的劝告，和其他年轻弟兄姊妹一起去肺结核医院看望病人，并向他们传福音。在他们的祷告下，一些肺结核病人奇迹般地康复了，不少病人也信了主。

　　妈妈是长女，深得外公的喜爱。妈妈出生后，外公命名他的新厂为“玲奋机械厂”，旨在让妈妈继承他的事业。妈妈是老大，在家经常照顾6位弟弟妹妹，而且还在教会中积极事奉主和信徒们。

图2：上海圣约翰大学

　　妈妈就读景德女中，后又考进上海圣约翰大学主修英语，副科中文。她无论在哪里，成绩总是在班里名列前茅。她还学了14年钢琴。听妈妈说，由于她整天不是上课就是探望弟兄姊妹，没时间练琴。每星期到了上钢琴课之前，才赶紧练习。大学毕业后，她先在中学教书，然后去外公的公司，就职秘书及业务管理工作。02

倪柝声夫妇及其他基督徒对妈妈的影响

　　倪柝声弟兄原名倪述祖，信主后更名为倪柝声。神藉着他恢复了“地方教会”的实行，我们称他为“公公”。他于20世纪初按照《圣经》的原则，“恢复”地方教会到使徒时代的实行。他创作并翻译了一些著名的诗歌，如《让我爱》、《主爱长阔高深》、《我若稍微偏离正路》、《葡萄一生的事》和《自伯大尼你与我们分手后》等，至今仍让广大信徒受益匪浅。他将中国基督教早期的福音传扬，进到追求属灵生命和属灵经历的阶段，并推广教会建造的实行。

　　外婆的三妹叫张品蕙，我们后来称她为“婆婆”。她年轻时非常漂亮，又多才多艺，能弹琴跳舞，会一口流利的英文。她曾是燕京大学的高材生，先后获得外语系学士及生物系的硕士学位。她在校时，参加各种活动，包括体育比赛等，还是燕京大学的校花。

　　公公和婆婆是青梅竹马。从小相识，早在十几岁时，公公就深深地爱着婆婆。他经常走很远的路，为婆婆买她喜欢吃的冰淇淋。他也常说：“非依佩（婆婆的小名）不娶。”

　　在公公得救后，他向婆婆传福音，婆婆非但不信，反而取笑他，公公为此十分烦恼。他在神面前彻底受对付，对神说：“神啊，我愿意放下我所爱的，专心事奉神！”他在痛苦之中结束了他们的恋情，写下一首著名的诗歌《主爱长阔高深》。

　　十年后，婆婆得救了，起初在上海教会（位于哈同路，今铜仁路）聚会所受浸，成为一位热心的基督徒。正如神看重亚伯拉罕独生子的奉献，祂也看重公公的奉献，最终把婆婆带了回来。他们于1934年教会的第四次得胜聚会结束那天结婚。当时负责杭州教会的欒腓力弟兄作司仪，李常受弟兄作男傧相，婆婆的弟媳张宜纶师母作女傧相，一位曾是东北长春教会长老的弟兄作证婚人。所有同工和当地圣徒们都参加了婚礼。那是众人喜乐的时刻。

图3: 公公和婆婆结婚照。公公和婆婆是前排右四和右三，公公左边拿着结婚证书的是男傧相李常受弟兄，其左边是公公的父母亲，婆婆右边是女傧相张宜纶师母。所有来特会的弟兄姊妹们都参加了婚礼。

　　1938年夏，公公赴英国开西大会（注1）。因为婆婆因怀孕而留在上海（可惜不幸小产，终身未有儿女）。公公因事继续留下至1939年7月回国。由于公公常要出门领会，相聚的时间少，婆婆抽空将公公领会的资料翻译成英文，来方便与西方的信徒们交流，倪柝声的名字及文字由此传到国外。

　　上海教会起先在哈同路文德里的一栋房子里聚会。后来因人增加，逐渐扩增到内部打通的4栋房子里聚会，该处可容纳400余人。当公公见到许多同工因放弃工作，全时间事奉，长期劳累又得病去世，家里留下孤儿寡妇时，心里非常难过。他帮助胞弟经营生化药厂，目的是为教会提供经济来源，也可雇佣不少弟兄。结果在1942年底，被上海地方教会的长老们革除，不准他讲道。不久后，进入租界的日军封闭了上海地方教会。1946年抗战结束后，上海教会重新恢复聚会。1948年，李常受弟兄请回倪弟兄。上海教会12名长老们联名在基督教刊物《敞开的门》登出声明：“不过对于倪弟兄个人，我们在主面前都能同心见证，他是神的一个忠心的仆人。他虽然经营生产事业，但他的目的从来没有为着他个人的什么。在真理上、在事业上、在经营生产的事业上，我们和他都是同心合意的。”

