throughout the country. It started on a Monday. Nearly all the outsiders arrived on the
In addition, he also put me into a position where I could participate in the work and minister in the local church in Shanghai. This afforded me an excellent opportunity to learn how to serve the Lord. Before putting me into such a situation, however, he tested me. His way of testing was secret. In the beginning I did not know what he was doing; I did not realize that I was being tested. In the previous years while we were corresponding, he did not really know me. But when we stayed together for a longer period of time, he was observing and secretly putting me to the test. First, immediately after arriving in Shanghai, I was asked to speak in the general Sunday morning meeting. This caught me by surprise, but I gave a rather long message on the pathway to glory from Matthew 13:53—17:8.
At that time the church in Shanghai met in two halls. The main hall was hall one while hall two was somewhat secondary. Not long after I arrived in Shanghai, the brothers arranged for me to hold a conference in hall two. I believe that this was according to Watchman's instructions in order to test me a little. I spoke every night and was exposed to all. I was on the test for about a week. Watchman was not there, but whatever I said found its way to him. I must have passed the test for I was later charged to speak regularly in the first hall.
One day Watchman brought me a bundle of letters from various places. Various persons had written him asking questions about the church, church practice, life, and about the interpretation of the Bible. He said, "Witness, I am too busy. I do not have time to devote to all these things. Would you reply to these letters and answer all their questions for me?" I never imagined that this could be a test, but it was. I said to him, "There are probably some questions to which I will not know the answer." He replied, "That does not matter; if you have questions, just ask me." By the Lord's mercy I answered all of the letters. The longest answer I wrote was on sects and the structure of the church. Watchman appreciated it very much and published it in the fourth and fifth issues of Collection of Newsletters. Watchman's third overcomer conference was held in Shanghai in January 1934. Many co-workers and saints attended the conference from different places throughout the country. It started on a Monday. Nearly all the outsiders arrived on the Lord's Day before the conference began. On the morning of the Lord's Day, while we were all waiting for Watchman to come and speak, a short note was delivered to me from him asking me to speak in that meeting. Both I and the attendants were all surprised that he did not show up in that meeting. But I spoke in the meeting according to his request and acquired some new experience.
During that ten-day conference, I received much help from his messages. They were indeed marvelous, marking a real turn in both my Christian life and in my church life. My eyes were opened to see Christ in His preeminence in all things according to God's eternal plan. I took brief notes on all his messages, which he eventually published in the March and April issues of The Present Testimony in 1934.
One day before the conference, we were having fellowship together. At that time he asked me how I daily studied the Bible. I replied that I was in Acts and Colossians. Immediately he said that these two books were a very good match. At first I did not understand what he meant, but eventually I was helped to see that Acts reveals to us how Christ ascended
to the heavens and was made both Lord and Christ (2:36), whereas Colossians reveals that Christ should have the preeminence in all things and should be all and in all in God's economy (1:18; 3:11). There was never another person in my entire Christian life who helped me know the Scriptures in such a profound and living way, especially regarding the revelation of Christ with the church.
On one occasion the first hall in Shanghai arranged to hold a gospel meeting, but no one knew who the speaker would be. Many thought that Watchman would speak. I was feeling quite relaxed and prepared to hear a message from him. I hoped also to learn more concerning how to preach the gospel. About an hour before the meeting, there was a knock at my door, and a note was passed on to me. It said, "Brother Witness, you give the message on the gospel tonight." It shocked me! What should I do? At any rate, I had to speak. That night I spoke from John 16 concerning the Spirit convicting the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. I pressed the people with the matter of sin because we were born of Adam, of righteousness because we can believe in Christ, and of judgment because we follow Satan. I told the people that here are three persons—Adam, Christ, and Satan. We were all born sinners in Adam, but now God has offered us the opportunity to get into Christ to be justified by taking Him as our righteousness. By believing in Christ we are transferred out of Adam into Christ. However, if we do not believe in Christ, we will remain sinful in Adam, and one day we will be together with Satan sharing God's judgment upon him. As I delivered this message, I could not see Watchman in the meeting. I did not know where he was, and no one told me where he was. But after a period of time had elapsed, one day as we were walking down the street, he suddenly turned to me and said, "Brother Witness, not many in this country can give a message from John 16 on the three points of sin, righteousness, and judgment and on Adam, Christ, and Satan as you did. I encourage you to go on." When I heard this, I said to myself, "How did he know this?" Eventually, I discovered that while I was speaking he was standing behind the door listening to my word. He heard everything. By that time I was aware that he was continually testing me.
In 1934, after I had been in Shanghai for about four months, Watchman came to see me one day. He said, "Brother Witness, we the co-workers here all feel that you should move your family to Shanghai and work together with us. Bring this matter to the Lord, and see how He will lead you." I brought the matter to the Lord, and at this time my eyes were opened to see a very significant matter. I saw from the book of Acts that there was only one flow, one current on the earth; it began from the throne of grace and came down to Jerusalem. From Jerusalem it took its course through Samaria, traveling to the north to Antioch; then from Antioch it turned westward to Asia Minor and to Europe. I saw that in the entire book of Acts there was only one current of the Lord's work on this earth and that there was no record of the work of anyone who was not in the current. When Barnabas separated from Paul and began another current, the account of his work in Acts terminated (Acts 15:36-41). The later co-workers, such as Timothy and Apollos, after being raised up by the Lord for His work, all were merged into one flow of the Lord's move, though they did not need to go to Jerusalem for this purpose (Acts 16:1-3; 18:2428). The Lord revealed to me that the flow of His work in China must be one. Since it had begun from Shanghai, I should not go to the north and keep another flow. If the Lord was
going to do something in the north, I must first enter into the flow in Shanghai; then eventually the flow in Shanghai would travel to the north. Although a work was already started in the north, I became crystal clear concerning the one flow. With this vision in view, I returned to the north following Watchman's conference, stayed for awhile, and then returned to Shanghai to stay and work with him. Hence, there was one flow and one current of the Lord's work in China.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
WITNESS LEE'S RELATIONSHIP
WITH WATCHMAN NEE
FROM 1934 TO 1936
RELATIONSHIP IN THE ASSIGNMENT OF WORK
While I was away in the north, Watchman conducted a series of meetings with the church in Shanghai in February 1934 following his conference. The meetings also included the conference attendants who stayed on after the conference, and the purpose of the meetings was to study the Bible concerning the assembly life. I came back to Shanghai from Chefoo in May. The day after my arrival, Watchman came to my place, threw a bundle of articles to me, and said, "Please write a preface for these articles." When I opened the bundle, I was so happy to see that the articles were composed of the messages given by him in the Bible study meetings while I was away. I could not stop until I had finished reading all four chapters. The most striking point in all the chapters concerned the boundary of the local church. After reading the chapters, I wrote a preface to them. They were published as a book under the title The Assembly Life.
