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Our Faith:We believe that the Bible is God's Word, word-for-word. We believe in a literal interpretation of all the major truths of the Bible.
Goal:In this little monthly publication, our desire is to supply spiritual milk to the young believers and solid food to the older ones. We especially stress the salvation of the cross. But we are even more concerned with the spiritual condition of the believers. We ask God to strengthen us that we could preach all of God's will. As to the errors of modernism, we will strive to warn God's children of its danger.
Standard:The Bible is our only standard. We are not afraid to preach the pure Word of the Bible, even if men oppose; but if it is not the Word of the Bible, we could never agree even if everyone approved of it.
Affiliation:We do not belong to any church. This paper is published with the help of the Lord's strength. Recently, being an indigenous church has become a fashionable subject. We believe that God's will is for us to return to the condition and method of the first century apostles. Therefore, concerning the question of the church, we preach with the New Testament as our goal, and we are not under the influence of any denominations.
Specialty:The odd issues of this publication (i.e., Issue Nos. 1, 3, 5, etc.) will be magazines, while the even issues will be Bible expositions. Many people do not understand the book of Revelation. Therefore, beginning with Issue Nos. 2, 4, 6, etc., we will devote ourselves exclusively to the study of Revelation. We will expound this book verse by verse. We believe that the readers will welcome this study. (There will be six magazine issues and six exposition issues each year.)
Price:Twelve issues per year for seventy cents. Overseas subscription is one dollar, or U.S. sixty cents, or two shillings, six pence. For eighteen issues (one and a half years), the price is one dollar. If you order ten copies, one will be free. Therefore, believers who are financially poor can solicit nine subscribers for this magazine and send in their subscription fee; they will then receive a copy free. Please use postal orders in sending in your payment.
Address:Bible Truth Depot, Pagoda Anchorage, Fukien.
Request:If we do not have your support, we will surely fail. Therefore, please withstand the enemy in your spirit on behalf of this paper. At the same time, please do your best to promote the circulation of this paper. Many people are willing to subscribe to the paper, but they think it too bothersome to do so. If you are willing to collect the subscription fee from them and send it to us, it will help us greatly. We hope that you will subscribe and introduce the paper to others today. May God bless all of you!
Since the first publication of The Christian, we have been so thankful for your unhesitating subscription, which increases the usefulness of this paper. There are more brothers and sisters who have helped this magazine by promoting it and collecting money for it. We do not have the time to thank you one by one, but we would like to thank you in a general way here. I know that you are doing this for the Lord's sake; however, since this magazine has received your benefit, we would nevertheless like to thank you. We hope that you would not forget this little work in your prayers. Pray to God for us that the editor would be healthy physically, that sinners would receive salvation through reading this paper, and that saints would be perfected through reading it as well. I still hope that you would not forget that the responsibility of increasing the usefulness of The Christian lies with you. You can write to believers within and outside your province, telling them of the publication of this magazine and asking them to subscribe to it and to introduce it to others. After the publication of the first issue, some friends wrote to tell us that the type is too small. We are aware that there are many unsatisfactory places in the first issue, but we have improved them in this issue. Now we have set the type less densely and have divided the page into two columns. I believe even those with weak eyesight can read it without much difficulty now.
This magazine has just started, and for various reasons we have to increase the price. Hence, beginning from next year, all new subscribers will be charged according to the new price, but those who have subscribed during this year will be charged the old price. We thank the Lord that many brothers and sisters who have subscribed during this year are willing to have the price adjusted to that of next year.
Brothers and sisters, since you have bought this magazine, I hope that you will not leave it on your shelf. What benefit is there, if a person only buys a magazine without reading it?
For the convenience of the readers, we have tried to put all the long articles into one issue. For some that are too long, however, we have to publish them in several issues. We hope that the readers will not give them up because of their length.
All the sections published in this issue are necessary knowledge for the study of Revelation. We hope that the readers will read it carefully.
We will continue with our format in the next issue. If you have any questions related to the Bible or spiritual life that you want us to answer, please send them to us within a few days of your receiving this magazine. Otherwise, we will not be able to answer them on time.
To those readers who have not paid their subscription yet, would you send in your money to the Gospel Book Room as soon as possible? This will help us greatly. All those who are subscribing to the paper should mark on their envelope the word "subscription," and all those who are writing to correspond with us should clearly mark the envelope also. I would love to correspond with God's children very much. However, if you want me to reply to you personally, please enclose a return envelope with stamps included. Overseas readers are free to do whatever they want to do.