　　倪弟兄（公公）恢复尽职后，上海教会发生空前的大复兴，不久信徒就迅速扩增到数千人，其中有三分之一的信徒属于知识分子，许多是交通大学和国防医学院的师生，包括爸爸万绍祖。为了照顾到上千位弟兄姊妹聚会的需要，上海教会在南阳路购买了一栋花园洋房，占地4.71亩，在空地上建造聚会所。建筑面积达2207平方米。里面可容纳3000余人，其容量超过了当时上海的任何一座教堂。

图4: 上海南洋路聚会所

　　1948年下半年，李常受将南京地方教会穿福音背心上街传福音的实行介绍到上海，于是上海地方教会也开始进行数次声势浩大的上街福音游行。第一次游行约有500余人参加，李常受和张愚之担任福音游行的总指挥，爸爸万绍祖任大队长，下面有3个小队。游行队伍从南阳路右转经小沙渡路（今西康路）到南京西路，并向东到外滩，再向北直到外滩公园。前面是铜鼓、喇叭、漫画，信徒们高唱《需要耶稣》等诗歌，高喊“上海人啊，赶快悔改，罪恶不去，平安不来！”“信耶稣得永生”等口号，并散发印有“晚上请到南阳路145号来听福音”的福音单张。

　　妈妈从小就在宣道会办的教会学校读书。外婆是守真堂的执事，妈妈也在守真堂教主日学并司琴。在公公和婆婆的邀请下，妈妈尝试着到南阳路聚会处去听道，时常得到许多属灵的亮光。她不顾外婆的反对，与她二妹鲍贤珍（我们称她叫二姨）一同融入了地方教会的服事。二姨在教会里参与诗歌事奉，妈妈负责增订诗歌和诗歌琴谱的编排。那时南阳路聚会所主日聚会已增至2000余人。若有需要，妈妈偶尔也会司琴，她弹钢琴，二姨弹风琴，使琴声在没有扩音设备的条件下传及会所的每个角落。倪弟兄把生化药厂的利润奉献给教会，并在福州鼓岭为教会买下了房地产，供全时间弟兄姊妹训练使用。1946年夏，倪师母请妈妈全家去福州鼓岭，住在山脚下的一栋平房里，他们早餐在自己家里吃，午餐和晚餐到倪弟兄住的那栋房子里去吃，还有其他医生、护士姊妹也在一起用饭。倪弟兄在山上办了一个义务诊所，有战后善后救济总署捐助的药品，并有教会中的医生及护士姊妹义务地为当地人看病，不收费用，仅请他们交40只苍蝇或蚊子，一条蛇或一只老鼠（目的要他们除四害）。妈妈在帮他（她）们挂号（她的福州话就是在那时学的），同时传扬福音。妈妈多年后回忆说：记得用饭前，倪弟兄的谢饭祷告非常简单，但非常有能力且感人。晚上有交通聚会，他所传神的话也是感人至深的。有时他们大家一起到山上去散步，他边走边讲论神的话。妈妈喜欢清早到山顶去守晨更及看日出。山顶上有一块很大的磐石，像一个大沙发，她喜欢跪在那里祷告和读经。倪弟兄经常一早就去山上晨更（比妈妈更早），有时经过时会同她打招呼。

图5: 妈妈常读的一些属灵书籍

在南阳路聚会所，妈妈接触到许多属灵书籍，包括《盖恩夫人传记》、小特瑞莎的《爱是最短路程》、《荒漠甘泉》和《十二篮》等。妈妈特别喜欢读《荒漠甘泉》，在以后的几十年间，妈妈常常早晚两次读《圣经》、《荒漠甘泉》、《圣光日引》、倪弟兄的《旷野中的筵席》等。我们小时候就受妈妈的影响，也爱读这些书，妈妈还买了许多其他属灵书刊送给我们。在我们整理妈妈遗物时，就发现多本袖珍版的《圣经》及《荒漠甘泉》。她无论去哪里都会带上这两本书，哪怕是住在医院或疗养院里，因为这些都是她不可或缺的属灵食粮。注1: 开西大会（Keswick Convention）始于1875年，是一年一度在英格兰坎布里亚郡开西克（Keswick, Cumbria) 举行的福音派基督徒盛会。