During the period after I returned to Shanghai, Brother Nee's health was not good. During most of the meetings, he either rested or was away elsewhere. He spoke mostly during the conference times. The burden for the ministry in the regular meetings was left to me.
Brother Nee bore the main responsibility for two publications: The Present Testimony and The Christian. The publication of The Christian was suspended for a period of seven years, during which he published only The Present Testimony. In 1934 the decision was made with many co-workers to resume the publication of The Christian, and I was asked to edit it. I bore this responsibility until 1940.
From the end of 1933, Watchman Nee also issued a paper with news of the work and the churches entitled Collection of Newsletters. The eldest sister co-worker among us, Ruth
Lee, was appointed to be acting editor of that paper. When she was away from Shanghai, I had the responsibility of editing that paper also.
Through all these responsibilities, a tremendous opportunity was opened to me to learn how to work for the Lord in His recovery, how to help others grow in life, how to build the church with life, and how to care for the publication ministry. Having been sovereignly placed under Brother Nee's leadership, by the Lord's mercy and grace, I learned many lessons in the matter of life, in the practice of the church, and in caring for the work in a living way. What I learned during this time laid a solid foundation for my future. How I thank the Lord for this! How grateful I am to Brother Nee for his perfecting work and for his gracious and wise dealings with me. With all of us staying in Shanghai together, we were enabled to have much helpful contact. On one occasion the two of us were driving to a dairy ranch in a suburb of Shanghai to visit some brothers. During our ride we fellowshipped about the situation between us and the denominations. As we were considering the fact that the denominations were rejecting our testimony, he said, "From now on we must turn to the Gentiles like the apostles did in Acts 13:46." This opened my eyes to see something more of the Lord's way.
In the summer of 1934, he traveled with four of us brothers, driving the car himself, to visit four provinces, Kiangsu, Chekiang, Kiangsi, and Anhwei, to look into the situation in these places regarding the Lord's move. While traveling with him on this trip, I realized that he was a person who loved the Lord with his whole heart, and that he was also a person who had deep insight and foresight concerning many things. We five brothers from five different provinces, ranging from the far north to the far south, traveled and lodged together for a number of days. We enjoyed Brother Nee's helpful building-up fellowship and the Lord's presence with the oneness and harmony in the spirit. I could never forget the precious and sweet experiences of those golden days in the heavenlies!
In the summer of 1934, Sister Ruth Lee visited the churches in Kwangtung province and Hong Kong. Therefore, during this time I was charged to care for the editing of Collection of Newsletters. During the same time Brother Nee went to Foochow, his hometown, for rest. While resting there in Foochow, he wrote me the following letter concerning that publication, which was published in Collection of Newsletters, issue nine:
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July 6, 1934
Dear Brother Witness:
...Concerning the articles for Collection of Newsletters, I personally hope that in the future there will be more news about how the brothers and sisters have consecrated to the Lord, about how they have obeyed the Lord and have taken the Lord as Head over all things, about how they have overcome their dryness and entered into the more abundant life, and about how they were delivered
from a sinful life and have overcome sin. These spiritual aspects are much more important than outwardly leaving the denominations. What is our center? Is our work to preach Christ as Lord or to preach leaving the denominations? I am really fearful that in every locality there are brothers who, being limited in understanding and spiritual experiences before God, only have a little knowledge about outward matters such as baptism, head covering, and denominations, and exhaust their effort to publicize these matters. By doing so, they cause outsiders to misunderstand us, thinking that we only emphasize these outward things and that we do not exalt Jesus Christ as Lord. We know that if anyone follows the Lord, he will certainly take care of these outward matters. But it does not mean that anyone who practices these outward things is necessarily following the Lord completely. We must emphasize again and again for the sake of the ignorant brothers among us, that although we believe in these outward matters, yet our testimony, that which makes us different from others, is not in these outward things. Another matter which is continually on my heart is the matter of the coworkers. We thank God that many who had rank and position in the denominations have seen the truth of the church. But this is also a problem! Many have seen only the error of sectarianism among the denominations, but have not perceived the wrongness of the system in the denominations. Therefore, while they may have left the denominations, they have not rejected the system. Consequently, they think that since they were workers in the denominations, they can continue in the same way after they have come out of the denominations. They simply do not care whether or not they are gifted or whether or not they have been called by God. Although they have left their particular denominations, they have never left the work which these denominations afforded them. This will cause us to be filled with many unsuitable workers. I believe God's will is this: Unless one is clear that he has been called and is definitely gifted, after he leaves the denominations, he should seek a proper occupation and witness for the Lord there. He should never have the thought that since he has been a worker before, he can therefore go ahead and begin a work in any locality. This is the most dangerous thing in our midst. We would prefer a locality be without any worker or work than to be doing something in a loose way. Oh, the flesh must be dealt with! I am grateful to God that many have obeyed in these outward matters, yet their obedience is not merely restricted to these matters. These matters are but a part of their obedience to God's will. Unless it emanates from within, anything outward is worthless....
Peace be unto you.
Your brother,
Watchman Nee
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____________________________________________ During this same period of time while traveling in the south, Sister Ruth Lee wrote Watchman and me a letter concerning the church. Watchman asked me to publish it in issue ten of Collection of Newsletters with his comment as follows:
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July 13, 1934
The following letter was written to Brother Witness and me by Sister Lee while she was traveling and working in southern China. She specifically requested that we not publish her letter in Collection of Newsletters because it is contrary to the position of head covering for a sister to talk about church matters. But feeling that this letter is profitable to the believers in each locality, we publish it. Brother Lee and I assume full responsibility for its content and anything pertaining to it.