Watchman, FoochowNovember 26, 1925
I am very sorry that due to the hurried publication of the second issue, many of the pages toward the end were not adequately proofread by me, so there were many errors. I would ask the readers to forgive us for this! In this issue we include an errata table. We hope that the readers will make the corrections according to the table and will thus not have any misunderstanding.
Except the articles that were written by the editor himself, all other articles are marked clearly with their source. Articles that are translated are marked "translated," and those that are quoted from other sources are marked "quotes." This will avoid any confusion. Some have wanted to know where the articles are from, and this will serve to explain their source. However, one thing should be clear: no matter from which window God's light comes into a dark room, the windows do not have to vie for glory or to boast. As long as light comes into the room, we are satisfied.
The Lord willing, the first article of every issue will concern the salvation of God. We hope that in the hand of unsaved ones, this paper will become a vessel to lead them to God. Those who are already saved would probably not be tired of reading about the salvation of the cross, for our eternal subject and memory in heaven will be the vicarious death of the Lord Jesus.
In this issue, we have an article by Mr. Henry concerning the church. Please pay attention to this article. At present, most papers that try to match the current of the age promote indigenous churches. They have all kinds of propositions. We are not here to insist on any opinions, but to learn to find out where God's will is and what His Word says. Other than God's Word (the Bible), we know of nothing else. Every one of us knows the unscripturalness of the distinction of sects. Furthermore, we are tired of the disputes that have come along with sectarianism. The only thing that we need to submit to is the teaching of the Bible. Besides this, we do not need to care for anything else. In the future, if there is anything that this paper will say about the church, it will be based on "Thus saith the Lord," not on anything else. If the readers can tolerate other papers' propositions of overthrowing the denominations and replacing them with indigenous churches, I hope that they can also tolerate this paper's propositions of a scriptural church. But then, what is the use of vain words? We know the truth in order to practice the truth. Hence, we hope that God's children would obey the Lord in the matter of the church. However, if unfortunately our minds are not the same, we hope this will not become a barrier between us.
The article on Genesis in this issue is very crucial. We hope that the readers will read it carefully with their Bibles open before them. In that article we explained the origin of Satan and the things of the first world. I should make a point of clarification here: The exposition of Ezekiel 28 in that article is done through much help from the famous English writer of the last generation, Mr. Pember.
All the subscribers' copies of this issue are sent out now. If you have not received yours, it is probably due to the unstable political condition of the times. Please write to us if you have not received yours, and we will send another copy to make up.
Friends, please do not forget to introduce our paper to others. It is not an easy thing to start a magazine. The reason we have done our best to publish it is that we want the truth to spread and to save and edify some people. We hope that you will have a share in this work and would do your best to introduce this paper to others. At present, we are not lacking in seekers for the truth. But they do not know about us and therefore have not subscribed to our magazine. I hope that you would at least introduce this paper to one other person this month, thus expanding the sphere of service of this paper to the saints. Thank you!
Watchman, PagodaDecember 12, 1925
Purpose:To cultivate the Christian's spirituality; to proclaim the salvation of the cross; to warn of the danger of modernism.
Content:Sermons, messages, research, talks, expositions, questions and answers. (Anyone desiring to ask questions about the Scriptures may do so.) Twelve issues per year, six of which are in magazine format, and six of which are on exposition.
Price:One dollar per year. Overseas $1.20. We do not accept orders for air mail. Please send us money by postal order, not by stamps.
Address:Gospel Book Room, Pagoda, Fukien.
This work is very important. Of course, we should do our best to proclaim our beloved Lord and other truths with our mouth. But we cannot take hold of everyone to speak to him. For this reason, we should give away books. Do you know that giving books away produces the greatest results? Do you know that giving away a good book can lead others to receive the Lord, to understand the truth, and to forsake heresies? Unfortunately, those believers who are able would not do this work. Although we cannot know the result of giving books away, in that day when we stand before the judgment seat, we will see why it was worthwhile to do this work. We publish books, and you should buy and give away books.
This past month the Lord has been leading me through deep waters again. Although I have suffered Satan's attacks and have been sick in bed for a period of time, the Lord has caused this chain of hell to work to my advantage once again. I thank the Lord that He has not only healed me, but has taught me many lessons.