英文

FOREWORD

“I will lift up my eyes to the hills. From where will my help come? My help comes from Jehovah, Who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, Israel’s Keeper Will neither slumber nor sleep. Jehovah is your Keeper; Jehovah is your shade at your right hand. The sun will not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. Jehovah will keep you from all evil; He will keep your soul. Jehovah will keep your going out and your coming in from now and to eternity.” (Psalm 121)

This is a portrayal of the life that our mother Katherine Bao Wan lived. Her life was the life of love: She loved the church, brothers and sisters, family and friends, even strangers, and did everything in her power to help all the people she contacted. Her life was also a life of faith. She firmly believed in God and relied on Him in all things. Even in the most difficult and painful environment, her faith in God never wavered. Her life of love and faith is the greatest legacy that mother has left us. Mother’s story is a story of a person who belongs to God. She is worthy of our deepest respect, admiration, and will forever be a pattern for us and of later generations.01

EARLY LIFE

Mother Katherine Bao Wan (Chinese Name Bao Xian Ling) was born on February 15, 1925. Her father Hugh Bao (Chinese name Bao Guo Liang) was a wealthy businessman who owned numerous companies and real estates in Shanghai. Her mother Faith Zhang Bao (Chinese name Zhang Pin Fang) was a devoted Christian who loved the Lord and loved brothers and sisters. She was a type of person who would pour out everything for others, and truly expressed God’s glory. In grandfather’s Shenzhou Hotel on Fourth Ave in Shanghai, as well as in the West Lake Hotel in Hangzhou, grandmother made sure to put a Bible in every room. Grandmother often donated money, food, and other items to the church and Christians in need. Whenever brothers or sisters had difficulties or illnesses, she would help financially, even if that meant that she had to spend the household daily allowance on them. Since she often ran out of money for the household this way, she felt embarrassed to ask our grandfather again, so she directed mother to ask for money, since mother was grandfather’s favorite daughter.

Picture 28: Grandfather, Hugh Bao, happily plays with his eldest daughter, Katherine Bao shortly after her birth.

At that time, grandmother had a house dedicated to hosting God’s servants, foreign missionaries, and some people with severe tuberculosis and other sicknesses. Grandmother had servants prepare three meals every day, putting them on a cart and sending them to that house for the people staying there. During World War II grandmother also helped many foreign missionaries who were thrown into concentration camps by the Japanese by sending them food and essential supplies every month. Mother learned all that by heart, which also made her a giving person.

Since mother grew up in this kind of environment, like her mother, she indeed became a fully dedicated and always giving person. She always thought of others ever since she was a child. She dedicated herself to helping others in every way, learning to serve God’s servants and all those who were in need. While at the university, she ignored the advice from others but went to the tuberculosis hospital to visit patients with other young brothers and sisters and to preach gospel to them. With their prayers, some of the tuberculosis patients were miraculously recovered and many patients believed in the Lord.

Mother was the eldest daughter and was deeply loved by grandfather. After mother was born, grandfather named his new factory “Lingfen Machinery Factory” after mother’s name (Ling) and intended to have mother follow his steps into business. Being the oldest among her brothers and sisters, she often took care of six younger siblings at home. She also actively served in the church.

Picture 29: St. John’s University in Shanghai

Mother studied at Jingde Girl’s High School, and then was admitted to St. John’s University in Shanghai, majoring in English and minoring in Chinese. She always finished with the highest grades in her classes throughout all her school years. She also studied piano for 14 years. Because she was always either attending classes or visiting brothers and sisters from the church, she didn’t have time to practice piano. She often needed to practice intensively right before her weekly piano lessons. After graduating from college, she first taught in a high school and then went to grandfather’s companies to take on the positions of secretary and business management.02

THE INFLUENCE OF WATCHMAN NEE AND OTHER CHRISTIANS TO MOTHER

Brother Watchman Nee was formerly known as Nee Shu Zu, but later changed his name to Nee Tuo Sheng after he believed in the Lord. Through him, God recovered the practice of “Local Church.” We call him “Gong Gong” (Chinese generic term for man in grandparent’s generation). In the early 20th century, he “recovered” the local church in accordance with the Bible, especially to the apostolic era. He wrote and translated some famous hymns, such as “Let Me Love And Not Be Respected”, “What Length, Breadth, Height And Depth”, “If From The Right Course I Depart”, “The Life of a Grapevine” and “Since Long Ago at Bethany We Parted”, etc. Many believers have been greatly benefited from them. He turned the nature of the early Chinese Protestantism from being gospel focused to pursuing spiritual life experiences and setting directions for the building up of church.