Watchman Nee
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Ruth Lee's letter reads:
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Dear Brothers Watchman and Witness:
...All work must pass through fire to prove its value. What can one do apart from the Lord? At this time, in the various places, through personal fellowship with the brothers and sisters and from what I have seen and heard, I have much for which to be grateful to the Lord. Yet I also have some fear and sighings. Most of the brothers and sisters in Swatow are like a sheet of white paper—all that is needed is some good writing. They are also like a piece of good ground—all they need is proper sowing. Within a year's time, about twenty brothers and forty to fifty sisters have actually begun meeting together, not including those who only come for the messages. The sisters in Taishan labor incessantly and offer themselves to the best of their ability. These are good signs.
I wish that from now on the brothers would pay attention to the following matters: 1)If the brothers in a certain locality desire to have the Lord's table, they should at least know what the church is and the reason for the table. If some presume that simply because they have no name they are not a sect, and yet in many activities they are a sect in another form, and if they consider that only they are the church and are better than anyone else, then inevitably they will become the worst sect. 2)The brothers and sisters in a locality who are lacking in gift should procure proper jobs and serve God with their jobs. Otherwise, they simply become dead preachers sitting in their parishes, where neither sinners are being saved nor brothers and sisters are growing in life. Consequently, the place is full of spiritual death. We may ignore any derision from the denominations, but what about our testimony? If a place is without a worker, it is best for the brothers and sisters there to pray livingly, remember the Lord, and give personal testimonies. It is not necessary to adhere to a set form. If a brother or sister professes to be called by the Lord yet is not gifted, then in the eyes of others, this calling is questionable. The problem with this kind of worker is that he is either presumptuous or lazy. Sometimes problems also arise in regard to material supply—those who are pure may suffer hardship, while others may make godliness a means of gain. 3) If a brother or sister is gifted, it is best for him or her to serve God according to what he or she has. For anyone to go beyond their gift when they minister will unavoidably be unreal or in error. 4) Even though we are standing on the "right" side, nevertheless, it would be best that our messages would emphasize what is in the Bible, without saying explicitly that this denomination or that denomination is right or wrong. We should let any seeking one, after hearing the truth and realizing the error in which he is, be willing to pay the price to follow the Word. Avoid arguing over minor points. To be divided because of different interpretations of the Bible, is not this the way of the Brethren? More and more I feel that every time as we break the bread, although our eyes can only see a certain number of brothers and sisters, yet, through the bread, what we actually see are all the saved ones. Otherwise, the testimony of Ephesians 1:23 is lost. 5) When the authority of a local church is in the hands of the sisters, and the sisters are not clear, then the brothers should be frank to admonish them concerning this. But if the sisters intentionally refuse to stand on the proper position, then the brothers will not have a standing there. However, there are some places where the sisters are very good, while the brothers are old, formal, and dead. In such cases there is need for some enlightened brother to deal with these brothers. If the brothers will not listen, then one cannot blame the sisters for backsliding or being disjointed. In cases like this, the brothers are still a sect, only with the word "free" added to it. It is excusable to be in this situation
if one is unclear, but if he is disobedient after knowing, then it becomes a matter of motive. The reason why I have said so much is not that the brothers in Shanghai have any strong points or special authority; I am only hoping that in your speaking or writing you would pay attention to these aspects. I am a sister, and in this letter I am simply conversing with you as a member of the family giving you a report of these matters. The brothers in Swatow are very burning for the gospel, preaching twice weekly with two brothers responsible each time. In this matter I will be honest to say that the brothers in Shanghai are behind. I really ask the Lord to supply the work and the need of the workers in each of these localities. Recently quite a few brothers and sisters in each locality were out of jobs, while the others mostly had only average jobs. Although many brothers and sisters have given their utmost, there is still a lack for the work and the workers. On the one hand, the workers should never tell the brothers and sisters directly or indirectly of their need by giving hints or speaking through others. Yet on the other hand, often some brothers and sisters either regard the responsible worker as a rich man, or sometimes care only for the work and not the worker. I say this not because I have a need, but because of my observation. Pardon me for writing about so many things.
Peace in the Lord!
Sincerely yours,
Ruth Lee
Greetings to all the brothers and sisters in Shanghai.
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In the same summer, Watchman wrote Some Words from the Responsible Brothers and asked me to sign it with him and publish it in the tenth issue of Collection of Newsletters. It read as follows:
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Collection of Newsletters is a publication for the circulating of news within the family. It is absolutely not for the public and is available only to those brothers who walk with us. We mail it to you because we trust that you are having
fellowship with us and are sharing the responsibility of intercession with respect to the news contained in it. We mail it to you because we trust that you will not publicize it to the ordinary people "outside the circle" but will call upon God for its sake "within the veil"! We also believe you understand that our work is spiritual and that our emphasis is life. We are clear that God wants us to manifest the life of Christ in the local churches. Hence, the reality of our work is the life of Christ, and the outward expression of our work is the local church. In this present time, when the outward church is desolate, we do not have the slightest intention to start a new "movement," "group," "organization," or "denomination." We dare not even call ourselves the churches in the various places. We stand only on the position of the local church. This publication, therefore, carries the news of the assemblies which are standing on the position of the local church in each locality. As to its content, there is nothing but Christ. We have no headquarters. Concerning the localities, we have neither the power to control any of them nor the right to interfere with any of their activities. All that they have, they each have received from their Head, the Lord Jesus. The fellowship of prayer and the direction in various matters are all mutual. This prayer and direction come about because of the need and through the Lord granting us the strength. The answers to all questions are spiritual, not official, and their source is gift, not position. We do not wish to be the "Diotrephes" among God's children, nor do we wish to become the class of Nicolaitans. All brothers who go out to work are sent by the Lord. We are co-working with them. We hope that you can bear some spiritual responsibility with us.
Watchman Nee
Witness Lee
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When he returned to Shanghai from Foochow, I was invited to visit the churches in PingYang County of Chekiang province. Watchman encouraged me to go, so I went. In October of that year, he went to Hangchow for the fourth overcomer conference and I traveled there from Ping-Yang to attend the conference. Again, this was another glorious time!
RELATIONSHIP IN SUFFERINGS
During the conference at Hangchow, Watchman's mother and the eldest sister coworker, Ruth Lee, both urged Watchman to get married during that conference time. They considered it to be a good time since all the co-workers from the entire country were present. Watchman agreed with the condition that I would be his best man and that Philip Luan would be master of ceremonies at the wedding. Sister Lee fellowshipped with both
of us concerning this matter. We told her immediately that we would be more than happy to do what Watchman desired and felt honored to be asked by him.