This issue has been ready for quite a while already. Therefore, questions that have come to me after the completion of this issue are not answered here and can only be answered in the seventh issue. In the future, we hope that questions regarding this column could be sent to us earlier, so that we do not have to postpone the answers to another issue.
From now on, the Lord willing, each issue of The Christian will contain a column on "The Signs of the Times" that our readers might better understand the situation in the last days and know how the prophecies of the Bible are being fulfilled step by step. May the Lord use this column to inspire His children to watch and pray and get themselves ready. Knowing that the Lord is coming soon should not make one lazy, but rather cause him to forsake the world. Those who are aware of the Lord's soon return, yet still love the world, are in a very pitiful spiritual condition.
The purpose of The Christian is not to preach any person, any man's ideals, or any "-ism." Its mission is to preach the Lord Jesus and Him crucified. We thank the Lord that this paper has aroused many people's sympathy and prayers. Our intention in these pages is to preach the message of the Lord to people far and near. I deeply believe that if the Lord's servants clearly preach the gospel of the vicarious death of the cross and depend on the mighty power of the Holy Spirit in order that sinners might become regenerated, they will by no means be fruitless. Unfortunately, what is preached today is not the gospel of God, the gospel of the grace of God. Rather, the message of the cross as revealed by God is replaced with man's ideals and rules for improvement. No wonder sinners are not affected. Others preach the salvation of God by their own intelligence and wisdom and do not have the Holy Spirit working with them by power. Hence, even though they preach, in the end they cannot save men's souls. I pray humbly that the Lord may have mercy on us and cause us not to rely on our own ability or strength but rather on God's Spirit to speak forth the gospel of the Lord.
Finally, I deeply feel that the work before us is very great. May the Lord be merciful to us and increase our strength. Brothers, please do not forget to pray for us.
While traveling in MuihwaFebruary 18, 1926
I am writing this from Kulangsu, Amoy. The month before last, I was invited to work here in southern Fukien. But due to the fact that the next issue of the magazine was not yet ready and due to my physical weakness, I was not able to come. The week before last, in my prayer, the Lord showed me clearly that I should come. Hence, three days ago, I came here.
Now I am preaching the Lord's gospel to the students and the "nominal members" of the Gospel Hall. The impression I have here is the same as elsewhere: man always tries to be saved through his own good works! Although such ones always fail and know that they are not trustworthy, they still look to themselves and would not trust fully in God's grace! This is not strange to a fleshly person. What they see and think is not grace at all. They have never thought about God's love! The more I travel in my preaching itinerary the more I realize that everywhere, men need the gospel. We who have received His salvation should try our best to spread God's gospel of grace so that sinners, the ones who are incapable of doing any good and who know that they are hopeless, may believe and be saved. Our job is to preach clearly God's free grace in the power of the Holy Spirit so that many disappointed and downtrodden sinners may have the hope of salvation. Praise God that salvation has been accomplished!
This issue may be thinner than the previous issues. This is because the articles for the first column are finished, and I have left it open without filling in with something else. In addition, I had to travel. As a result, there were fewer pages.
From here, the Lord willing, I still want to go to Tungan, Changchow, and so forth. I hope that you would not forget to pray for me. The next two issues will probably have to be prepared while I am traveling. Please do not neglect praying for this matter.
We thank and praise our Father that the subscriptions for The Christian have been increasing day by day. I also thank many of my readers for their great effort in promoting this magazine. There are more and more modernists in the churches today, and there are several publications that are testifying for the truth. If you have not introduced this paper to others before, we request that you would spend a little time and energy today to do so. Introduce this magazine to your pastors, your church members, your classmates, and your friends that they may receive the service of The Christian also. May the Lord be with us.
Watchman, in AmoyApril 1
I have been away for about two months, traveling in such places as Amoy, Kulangsu, Tungan, and Changchow, and have now returned home. Because of the weakness of my health, I was not able to finish this issue until the week before last. I would ask my readers to pardon me for the delay.