Grandmother’s younger sister was named Charity Zhang (Chinese name Zhang Pin Hui). We later called her “Po Po” (Chinese generic term for female in grandparent’s generation). Po Po was very beautiful when she was young. She was also multi-talented. She could play piano and dance, and spoke fluent English. She was a top student at Yenching University (current Beijing University, one of the most prestigious universities in China) and held a bachelor’s degree in foreign language and a master’s degree in biology. She participated in various activities in school, including sports competitions etc., and was once selected as the Home Coming Queen of Yenching University.

Gong Gong and Po Po were childhood close friends and had known each other all their lives. As early as a teenager, Gong Gong was deeply in love with Po Po. He often walked a long way to buy ice cream for her because it was her favorite. He also often said, “Unless it’s Yi Pei (Po Po’s nick name), I will not marry.”

After Gong Gong was saved, he tried to preach the gospel to Po Po. She not only did not believe, but made fun of him. Gong Gong was very troubled over this. Later in his thorough dealing before God, he told the Lord, “O God, I am willing to lay down what I love, so I can concentrate myself to serve God.” He ended their relationship painfully and wrote the famous hymn “What Length, Breadth, Height And Depth.”

Ten years later, Po Po was saved and was baptized at the original site of the Church in Shanghai on Hatong Road (current Tongren Road) and became a pious Christian. Just as God valued the dedication of Abraham’s only son, He also valued Gong Gong’s sacrifice, and eventually brought Po Po back. They got married on the last day of the Fourth Victory Special Conference of the local church in 1934. Brother Philip Luan from Hangzhou was the master of ceremony; brother Witness Lee was the best man; Mrs. Zhang Yi Lun was the maid of honor, and a former leading brother from the Church in Changchun acted as witness. All the co-workers and local saints attended the wedding. It was a joyous moment for all.

Picture 30: Wedding of Watchman Nee (Gong Gong) and Charity Zhang (Po Po) in 1934

In the summer of 1938, Gong Gong went to United Kingdom to attend the Keswick Convention (Note1), in Keswick, Cumbria of England. Po Po was pregnant at that time, so she stayed behind in Shanghai. Unfortunately, she had a miscarriage and never had any children afterwards. Gong Gong stayed in England until July of 1939. Because her husband was often away for all sorts of conferences, conventions and meetings, the couple did not have too much time together. Po Po took the time to translate messages Gong Gong had written into English, for better communication with Western believers. Watchman Nee’s name and writings started to spread across the world ever since.

The Local Church in Shanghai (or called Shanghai Meeting Place then) first met in a house in Wendeli on Hatong Road (current Tongren Road). Later, due to an increase in number, it gradually expanded to four internally connected houses, with seating capacity up to 400 people. Gong Gong was heartbroken when he saw many co-workers, who gave up their careers to serve the Lord full-time, contracted tuberculosis and died due to long periods of laboring and lack of nourishment, leaving behind their widows and orphans struggling to survive. He went to help his younger brother running a biochemical pharmaceutical factory for the purpose of providing financial help to the church, and hired many brothers. However, as a result, he was removed from the eldership of the Shanghai Meeting Place and not allowed to give messages in the church at the end of 1942.

In the Second World War, shortly after moving into concessions in Shanghai, Japanese closed the local church in Shanghai. After the War, the Church in Shanghai resumed its meetings in 1946. In1948, brother Witness Lee asked Gong Gong to come back to the Shanghai Meeting Place. Twelve elders of the Church in Shanghai published a joint statement in a Christian Publication “Open Door,” stating: “But as for brother Nee, we unanimously testify before the Lord that he is a faithful servant of God. Although he engaged in business, his purpose has never been for his personal gain. In the ministry, in business, in the cause of business, we and he are all in one accord.”