At the wedding Mrs. Samuel Chang was the maid of honor. All the co-workers and local saints attended the wedding. It was a happy time for all of us.
Following the wedding I traveled to Chefoo for a rest. While I was there, the big turmoil against Watchman's marriage transpired. Since I had been best man and Philip Luan had been master of ceremonies, we two were considered to be the ones best qualified to bear responsibility for handling the situation. Hence, Brother Luan cabled me and charged me to return to Shanghai to care for the situation. Immediately I cabled Watchman with the word of Deuteronomy 23:5: "Jehovah your God turned the curse into a blessing for you." I arrived in Shanghai on New Year's Day 1935. Philip Luan and I, with the help of Peace Wang, did our best to calm down the turmoil. All of our efforts seemed in vain because of the strong attack from the opponents. Eventually, because of his sickness and tiredness, Philip Luan returned to his home in Hangchow to rest. This left me alone in that difficult situation.
During that trying period, one morning Watchman came to me with the newspaper of the day and said, "In my entire life I never saw a marriage publicly attacked by printing an open advertisement in large characters in the country's leading paper." He said this with much sorrow. After that, he left Shanghai and traveled to the southwestern provinces of China.
At the same time Ruth Lee departed from Shanghai to visit the central part of China. The only help I had came from Sister Peace Wang. The situation was becoming difficult. By the Lord's mercy, Sister Wang and I decided to know nothing, do nothing, and say nothing concerning this problem. We simply continued on positively with the meetings. Praise the Lord, eventually He gained the victory and brought us through.
Before Watchman left Shanghai, he did not say a word to me concerning the work there. But following his departure, I discovered from one of the elders that his instruction to them was that the responsibility of the work there had been committed to me.
After three or four months, Watchman returned, and by May of 1935, although the storm was still present, it had calmed somewhat. Then Ruth Lee suggested to me that since Watchman would not minister, we must find a way to urge him to minister. But regardless of how much we urged him, he would not minister. Then one day Ruth said to me, "Let us beg him to hold a study with us on the Song of Songs." We therefore went to tell him that we were really eager to know the Song of Songs, and we asked him to accompany us to West Lake in Hangchow for a couple of weeks' rest and at the same time to have a study with us on the Song of Songs. He was happy about it and did it. Only four brothers and three sisters, who were all co-workers, went and stayed with him. The studies given by him at that time are now published in the book entitled The Song of Songs. Again, I received great help through these studies in the stages and turns of life. After that, Watchman began to minister regularly again.
From 1933, when Watchman returned from his trip to visit the Brethren in England, the Brethren had written us several letters concerning our fellowship with them. Up to the time of Watchman's wedding, we had not had time to respond to those letters. But since the wedding was over and the turmoil had subsided, Watchman began to consider how best to answer the letters of the Brethren concerning our fellowship with them. He asked me to care for this matter, but I did not take his word. Eventually, he did it himself and asked me, another co-worker, and the three elders in Shanghai to sign the letter with him.
RELATIONSHIP IN THE SPREADING OF THE WORK
At the end of May 1935, I returned to Chefoo. Watchman had decided to visit England, but before departing to England, he and his wife planned to come to Chefoo and stay in my home for some rest. Sister Nee came first in July, and Brother Nee came a little later. They were my guests for over one month. For a number of days Watchman went to stay in Tsinan with Brother Stearns, who was an American Presbyterian doctor. This doctor received much spiritual help from him and frequently came with his family from Tsinan to Chefoo for summer vacation.
At that time Watchman and the churches were somewhat depressed. One day after reading an article on revival in a Christian magazine, he said, "We need such a revival." Not long after this, one evening while seeking the Lord in the tennis court of the house where Dr. Stearns stayed, he experienced once more the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Following this, he held a conference with us on the overcoming life of Christ. That conference brought a revival to the church in Chefoo, and I myself obtained the greatest help in experiencing Christ as the overcoming life.
Because of the revival, Watchman canceled his trip to England and returned to Shanghai. Since the Lord had caused a revival, the decision was made that the coworkers were to go out to the major cities to spread the Lord's recovery. I was assigned to work in the north and went to Tientsin, the largest port of northern China near the old capital, Peking. This was done under the direct instruction of Brother Nee. At that time I traveled to Shanghai to see him concerning this matter.
In January of 1936, I, together with Peace Wang, a young sister under instruction, and two young brother co-workers, were sent there. After a short time, Watchman came to Peking and Tientsin to strengthen the start of the work there. We arranged a week of special meetings for him to preach the gospel to the upper class. After those special meetings, Watchman returned to Shanghai and continued to work there for the Lord's recovery.
In May of the same year, a high official of the provincial government of Honan, a Christian brother, being zealous for gospel preaching among his colleagues, invited Peace Wang to preach the gospel to them and then invited Watchman and me to do the same. We both went according to his request and stayed in his home for about a week. We preached the gospel to the governor and all his high officials with their wives and friends in that brother's courtyard in the evenings. The meetings were quite prevailing.
During the daytime Watchman and I spent our time in fellowship. He was again somewhat depressed, and one day he said to me, "If Sister M. E. Barber were still alive, our spiritual condition would be uplifted." This made me realize that he was seeking some spiritual help.
In the fall of that year, I took the initiative to contact the Pentecostal movement in Peking and began to speak in tongues, at the same time helping others to do the same. When the news of this arrived in Shanghai, Watchman sent me a cable with the word from 1 Corinthians 12:30: "Do all speak in tongues?" That simple cable helped me a great deal in that situation.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
WITNESS LEE'S RELATIONSHIP
WITH WATCHMAN NEE
FROM 1937 TO 1950
RELATIONSHIP IN NEW REVELATIONS
At the end of December 1936, I received a cable from Watchman Nee asking me to come to Shanghai immediately for an urgent conference of all the co-workers. Peace Wang, Chang Yu-tzu, a third co-worker, and myself arrived at Shanghai early on the morning of January 1, 1937. Watchman met us at the station, and the conference started the same day. In that conference, messages were released which now form the substance of the book entitled The Normal Christian Church Life. During the conference he became ill with a cold. He called me to his bedside and charged me to deliver the message which he intended to release on Acts 13. After receiving all the points from him, I did as he desired and delivered the message, but I must confess that it was very inadequate. Eventually, after he recovered, he gave that message again himself.