This time we have received more new subscriptions from southern Fukien, and we have sent out the magazines to them according to their order. If there is anyone who has paid but has not received their copy, please write to us to inform us so that we can forward the same to you. Many readers sent in seventy cents after January. According to the price, they will receive only eight issues. This is the seventh issue of this year already, and your subscription will be over after the next issue. If you want to continue the subscription, please send us the money so that we can continue the service. Otherwise, we will have to discontinue the mailing. Many people think that it is inconvenient to send money to us because the post office is not issuing postal money orders. Here is an alternate way. Those in places which do not take postal money orders can buy a cashiers check from a foreign bank, or they can spend five cents to send the money to us by mail. Of course, if postal money orders can be bought in your place, you do not need to do this. We hope that the readers whose subscriptions are about to expire will not delay and will send in the money orders right away to renew the subscriptions.
Our magazine has greatly increased in circulation within the last few months. At present, our Issue Nos. 3 and 4 are completely out, and the other issues have only a few hundred copies left. Those who want back issues should write to us right away.
Summer is about to come, and everywhere there are summer camps and other retreats. I hope that the readers of The Christian would take this opportunity to introduce this magazine to all the attendants so that this paper can serve more Christians. Furthermore, students everywhere are now being affected by the modernists, and they do not understand what salvation is. I hope that the pastors and teachers everywhere will introduce this paper to the students you know so that God will save and edify them through this magazine. Please do not forget to do it.
The synopsis of Revelation should have been published long ago. But due to my busy schedule, I could not put in the additional material that I wanted to put in, and the book is not yet published.
Finally, I fully realize that I am but a sinner saved by grace. My thoughts and my ways have many imperfections before the Lord. The one I hate the most is myself. O God, be merciful to this useless servant! Please pray for me so that wherever I go, I can walk according to God's will. Pray that God would lead me to do what I should do this summer. For now, my future is full of thorns, and I do not know what I should do in the way ahead of me. Please do not neglect remembering me before the Lord. The Lord willing, we will see you again next month.
Watchman, in Ma-Kiang
In the summer I went to Anhwei to conduct meetings. On my way back I passed by Shanghai and got a heat stroke, which put me in bed for a few days. In my sickness I received the necessary lessons from God. Thank the Lord for His grace! When you receive this issue of the magazine, I will have left for work in southern Fukien already. May you not forget to pray for your weak brother.
The subscriptions of this paper have reached over 1,300. But our goal is far more than this. We hope that the readers will do their best to introduce it to others.
While I was conducting meetings in Anhwei in the summer, some readers from southern Fukien wrote to change their address. The envelope was addressed to the editor, and the workers in the Gospel Book Room dared not open it. They transferred the letter to me in Anhwei. I had to then transfer the letter back to Fukien. It is a pity that such a small thing as a change of address brought about such delay in time and work. In the future, anything that has to do with publication matters should be directed to the Gospel Book Room and should not have my name on the envelope. As for matters related to the editor, please send to "The editor, The Christian magazine, Pagoda, Fukien." No matter where the editor is, someone will transfer the letter to me. Please do not forget to do this.
This is the eleventh issue of The Christian. The next issue will be No. 12. After that issue, The Christian will have finished its whole year's work. We thank the Lord that He has blessed us during the past year to serve readers on time. We have often received letters from readers telling us how they have received help from The Christian. This does not make us proud. On the contrary, it humbles us to realize that God would use such insignificant vessels as we. Although our work is difficult, we are emboldened by the letters from you. May God bless both the editor and the readers!
The subscription period is about to expire! The important thing to do now is to renew the subscription. We ask those readers who have subscribed for only twelve issues to note that this is already the eleventh issue. The next issue will be your last issue. If you do not renew, we will stop mailing to you. You should not lose your friend, The Christian! We ask that you send in your money to renew your subscription the same day that you receive this issue so that you will not forget later.
The editor of this paper is seriously praying and considering how to improve the content of The Christian. He does not know if he should continue with the "Exposition Issues." If you have any suggestions, please mail to Mr. Nee directly for his reference.
A detailed list of our books is printed on the back cover of this paper. It is most convenient to order some books while you are renewing your subscription. Please remember! Do not forget to renew your subscription and buy the books.
Now is the end of a year. We confess that there were many shortages in our work this year. We ask that the Lord would forgive our failures, and we ask that you would pardon our oversights. We fully realize that we are nothing. If anyone has received salvation or has been helped or edified, may all the glory go to God the Father! We thank God that He has blessed us during this year so that in everything we see His hand. We thank Him even more for not despising our smallness, but He has used us, the humble vessels, to accomplish something for Him according to His plan. We praise Him because He has used this humble paper, The Christian, to remind and revive His own children. Even some sinners have been saved through reading The Christian. What more can we say? We can only give glory and honor to Him.
