It is good that in the recovery we have truth and life. We have these items, but we have not entered into them to a very high degree. Therefore, I hope that in this training you would be faithful to build up your character. You should not be loose in the way you conduct yourself, in the way you do things. Instead, you must be diligent, you must learn, and you must make progress. In this training our emphasis is not on the teaching of the truth. We are only asking you to diligently study the New Testament Recovery Version and the life-study messages. Since we have an abundance of spiritual literature among us, our classes will be taught in a way similar to the way graduate classes are taught. This means that we will give you only the necessary directions and guidelines. The most important matter in this training is that in your pursuit of life you would endeavor to change your character to a character that is strict and not loose in any way. This will play a big part in determining whether or not you will be useful to the Lord in the future.
Character building is related to the habits that we acquire. We may even say that character is largely composed of acquired habits. Whereas nature is an inward matter, character is an outward matter. Seventy percent of a person’s character is acquired by building, and thirty percent is acquired by birth. Beginning today you need to have a change in your concepts concerning everything great and small. You need to have a set time to rise up, a set time to pray, a set time to read the Word, and a set time to study. Everything must have a set time. You must be strict in practicing these points, not allowing yourself to become loose.
Moreover, you also need to exert an effort to learn several languages. In order to work for the Lord, you must be able to cut straight the word of the truth. You have to get into the depths of the truth to study it. However, if you are not fluent in certain languages, you will have no way to get into the depths of the truth. If you were illiterate, you would be unable to read anything, not to mention the Bible, and would naturally be unable to study the truth. Today it is very common for people to communicate with others all over the world. The environment around the whole world is one of openness and circulation. English is the international language and the one that is most commonly spoken. A great number of spiritual books and magazines have been made available to the public in English. If you want to serve the Lord, it is not sufficient to be skillful only in your own native language. You must also understand English, which is the most widely used language.
The text of the New Testament was originally written in Greek. Since the source of the truth lies in the New Testament, you must also learn Greek. At least you have to learn the Greek alphabet, be familiar with Greek grammar, and be able to use reference books. As you are working for the Lord, you have to speak for Him. Speaking is intimately related to language. Your manner of speaking exposes how much you have studied. Therefore, you need to read many books and endeavor to learn some languages.
I regret that I did not learn enough. If I were still your age, I would learn at least ten more languages. I truly hope that you would work, learn, and study at the same time. You should get a good dictionary and reference book and seriously study them every day. Do not study too many things at once. Simply spend your time and energy in an earnest way on a few of them. In the winter of 1932, I began learning to use the Interlinear Greek-English New Testament. The copy I used then is still in my possession. I hope that you would all do the same, studying in a serious way and making your time in the Full-Time Training worthwhile and meaningful. Otherwise, you will be wasting your time in the training.
The character that you build up during the training has to become your habit and eventually your daily life. No matter how busy I am in my daily life, I make my bed when I get up every day, unless my wife voluntarily does it for me. After I change, I do not place my clothes in random places. I always place them neatly in specific places. Sometimes when I get up in the middle of the night, I do not even need to turn on the light to find my clothes. I can reach out my hand and know exactly where they are. Character depends wholly on our continual exercise to develop the habits of our daily living. If you cannot even set your clothes straight, how can you cut straight the word of the truth? Your ability to cut straight the word of the truth depends on whether or not you have built up your character. These two matters are very much related to one another.
Our bedrooms should be clean and neat. We should have a habit of cleanliness. Cleanliness is the characteristic that the Chinese culture lacks the most. You cannot say that it does not matter if your bedroom is a mess, it is all right since the main purpose of a bedroom is to have a place to sleep. You must remember that when your room is in order, then your preaching will be orderly, your work will be orderly, and your leading of the church will also be orderly. If your room looks improper, then when you manage the church affairs, you will make a mess of them as well. I am not saying that you need to decorate your room in an excessive, wasteful, or particular manner. I am saying that since you are a human being and not a beast, you should have a decent living place. If possible, you should obtain flowers and plants to help uplift your spirit.
Today I have been forced to say such a strong word. Though I conducted trainings in the past, I did not see any changes in those whom I trained. Today I am repeating the commandments to you, the younger generation. Those who were before you are a generation older than you. In morality, life, and many other aspects, they are your good examples. However, you should not pick up their character and way of serving. If you do, your future, education, business, and occupation will all be a failure, and our work will not be accomplished.
I am not speaking in this way to cause you to rebel against the older generation. Rather, I hope that you would have a change in character. Although you are not in the military, we still hope that this new beginning would be somewhat militaristic. In the matter of attire you should exercise not to be wasteful but to be clean, neat, and dignified, so that when you go out, you will have a proper appearance. Your living quarters should be arranged in a clean, simple, plain, and elegant way. Otherwise, you will not be qualified to be trained here. I hope you all are clear regarding the principles set forth here.