One day during this conference time, he took me to see the construction work of the training center he had planned to build at Chenru, a suburb of Shanghai. He related to me how he was burdened to pass on to the Lord's young seeking ones some practical training on life, on the church, and on the work. The construction work of the training center was damaged by the invading Japanese in August 1937 before it was completed.
At that time the decision was made that I should travel throughout all the provinces of northern China to preach and teach in the denominations. We felt at that time that we should pass on all the light the Lord had given us to the denominations. In the summer and in the fall of that year, I did much traveling in the northwestern provinces of Suiyuan, Shansi, and Shensi with Sister Peace Wang and others.
In that summer Japan invaded China, and many of the co-workers fled from the coast to the interior. At Sian, the last station of our journey in the northwest, we received a cable
from Watchman Nee that we should go to Hankow in the central part of China to meet with him and the co-workers for a co-workers' conference. Peace Wang and I proceeded there by train. While waiting in Hankow for Brother Nee to arrive, I received a cable from the elders in Chefoo urging me to return to care for my family because of the Japanese invasion. After I left Hankow, Watchman arrived and delivered the messages of The Normal Christian Church Life the second time in the co-workers' conference. After returning to Chefoo, I could not leave again because of the war, so for a period of time I was retained in northern China while most of the other co-workers were in the interior.
In August 1939, after Watchman Nee came back to Shanghai from London to hold a conference concerning the Body of Christ, he cabled me to attend this conference. At that time I was traveling and working in the central part of my province with four young coworkers. All five of us proceeded to Shanghai for the conference. In all the meetings of the conference, I was invited by Brother Nee to read the Scripture verses before he spoke. It was during that conference in 1939 that my eyes were opened to see the Body of Christ.
As his guest at this conference, I was again brought into close contact with Watchman. He related portions of his European trip to me, making me clear concerning the real situation of the Lord's interest in England and in northern Europe.
Following the conference I returned to Chefoo, intending to come to Brother Nee's training in Shanghai. The following April, I and a few others attended the training and stayed there for approximately two months.
One day while walking with him down the stairway of the meeting hall, he said to me, "We have the blueprint of God's plan in our hand." That puzzled me. "What is 'the blueprint'?" I said to myself. As time went on I discovered what he was practicing in Shanghai concerning the practicality of the church life. I took "the blueprint" back to the north and put it into practice in Chefoo for about two years.
RELATIONSHIP IN REVIVALS
A revival came to Chefoo in 1942 through practicing that blueprint. Because of that revival I suffered persecution and was imprisoned for one month in May 1943. After I was released from prison, I was severely ill of tuberculosis of the lungs. It was through that persecution, imprisonment, and sickness that I was forced to leave my hometown in 1944. I went to Tsingtao, resting and recuperating there for about two years. After Japan surrendered in August of 1945, I was invited to visit the church in Nanking in June of the next year, where I met Ruth Lee again after an absence from each other of over six years. From Nanking I proceeded to Shanghai to meet the invitation of the church there, staying there for about three weeks. I held a conference with the restored church in Shanghai on the tree of life and had much contact with Peace Wang and Yu Cheng-hwa, the eye specialist. In the same summer Watchman returned from Chungking to Shanghai and located there for his pharmaceutical business. He had still not resumed his ministry, but I had opportunity to visit and fellowship with him during this time. Following my stay in Shanghai, I returned to Tsingtao. In the fall my wife and children were able to join me there from Chefoo. Based on the invitation and encouragement of
the leading brothers in Nanking and Shanghai, I moved with my family to work in their district in October of 1946.
By being in Shanghai again, I had much opportunity to see Brother Nee after a separation of more than six years. While I was in the north, he had been in the western interior. We had had no correspondence during the war years, and I was somewhat concerned whether my practice in Chefoo had been right or not. Also, at this time Peace Wang and I were concerned for the recovery of Watchman's ministry. For this reason we both took every opportunity to have fellowship with him. Many times we had fellowship concerning life, the Spirit, the work, the churches, and the Lord's move in the recovery. In all these matters he helped us very much. In our fellowship I related to him all the things I had practiced during our years of separation. His response was to encourage me to carry out the same things in the other churches. We presented to him the urgent need to resume his ministry because of the restoration of the church in Shanghai and the wide doors opened in new fields. I asked him to resume his ministry, but he told me that because of certain rebellious brothers, his ministering spirit would not allow him to minister to the church in Shanghai. I realized from this that in order to recover his ministry, there was the crucial need of a revival among us.
He was fully open to both Peace Wang and me and gave us instructions concerning the Lord's work. In his fellowship with us, he stressed again and again the need to have the outer man broken that our spirit with the Holy Spirit might be released in our public ministry and personal contact with others. This was a great help to me.
After staying in Shanghai for a short time, a revival began to come in among the saints, and the number of attendants in the meetings greatly increased. Many who were distracted by the storm in 1942, which caused the church in Shanghai to be closed, were recovered. The news spread rapidly to all the churches throughout the country. The churches in the provinces of Fukien and Kwangtung urgently invited Peace Wang and me to visit them. Co-workers and leading ones from throughout the country were coming to Shanghai for fellowship. The decision was made that in April of 1948 a conference would be held for all the seeking ones throughout the country who could come and fellowship concerning the Lord's recovery.
At the end of December 1947, Sister Peace Wang, Sister Rachel Lee, and I first visited the church in Hong Kong and then proceeded from there to visit the churches in Canton, Swatow, Amoy, and Foochow, Watchman's hometown. During our three-week stay with the church in Foochow, a revival came in.
Before returning to the south, I composed and compiled The Chinese Gospel Hymnal. While we were staying in Foochow, Watchman inspected the manuscript and polished some of the gospel songs, especially the one entitled You Need Jesus.
Following the conference in Foochow, we stayed with Watchman another two weeks to fellowship with him that the recovery of his ministry must be sped up. When the other coworkers and leading ones heard about this fellowship, they also would not leave, but asked us to obtain permission from Watchman that they might also participate in the fellowship.