How solemn a work it is to be commissioned by God to expound His holy Word! When we think of this, we cannot help but stand in fear and awe. We are very willing to communicate to you through our pages the things that you have known, believed, and obeyed. However, our goal is not to please men, but to serve the Lord. If we are still pleasing men, how can we be considered the servants of God? If there is any word in this paper that has pricked your heart, please search the Scriptures before the Lord, trusting in His Holy Spirit, and consider how God would lead and teach you. Please forgive us for our zeal! We do this because we want to proclaim the whole counsel of God so that His children would fully obey Him. If not for this, are we not aware that we have to treasure man's friendship? But we thank God that most of our readers are sympathetic toward us. Most of the saints today love the truth, but not the whole truth. I hope that we will not be like this. We are reluctant to speak many serious words. But what else can we do when we know that this is God's commandment? Please forgive us for our forthrightness!
We believe that the day of the return of our Lord Jesus is near. But we do not know the date. Hence, we like to do more to awaken God's children. We have done this, but we will do more next year. The spiritual life of the saints is also very important. We wish to pay more attention to this point in the coming days, according to the strength that the Lord has provided us. As to the recent heresies, errors, and human traditions, we will surely issue the warnings according to the teaching of Jude 3. We desire that we will be able to say, as Paul did, that we have not held back anything that is profitable to you.
Finally, if the Lord delays His coming, and if He wants us to continue testifying for Him, we are very willing to serve all of you again next year. In lifting our eyes to the condition of today, we see that dusk is approaching and a storm is imminent. Who knows what the Lord's disciples will face? The present hours of vanity will soon be over, and the eternal glory is before our eyes. Let us consider more the Lord Jesus who has died for us!
December, 1926
We have entered another year of our work. Hence, we need to say a few words to the brothers and sisters in the big family of The Christian.
When we first began publication of The Christian, our original intention was to try it for only one year. While, on the one hand, there are not many spiritual publications today, on the other hand, there are enough to make us wonder whether there was sufficient need for us to publish The Christian. Yet, since its inception, readers everywhere have indicated that it does meet a great need in the church today and has its unique place. Their subscriptions, recommendations, and encouragements have been continually pouring in. We thank God that He has made The Christian so acceptable to His children. We intend therefore to continue the work for another year.
In publishing this little paper The Christian, in addition to difficulties with material, time, and energy, there is another problem that we feel reluctant to handle. The one thing that we fear the most is to be involved in debates. All of you know that in the present churches there are many theological arguments and variations in expositions. There are even more sectarian traditions and denominational systems. What we believe in and preach is nothing other than the Bible. We do not want to adopt anything from human tradition. But to adopt such a stand in publishing a paper will undoubtedly invite many debates and arguments. This is why during the past year, other than quoting directly from the Bible, we dared not discuss many things. Even when we made any conclusions, we dared not judge presumptuously, thus causing sorrow to those of God's children who hold different views than we do. At the beginning of this year, we would like to declare specifically that what we want to do the most is to proclaim to our readers the teachings in the Bible. But we want to proclaim them in the spirit of peace so that those brothers and sisters who hold different views will not be offended. St. Augustine said, "In primary things, be one; in secondary things, be liberal; and in all things, love."
When we published our first issue of The Christian, we included a statement stating our goal, standard, and affiliation. We would now like to reprint what we said then:
Goal: In this little monthly publication our desire is to supply spiritual milk to the young believers and solid food to the older ones. We especially stress the salvation of the cross. But we are even more concerned with the spiritual condition of the believers. We ask God to strengthen us that we could preach all of God's will. As to the errors of modernism, we will strive to warn God's children of its dangers.
Standard: The Bible is our only standard. We are not afraid to preach the pure Word of the Bible, even if men oppose; but if it is not the Word of the Bible, we could never agree even if everyone approved.
Affiliation: We are not affiliated with any church; rather, we publish this paper by the Lord's strengthening. Recently, indigenous churches have become a current topic of advocacy. But we feel that God's will is to bring us back to the conditions and ways of the first century's apostles. Therefore, with regard to the question of the church, we are specifically preaching it with the goal of the New Testament in view, and we are not controlled by any sect.
