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I had been religiously educated as a Presbyterian; and though some of the dogmas of that persuasion, such as the eternal decrees of God, election, reprobation, etc., appeared to me unintelligible, others doubtful,
在宗教方面我从小所受的是长老会的教养，虽然长老会的某些教条，例如：上帝的永恒判决，上帝的选拔，上帝的定罪等等，听起来莫名其妙，其他的一些教条也是可疑的，
and I early absented myself from the public assemblies of the sect, Sunday being my studying day, I was never without some religious principles.
尽管我从早年起就不到长老会教堂去做礼拜，因为礼拜天是我读书的日子，但是我仍然保持着某些宗教信仰。
I never doubted, for instance, the existence of the Deity; that he made the world, and govern'd it by his Providence; that the most acceptable service of God was the doing good to man; that our souls are immortal; and that all crime will be punished, and virtue rewarded, either here or hereafter.
比方说，我从不怀疑上帝的存在，上帝创造世界，上帝按照上帝的旨意统治世界，上帝最喜悦的贡献是对人行善，我们的灵魂是不朽的，善有善报，恶有恶报，这种报应不是在今世，就是在来世。
These I esteem'd the essentials of every religion; and, being to be found in all the religions we had in our country, I respected them all, tho' with different degrees of respect, as I found them more or less mix'd with other articles, which, without any tendency to inspire, promote, or confirm morality, serv'd principally to divide us, and make us unfriendly to one another.
这些我以为是任何宗教的要素，因为在我国的各教派里都可以找到这些要素，所以我尊重一切教派，虽然我尊重的程度有所不同，因为我发现它们或多或少地跟别的东西混杂，这些东西不可能鼓励、促进或确定道德观念，而主要地只能使我们分裂，使我们相互不友好。
This respect to all, with an opinion that the worst had some good effects, induc'd me to avoid all discourse that might tend to lessen the good opinion another might have of his own religion;
我认为即使是最坏的教派也有一些好的效果，这种尊重一切教派的态度使我避免一切可能使人对自己的信仰产生不良印象的谈话。
and as our province increas'd in people, and new places of worship were continually wanted, and generally erected by voluntary contribution, my mite for such purpose, whatever might be the sect, was never refused.
当我们州里的居民增多，不断地需要新的教堂，而这些教堂一般是通过自愿捐献的方式修建起来的，不管是什么教派，当人们要我捐助时，我总是愿出一臂之力的。
Tho' I seldom attended any public worship, I had still an opinion of its propriety, and of its utility when rightly conducted, and I regularly paid my annual subscription for the support of the only Presbyterian minister or meeting we had in Philadelphia.
虽然我很少参加任何公共礼拜，我仍然认为做礼拜是应该的，有用的，假如主持得当的话，我定期地缴付年捐，维持费城唯一的长老会牧师或教堂。
He us'd to visit me sometimes as a friend, and admonished me to attend his administrations, and I was now and then prevail'd on to do so, once for five Sundays successively.
这位牧师有时以友人的身份来看我，劝我到他的教堂去做礼拜，有时候我也给他拖去参加礼拜，有一次连续去了五个礼拜天。
Had he been in my opinion a good preacher, perhaps I might have continued, notwithstanding the occasion I had for the Sunday's leisure in my course of study;
假如当时我认为他是一个好的传教士，也许我会继续去做礼拜，尽管我需要礼拜天的空闲时间来读书。
but his discourses were chiefly either polemic arguments, or explications of the peculiar doctrines of our sect, and all were to me very dry, uninteresting, and unedifying, since not a single moral principle was inculcated or enforc'd, their aim seeming to be rather to make us Presbyterians than good citizens.
但是他的讲道的主题不是神学上的争论，就是阐述长老会独特的教条，这些对我来讲全是十分枯燥无味，毫无启发性的，因为这种讲道从不宣扬或鼓吹一条道德伦理原则，它的目的好像是要我们做长老会的教友，而不是要我们做好公民。
At length he took for his text that verse of the fourth chapter of Philippians, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, or of good report, if there be any virtue, or any praise, think on these things."
后来，他用腓立比人书第四章中的某一节作为经文：“最后，弟兄们，凡是真实的，正直的，公正的，纯洁的，可爱的，有美名的，若是有什么德行或是任何可赞美的地方，你们都要加以思考。”
And I imagin'd, in a sermon on such a text, we could not miss of having some morality.
我想用这样一段经文做主题的讲道总不会不讲到一些道德了吧。
But he confin'd himself to five points only, as meant by the apostle, viz.:
但是他讲的只限于五点，认为这五点就是使徒的本意。它们是：
1. Keeping holy the Sabbath day.
一、虔守安息日；
2. Being diligent in reading the holy Scriptures.
二、勤读《圣经》；
3. Attending duly the publick worship.
三、按时做礼拜；
4. Partaking of the Sacrament.
四、参加圣典；
5. Paying a due respect to God's ministers.
五、尊敬教牧师。
These might be all good things; but, as they were not the kind of good things that I expected from that text, I despaired of ever meeting with them from any other, was disgusted, and attended his preaching no more.
这些可能全是好东西，但不是我意料中从那段经文里引申出来的好东西，我再也不能希望从任何其他经文中遇到我所要的好东西了，我讨厌极了，以后再也不去听他的道了。
I had some years before compos'd a little Liturgy, or form of prayer, for my own private use (viz., in 1728), entitled, Articles of Belief and Acts of Religion.
在这以前（1728年）我曾经编了一本小小的祈祷书或祈祷文，准备我自己私人使用，叫做“信条和宗教条例”。
I return'd to the use of this, and went no more to the public assemblies.
我又重新使用这本祈祷书，不再到教堂做礼拜去了。
My conduct might be blameable, but I leave it, without attempting further to excuse it; my present purpose being to relate facts, and not to make apologies for them.
我这一举动可能是不对的，但是我撇开不提，不再设法加以宽宥，因为我当前的目的是叙述事实，而不是替事实辩护。