At first he would not give his permission, but on further entreaty, he agreed for them to be present on the condition that they would sit a distance away from him in another section of his spacious living room. Only Peace Wang, Rachel Lee, and I sat together with him for fellowship. I opened the fellowship by asking him why all the churches in the provinces of Fukien and Kwangtung were filled with confusion. Immediately he responded by releasing a message on the line of Jerusalem. The word poured out of him for over an hour. We sat there astonished. To our surprise a sister sitting among those far away burst out, "Why should we not do it right now according to Brother Nee's message?" Brother Nee responded, "If you wish to do it, you must all hand yourself over to the work (the ministry). Sign a note indicating your consecration, and pass it on to Brother Lee." This they all did.
When the leading brothers of the church in Foochow heard about this, they came that evening and handed over both themselves and the church to the work. This stirred up all the saints in town, and Watchman decided to call a meeting of the whole church. He asked me to speak at that meeting, but I told him strongly that if he would not go and speak, I would not even attend the meeting. He therefore took up the burden and spoke at that meeting. All of us realized that this was the beginning of the recovery of his ministry. Hundreds of us rejoiced over this. These events transpired in March 1948.
I then told him that over forty co-workers and seeking ones would be attending a conference in Shanghai in April, which had already been scheduled. I asked him if he would take care of this conference, and he agreed.
In one of the conference meetings in Shanghai, he requested that we sing the spiritual prose on the life of the grapevine. His desire after so many years of suffering was to express his spiritual sentiment through the singing of that prose. I then put it into meter, and we sang it in the meeting.
That conference broadened the revival which had already been brought into Shanghai. Also through that conference Watchman's ministry was fully recovered. At that time he decided to have a six-month training in the training center on Kuling Mountain. Peace Wang, Ruth Lee, and I were assigned to stay in Shanghai to care for the church and the supply of the training.
By 1948 the number of attendants in the church in Shanghai had greatly increased. It was, therefore, necessary to build a larger meeting hall, and a piece of land was purchased for that purpose on Nan-Yang Road. The cost was two hundred ten gold bars, equivalent to one hundred five thousand dollars in U.S. currency, to be paid in three equal installments. At that time the church had on hand only half of the initial installment.
One day Watchman asked me to come to his home. After I arrived he handed me thirtyseven gold bars, the equivalent of eighteen thousand five hundred dollars, which was more than sufficient to pay the other half of the initial installment. He told me that he had purposely kept that amount of gold aside to be applied on a meeting hall site for the church in Shanghai.
Also at this time he realized that the Lord's recovery would spread to Taiwan, and he was burdened to buy some land in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, for this purpose. A brother who was a businessman in Taipei promised to take care of this matter for him, and Watchman sent that brother some money for this purpose. When that brother attended the conference in Shanghai, Sister Peace Wang and I were deeply impressed that he might not be faithful in money matters. On a certain day when Watchman invited me to help him send a further amount of money to that brother, Peace Wang and I took the opportunity to express our feeling to him concerning that brother. He replied that the Lord knew that Judas was stealing from the purse, but He still allowed him to care for the money. I responded, "I cannot understand this point." But he gave no explanation.
Later, when I was sent to Taiwan, Watchman instructed me to visit that brother, and he gave me full authority to settle the account with him. I took one of the Taipei elders with me and asked the brother about the account. He presented a bundle of interest bills to us showing that Brother Nee still owed him a good amount of interest. I sent the report of this conversation back to Watchman in writing, but I received no further instruction from him regarding this matter.
One day while fellowshipping about the Lord's work, he asked me why I had gone to a certain place. My answer was that I wanted to help the church there solve its problems. He said that that was playing politics. He continued by saying that to do anything with a purpose, regardless how good, spiritual, or scriptural it might be, is to play politics. Only to follow the Lord's leading is not politics. As long as you are unable to say that your going there is following the Lord's leading, you are playing politics. In this same year, 1948, because of the heavy responsibility of the church in Shanghai, he appointed me as an elder there to help the situation.
RELATIONSHIP IN BEING SENT OUT FROM CHINA
In November 1948, Brother Nee called an urgent conference of all the co-workers in Shanghai to pray, fellowship, and seek clear guidance concerning whether we should stay or leave China. At that time I was in Hangchow holding a migration conference with the church there. On the last day of the conference, I received a cable from Brother Nee asking me to return immediately to Shanghai. Upon arriving in Shanghai, I found him eagerly waiting to hold the meetings. In the opening meeting he did not first have fellowship with us; rather, he simply announced that since everyone knew the political situation, Brother Lee must leave the country. He said, "Regardless of whether he likes it or not, he must be asked to go abroad." It was a serious time. Hardly anyone said a word. There was prayer, and Watchman closed with these words: "Let us bring this matter to the Lord and see how the Lord will lead us." That was the decision.
Because of the change in the political situation in northern China, Brother Nee fellowshipped with me that Chang Wu-cheng, Sen Feng-lu, and Liu Hsiao-liang in Tsingtao should migrate with their families to Taiwan for the spread of the Lord's recovery. The two of us sent these brothers a cable to that effect.
Following the co-workers' conference, Watchman still charged me to stay in Shanghai to oversee the building of the new meeting hall. In February of the following year, in the opening of the second co-workers' conference, concerning the matter of staying or leaving, Watchman repeated his announcement of the previous conference to the effect that I must leave the country. This time, after some prayer, he announced to all the rest that his feeling was that he and they must stay and prepare themselves to sacrifice everything for the Lord's work.
Following the meeting, while dinner was being prepared, Watchman and I took a walk. I asked, "Brother, why have you decided that I must leave the country, while you and all the rest stay and sacrifice everything for the Lord's work? Does this mean that you think I am not worthy?" He explained, "Brother, you must realize that although in this desperate situation we trust in the Lord, it is possible that the enemy will one day wipe us out. If this happens, you will be out of China, and we will still have something left. So you must go." I told him, "If this is the case, I will take your word and go." Then he asked whether I would go to Hong Kong or Taiwan. I answered, "I have no idea; I haven't given it a thought. Whatever you say, I will do." That was all.
At this time Watchman and I wrote a letter to Brothers Chao Ching-hwai, Chang Wucheng, Sen Feng-lu, Liu Hsiao-liang, and Chang Yu-lan in Taipei, appointing them as elders of the church there for its full establishment.
After this I remained on in Shanghai, attempting to finish the building of the new hall, and Watchman went to Foochow to carry out his second training.
Two months later, I received a cable from Watchman at his training center, saying that I must turn over all responsibilities in Shanghai to the local leading ones and come to him immediately. This I did. After I arrived in Foochow and stayed in his training center for a short time, the situation required me to go to Taiwan. This took place in May 1949.