This statement was published in the first issue of this paper. By the grace of God we have not changed our original intention, and this year we will surely carry on according to this statement.
On the one hand, we desire to preach the true word of God, but on the other hand, we do not wish to hurt the good feelings of other children of God. Please remember that, though you may find some views in The Christian different from yours, we should never be divided because of this. This is even more so with regard to the question of sectarianism. We desire that all the children of God be united as one. Except for reason of extreme importance, we are most reluctant to publish any writings that would cause disputation.
According to the teaching of the Bible, all should discern when the prophets speak (1 Cor. 14:29). We believe that none of the world's best expositions were written under such inspiration as that of the Bible. Men invariably make mistakes. It cannot be that The Christian will never err. (Of course, we would never intentionally put errors into it.) However, if what The Christian teaches are teachings of the Bible and not teachings of men, nor of denominations, nor of theology, then please do not refuse them because of inconvenience. But if they are not the teachings of the Bible, please reject them. However, we must bear in mind this one thing: we should not annul the many "truly, truly's" in the Bible with one "perhaps," nor oppose the many clearly manifest teachings of the Scriptures with one or two ambiguous verses that are dependent entirely on interpretations.
In the November issue of last year, we have asked for suggestions from the readers concerning the "Exposition Issues" of this magazine. Many brothers and sisters have advised that we continue with it. We will quote one letter from Pastor Tsui Ai-kwang from Chen-yang-kwan, Anhwei:
"...Concerning the question of the `Exposition Issues,' I have found that I received more help from that than from the other issues. According to my personal experience, I think it should surely continue...."
This letter represents the desire of many readers. For this reason, this year we hope to continue publishing the "Exposition Issues." But for various reasons, we cannot publish six issues as we did last year. Most likely this year we will put out one issue per two months. While I am writing this, the section on Thyatira in the "Meditations on Revelation" is ready for printing.
The contents of The Christian this year will continue as before. Besides "The Signs of the Times," "Stories," and "Question and Answer Box," all of which were included last year, we have also prepared three articles on "The Paths to Hell" for this year's gospel messages (the first of which is published in this issue). Other articles which also proclaim the gospel of the grace of God will be published in succession. All our readers may feel free to pass on the gospel messages to others (whether or not you mention the name of this magazine). There is a certain pastor who regularly reads the gospel messages of this paper to his congregation on Sundays. He feels that even though they cannot hear our preaching personally, he still can use this direct method to meet the need. The Lord has greatly blessed what he has done.
This year there will be many messages especially dealing with faith in the "Spiritual Teachings" column. The articles on prayer by Mr. Meek will still be published. We also hope to print some practical articles written by other children of God. In the first half of this year, we intend to publish "Faith in Practice," "The Source of Faith," "Essentials and Nonessentials," "The Condescension of the Lord Jesus," "Bribing the Conscience," and others. "An Hour's Conversation with Mr. George Müller" has been translated by Mr. Wang Tze and will be published in the "Testimonies" column. The Lord willing, Mr. Wang will translate other articles for us. "A Sermon that Was Never Delivered" in the "Stories" column is the most touching one. We also hope to publish some testimonies of high school and college students this year. Please pay attention to them.
We have translated "The Origin of the Bible" and hope to publish it soon.
Concerning the exposition of the Bible, we will continue "Meditations on Genesis." However, each article will be a separate entity. The sixth and seventh articles have been completed. One is "The Story of Creation and the Truth concerning the Dispensations," and the other is "The Story of Creation and the Seven Great Characters of Genesis." Those who enjoy reading this column will receive much spiritual food.
Naturally, there is much which we cannot say now, but we will do our best to make The Christian a work which glorifies God and benefits men. We still ask you to continue praying for us so that in our work we can feel the power of your supplications. We still hope that you would not forget to introduce The Christian to others. You may think that this is an insignificant thing to do, but if everyone would do this, this paper will benefit much. May God bless our work this year. How happy we are when we consider that we can speak of His name to the world and to the saints for His sake!
