LETTER VI.

第六封信

To Brother Elias, Vicar-General of the whole Order.

致埃里亚斯兄弟，整个修会的副总会长。

To the Reverend Father in Christ, Brother Elias, Vicar-General of the whole Order, Brother Francis sends greeting in the Lord.

致基督内尊敬的神父，埃里亚斯兄弟，整个修会的副总会长，方济各兄弟在此致以主内的问候。

Brother, may Our Lord give thee His holy benediction. Be patient and kind in all things. If the brethren offend thee in anything, offer it to God. By this I shall know if thou art a true servant of God, if thou bringest back the erring brethren to God by mercy, and if thou never ceasest to love those who have most deeply offended. And if through any human fear they dare not approach thee, ask them if they wish for pardon. And if anyone, through the persuasion of the devil, should fall into some grievous sin, let him have recourse to the Guardian, who shall send him to the Provincial. And the Provincial must receive him with kindness; and if he seem contrite, he shall say to him : ‘ Go, and now sin no more.' Farewell in the Lord.

兄弟，愿我们的天主给你祂神圣的祝福。在一切事上都要耐心和仁慈（格前：13：4）。如果兄弟在某件事上得罪了你，把它交给天主，由此我便知道你是否真是天主的仆人，你是否以仁爱将犯错的兄弟带回到天主身边，你是否从未停止爱那些犯大罪的人。如果他们出于人类的恐惧，不敢接近你，问问他们是否需要被宽赦。如果谁被魔鬼欺骗，陷于严重的罪恶中，让他寻求院长的帮助，院长会把他们送到省会长那里，省会长必须友善地接收他；如果他看上去已经痛悔（他的罪）了，省会长应对他说：“去吧！从今以后，不要再犯罪了！”（若：8：11）。主内再见。