Following his second training, Watchman assigned three of his trainees, one brother and two sisters, to come to Taiwan to help me in the Lord's work. The brother came to Taiwan and, after investigating the situation there, dropped Brother Nee's assignment. The two sisters, however, came and worked in Taiwan according to Brother Nee's intention. Watchman wrote me a long letter of recommendation regarding them, especially concerning the change in their disposition.
LAST CONTACT
Early in 1950 Watchman Nee visited Hong Kong from the China mainland. Because a revival was brought there through his ministry, he cabled me in Taiwan, asking me to meet him there before he returned to China. I replied that I was in the midst of an important conference in Taipei and would not be able to arrive in Hong Kong before he left. His response was that as soon as I was free I should go to Hong Kong, regardless of whether he was still there or not, to arrange the service of the church there. Eventually, on February 16, I went to Hong Kong and stayed there for one and a half months.
The following is a testimony of Brother Hsu Jin-chin, an elder in the church in Hong Kong during that period of time:
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On the evening of February 15, 1950, Brother Nee told us, "This afternoon I received a cable from Brother Lee. He will be here tomorrow to fellowship with the elders and the responsible brothers. I have also asked him to take the lead here. Tomorrow he will arrive. At that time I hope that you will receive him at the airport." By then, I was an elder already, and I arranged to have the brothers and sisters receive him at the Kai-Tak airport the next day.
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On the morning of the day after I arrived, Brother Nee took me to the meeting of coworkers and leading ones. In the presence of all, he said, "Brother Witness, according to the authority the Lord has given you, please make arrangements for all the service of the co-workers, the elders, and the deacons in the church here." This was an assignment of tremendous responsibility, to lay a good foundation for the church service in Hong Kong.
In the evening he took me to the special meeting of the revival and asked me to speak. I said, "As long as you are present, I have no burden to speak." He then continued to minister in those special meetings.
In the revival in Hong Kong, some brothers and sisters handed over their possessions to the work for the Lord's recovery. Watchman asked me to share the responsibility with him in the arrangement for their disposal.
The following is the testimony of Brother Hsu Jin-chin concerning one of the meetings:
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On February 9, I attended a meeting, and the word of the meeting greatly touched me. At the end of the meeting, I stood up and offered a prayer and consecrated myself with loud weeping and tears. I sang the hymn "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross." My whole being was filled with unspeakable joy. The attendance that evening was over two hundred. The meeting was originally scheduled to end at 9:30 in the evening. But after some had started to pray, the Holy Spirit continued to work, and over twenty people consecrated themselves one after another. The meeting went on until 10:45. _____________________________________________________ _______
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As a result of this consecration, Brother Hsu and his wife wrote down the following declaration:
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February 9, 1950, 9:30 p.m.
To the gracious Lord who has loved us:
We thank You and praise You. Because of Your calling and mercy, we gladly offer up our bodies as living sacrifices, and we hand over our children, our job, our time, our future, and everything we have to Your hands. We will gladly serve You in coordination with all the brothers and sisters in the church. Accept us, and may Your grace and love be with us all. Amen.
Recipients of grace, Hsu Jin-chin Chao Lai-ying
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In response to their handing themselves over to the work for the Lord's recovery, Brother Nee and I wrote the following reply to them:
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March 18, 1950
"While it remained, was it not your own? And when it was sold, was it not under your authority?" Acts 5:4
Dear Brother Jin-chin:
We have read the paper you have handed to us. After fellowshipping over the matter twice, we feel that according to your present spiritual condition, the time has not yet come for you to work together as "stewards." Hence, concerning your future, we feel that you should proceed according to the following methods: 1) As much as possible, everything in your possession that you have no use of should be sold. Try to gather up everything together. Half of these proceeds should be given to the elders of the church for the building of the meeting hall in Hong Kong. The other half should be sent away through the elders for use of the work in Shanghai.
2) Your business is returned to you for your own management. The profit you gain should be handed over to the elders for the use of the work in the Hong Kong region. We hope that you can be faithful in this matter and that you can give a good account before the Lord as a faithful steward on that day. Moreover, we hope that you will advance more in your stewardship in financial matters.
Peace be to you.
Your brothers,
Watchman Nee Witness Lee
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The following are two more letters written by Brother Nee and me to another sister concerning the disposal of material possessions.
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March 15, 1950 Dear
Sister I-Tien:
Peace in the Lord!
We have read the letter regarding the handing over of your possessions. How we thank the Lord that He has touched you regarding this matter and given you the enabling grace to meet His demands. We notice that you are the wife of a brother, and we are reminded of the record in Acts 5 in which the intimate relationship between husband and wife regarding consecration is revealed. Although that couple in the Bible failed, it shows even more how important it is to overcome. It is further revealed there that while the husband may be defeated, the wife alone may be victorious. In the light of this, we hope that you will be able to help your husband overcome with you. Very often when a husband is wavering regarding his consecration, if he has a wife who is fixed in her consecration, he can be saved through her influence.
We trust that you will be faithful either together with your husband or alone by yourself.
Your brothers,
Watchman Nee Witness Lee
March 15, 1950 Dear
Sister I-Tien:
Peace in the Lord!
Concerning the valuables which you have given, please manage them as follows:
1)Deliver the sewing machine to the brothers who are working together. 2)Regarding the surplus money you have each month, please give it to the elders of the church in Hong Kong, requesting them to keep half for the church in Hong Kong and to distribute the other half to Hangchow, Chungking, K'unming, and Foochow for the Lord's work.
We feel this settlement is in accordance with the Lord's will. May the Lord be with you and bless your future.
Your brothers,
Watchman Nee Witness Lee
P.S. 1)The letter which we have written is to point out where your responsibility lies. But you still may follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and either put the money into the offering box or send it to other work units. We do not wish that our specific indication would nullify the leading of the Holy Spirit. 2)When you deliver the money to the elders according to our designation, please mark "Wife" on the wrapper so that the elders will know what to do.
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Before I went to meet Watchman in Hong Kong, while still in Taiwan, I finished the compiling and composing work on the second Chinese hymnal. I presented him with the
manuscript, and he polished the hymn on the life of the grapevine, adding a few stanzas to it. It now appears as Hymn #635 in our English hymnal.