After brother Nee resumed his ministry, the Church in Shanghai experienced an unprecedented revival. Soon, the believers quickly expanded to thousands of people. One-third of the believers were intellectuals, many of whom were college faculties and students fromJiaotong University and the National Defense Medical College, including our father Stephen Wan (Chinese name: Wan Shao Zu). In order to take care of the need for the gathering of thousands of brothers and sisters, the Church in Shanghai purchased a garden house on 145 Nanyang Road, with an area of a little over three quarters of acre. They then started the construction in the open field. The building area was 2,207 square meters, large enough to accommodate 3,000 people. Its capacity exceeded any church in Shanghai at the time.

In the second half of 1948, brother Witness Lee brought the practice of street gospel marching in gospel vests from Nanjing to Shanghai. The Church in Shanghai began organizing several large-scale gospel marches. About 500 people attended the first march. Brother Lee and brother Zhang Yu Zhi served as commanders of the gospel procession; father Stephen Wan was the captain, leading three smaller teams. The procession turned right from Nanyang Road via Xiaoshadu Road (current Xikang Road) to Nanjing West Road, east to the Bund, and then north to the Bund Park. In front of it were drums, horns, and posters; with the believers singing hymns such as “You need Jesus”, chanting “Shanghainese! Quickly repent, sin does not go, peace does not come!”, “Believe in Jesus to have eternal life!” and other slogans. They also handed out leaflets: “Please come to 145 Nanyang Road tonight to listen to the Gospel.”

Since childhood, mother studied in church schools established by missionaries. Grandmother was the deacon in the Truth Chapel (Shou Zhen Tang in Chinese), and mother also served in that Church, teaching Sunday school and playing piano. At the invitation of Gong Gong and Po Po, mother went to the Shanghai Meeting Place on Nanyang Road and felt that she got a lot of spiritual light. She ignored the opposition from her mother, together with her younger sister Irene Bao (Bao Xian Zhen whom we call Second Aunt, Er Yi), joined the Local Church in Shanghai and the services there. Irene served in the church piano service. Mother helped to collect and update hymns and was responsible for music arrangements for the hymns. At that time, there were about 2000 people gathered for the Lord’s Day meeting at Nanyang Road meeting place. Whenever needed, mother would occasionally play the piano, and Irene played the organ. The sound of the piano could be transmitted to every corner of the church without audio amplification equipment.

Brother Nee donated the profits from the biochemical pharmaceutical factory to the church and bought a property in Guling, Fuzhou, for full-time training of the saints.

Picture 31: Mother’s family: Her parents and 6 siblings. Mother is the first one on the right at the back row.

In the summer of 1946, sister Nee (Po Po) invited her sister’s whole family to stay with them in Guling, Fuzhou, living in a cottage at the foot of the mountain. Except eating breakfast at their place, mother’s family went to the house where Gong Gong and Po Po lived for lunch and dinner, along with some doctors and nurses. Brother Nee opened a free clinic on the mountain, treating local peasants free of charge, with medicine donated from the Post-War Relief Fund. The doctors and nurses were brothers and sisters in the church who volunteered there. Locals could get free treatment, provided that they would bring 40 flies or mosquitoes, or a snake, or a mouse in order to help to eliminate these harmful pests. Mother helped them to register. She acquired her Fuzhou dialect at that time. The other purpose of the clinic was to preach the gospel to the people in the area.

Mother remembered that brother Nee’s prayer before every meal was very simple, but very powerful and touching. In the evening fellowship meetings, brother Nee’s ministry speaking was also very moving. When they all went for a walk on the mountains, brother Nee would speak the word of God always. Mother liked to go to the top of the mountain early in the morning for morning watch and watching sunrise. There was a big rock on the top of the mountain, like a large sofa, where she liked to kneel and pray, and then sitting down to read the Bible. Brother Nee often went to the mountain before mother getting there. Sometimes he would greet her on his way back in the morning.

At the Shanghai Meeting Place on Nanyang Road, mother was exposed to many spiritual books, including “Autobiography of Madame Guyon”, Little Teresa’s “Love is the Shortest Way” , “Streams in the Desert” and brother Nee’s “Twelve Baskets Full”. Mother especially fell in love with “Streams in the Desert”. For nearly seven decades, mother often read the Bible twice a day, in the morning and evening. She also read “Streams in the desert”, “The Daily Light”, and Brother Nee’s “A Table in the Wilderness”. When we were young, under her influence, we also read these books that she bought for us. As we sorted out mother’s belongs after she passed away, we found many pocket-sized Bibles and “Streams in the Desert”. She often carried these books wherever she went, even if she was in a hospital or nursing home. These books were her spiritual food.