At that time I related to him that I had also composed sixty lessons on the basic truths of the Scriptures and that there was the need to reprint the first Chinese hymnal and some others of his publications. At this time he made the following arrangements regarding the bookroom and literature work:
1)The Gospel Bookroom should be set up in three places: Shanghai, Taipei, and Hong Kong. Watchman would personally manage the one in Shanghai; I would be responsible for the one in Taipei; and Brother Weigh would be responsible for the one in Hong Kong. Further, I was asked to assist the bookroom in Hong Kong regarding literary and editorial responsibility.
2)All three bookrooms would share the same copyrights.
(In 1975, Brother K.H. Weigh and I with other related brothers rearranged, due to the situation at that time, the matter of copyright as follows: All the Chinese books would be published by the Gospel Bookroom in Taipei; all the English books would be published by the Living Stream in the U.S.A.; the Hong Kong Church Bookroom would be used only for the distribution of our publications in Hong Kong.)
While in Hong Kong I shared with Watchman Nee how the Lord had blessed the work in Taiwan. He therefore encouraged me to return and remain there for the Lord's work.
Since I was much concerned for his return to the mainland, I had long fellowship with him one day regarding this matter. I said to him, "What the Lord's will is I dare not say. The matter is too great and serious." He said to me, "What shall we do with so many churches on the mainland? I must return to take care of them and stand with them for the Lord's testimony."
Concerning this matter, Brother Hsu Jin-chin testified to the following:
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Before Brother Nee left Hong Kong, Brother Lee advised him many times not to return to the mainland. But Brother Nee said, "If a mother discovered that her house was on fire, and she herself was outside the house doing the laundry, what would she do? Although she realized the danger, would she not rush into the house? Although I know that my return is fraught with dangers, I know that many brothers and sisters are still inside. How can I not return?" Brother Lee escorted him three times back from the bus stop to his home in Diamond Hill....
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In spite of others' advice, one day in the middle of March, Brother Nee asked his brotherin-law, Samuel Chang, to send him to the railway station to depart for the mainland. He did this without letting any others know. Soon afterwards, on April 1, I returned to Taipei.
That was the last time I saw him. From that time we had no correspondence and, of course, never saw each other again. We only received indirect news regarding him from his relatives until he went to be with the Lord.
IMPRESSIONS OF CONTACTS
Through all the twenty-five years I knew Watchman Nee, from 1925 to 1950, I was deeply impressed with certain characteristics of his.
Absolute toward the Lord
He loved the Lord as his first love. To him the Lord came first in everything. He never compromised regarding the Lord's interest, nor did he sacrifice any truth for the sake of convenience. He also did not follow the Lord halfway. His commitment to the Lord was absolute.
Well-balanced
In knowing the Bible and in his church practice, he was very well-balanced. He did not follow any teaching or any practice in an unbalanced way as so many Christians in denominations do. He would frequently compare one view of a certain thing with other views that he might be kept from falling into some extreme. In his daily Christian life, he practiced the same principle.
All-inclusive
From reading many classical Christian books, he picked up all the good scriptural points of many different Christian groups, gathering them all into the practice of the church life. He never rejected a good scriptural point simply because it came from the wrong source. He even picked up some good items from extreme Pentecostalism. In this way he was able to bring into the present practice of the church all the riches which Christ had given His Body in the past centuries. Through him we are now able to participate in all these riches in the local churches, not in a narrow way, nor in a sectarian way, but in an all-inclusive way.
Knowing the Bible
In my entire life I have never met another person who knew the Bible as deeply as Watchman Nee. He received much help from many of the finest Christian writers of past centuries, but he also stood upon their shoulders, seeing more things from the Scriptures than they did. He not only knew the letter of the Bible, but he also knew the Spirit of the Bible. He probed into the depths and touched the Spirit of the Scriptures. His knowledge
of the Bible was filled with light and saturated with life. He had not only the objective view of the Scriptures but also the subjective experience of God's Word.
Knowing the Lord
He was truly a man of God, knowing the Lord in a full way. He knew the Lord in His acts as well as in His ways. He knew the Lord not only according to His love, mercy, grace, righteousness, and holiness, but also according to His eternal purpose and His present economy. He had both the full, objective knowledge and the living, subjective realization of the Lord. He knew the Lord personally, as well as in the church, His Body.
Knowing Life
He knew that the Lord as the living Spirit lived in his spirit, and he knew how to exercise his spirit. He practiced rejecting the mind, emotion, and will of his soul, and he also practiced behaving and acting in the spirit. In this way he lived by the Lord as his life. He cared little for work; he continually cared for life more than work. He said repeatedly that the work should be the outflow of life. His ministry was not one of work but one of life, carried out by life. He paid much more attention to what he was than to what he did. He was truly a man of life.
Knowing the Church
He saw clearly that the church as the Body of Christ was Christ's expression with Him as its life and content. He also saw that the church could only be practical with the existence of local churches. He saw too that only churches in localities could carry out God's eternal purpose to have the church built up in a way which the gates of Hades could not prevail against. He thoroughly realized that to recover the proper church life on the proper ground is God's present economy. He did not teach mere doctrines concerning the church. He received a full revelation from the New Testament, not only regarding the content and reality of the church, but also regarding the practicality of the church. Through the years in his ministry, he not only stressed the experience of Christ but also emphasized the practice of the church life. His vision was not only Christ, but Christ and the church. Christ was his life, and the church was his living. He suffered for the church more than for Christ. The persecutions which came upon him from the denominations came mostly because of his emphasis on the church. He was burdened to carry out his vision concerning the practicality of the church life. He desired to see a local church in every city in China.
A GIFT OF THE AGE
I consider Watchman Nee to be a unique gift given by the Head to His Body for His recovery in this age. I fully respect him as such a gift. I have the full confidence and assurance that it was absolutely of the Lord that I followed this gift for the Lord's interest in His present move on this earth. I feel no shame whatsoever in saying that I followed a man --a man that was the unique gift and the seer of the divine visions in this age.
I am more than grateful to the Lord that immediately after being saved I was brought into such a profitable relationship with Watchman Nee and put into the closest relationship with him in the work of His recovery through so many events over a long period of time. The revelations concerning Christ, the church, the spirit, and life which I saw through Watchman Nee, the infusions of life which I received from him, and the things concerning the work and the church which I learned from him will require eternity to evaluate their true worth.