Watchman NeeJanuary, 1927
This is to inform you that in order not to delay the publication of this issue of The Christian, we have combined the January and February issues, that is, Issue Nos. 13 and 14 into one issue. Many readers subscribed for twelve months last year. But we could not supply them the back Issues of Nos. 3 and 4 (now No. 6 is also out). As a result, we are adding two issues of this year to their subscription to make up twelve. This means that their subscription ends at Issue No. 14. Since this is Issue No. 13-14, their period of subscription ends after this issue. We ask that these readers would immediately renew their subscription so that we do not have to complicate our paperwork. If you subscribe early enough, you will not be cut off temporarily, and we will not have to wait and wonder if you still want it or not. According to our practice, once the period of subscription is over, we will stop mailing. We hope that you will help us in this matter. Moreover, our publishing address has moved from "Pagoda, Fukien," to "Shanghai." Hence, readers should direct their mail to "P.O. Box 323, Shanghai."
Dear readers, we know that it is hard for a busy and uncalm mind to receive anything, and it is hard for a stubborn and prejudiced subjectivity to be without error. It is most easy for a heart that is not humble to breed negative feelings and criticisms when it encounters things contrary to itself. Therefore, when we read this special issue, the first thing we should pay attention to is our own attitude.
Straight Paths cannot solve all our problems regarding what we should know and should do. Yet at such a time when traditional teachings are kept most devoutly and organizations of human will are stressed most enthusiastically, Straight Paths can cause us to doubt these things and search them out in the Bible. The strictness in the Bible will never be "too much." The freedom in the Holy Spirit will never lead to "confusion." We do not need to be overly worried about these two matters. But our greatest shortcoming lies in our unwillingness to investigate, know, understand, and obey! After reading Straight Paths, we should investigate and consider much the Lord's words. We should also write down what is not clear to us and what seems contradictory, and we should ask directly for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and indirectly for the opinion of the Bible scholars, while always keeping a heart of prayer and obedience. The Lord will surely have something to teach us.
Anything that does not measure up to the truth must be destroyed. However, the purpose of destruction is to lead people to obey the truth, not to build up themselves. If we know that a certain matter is sin, we should break away from it first and should also lead others to break away from it. We should never condemn others with empty teachings and thus lose our love! Our Head is Christ. We, the many Christians, are merely the members. Through Christ, we have become one Body and are severally members one of another. The word of God is our light. All these are things that we already know. Therefore, after we have read Straight Paths, we should beware of following others, and we should also beware of others following us. The most important thing is to hold Christ the Lord as the center of everything and to take the scriptural teaching as the standard of all our conduct.
If something is not according to the scriptural teaching and cannot be accepted by our heart, of course we should investigate it again carefully. But if the teaching of the Bible is very clear, and our conscience acknowledges it as proper, yet because of ourselves and because of others, we have many considerations so that we become hesitant and negligent, eventually letting it pass away, then what more can we say!
During the long, long night, the one who most eagerly expects daybreak is the watchman. During this age of long, long night, are not we, the Christians, those who most eagerly expect the Lord's coming (parousia)? Dear readers, let us be watchful and prepare!
I remember after having been a believer for only one year, a friend gave me several spiritual books, one of which was Straight Paths. At that time when I read it, I found it incomprehensible in many places. I remember two points that helped me the most; one was concerning regeneration, and the other concerning the question of sectarianism. Although prior to this I was already regenerated in experience, yet there was still much darkness in my mind regarding what exactly is the whole matter of regeneration. This book clarified to me the meaning of regeneration.
I was originally a member of a big denomination. My grandfather was the first ordained Chinese pastor in my home town. I still remember my grandmother telling me that because my grandfather was the only pastor there, the three denominations in Fukien often took turns to borrow him! This book did not resolve for me any questions related to denominationalism, but it caused me to doubt the current organizational method of the denominations and to wonder whether these were all really scriptural.
As time passed, I completely forgot about this book. The second time I found this book was at the beginning of last year. I read it once again. How wonderful that what God has taught me and led me to consider and practice in these past few years really matched exactly what is described in this book.
At that time, I mailed some money to England to buy more than ten copies and gave them to my friends. At the same time I had the intention to translate this book into Chinese.
Last year I was sent by God to several places to preach the gospel. On my journey quite a few persons borrowed this book from me to read. They all thought this book should be translated into Chinese in order to help those who desire to wholly follow the Lord. But I really had no time for this. So it became a matter that was laid in God's hands.
At the end of the year when I was in Nanking, I lent this book to a sister. Thank the Lord, I did not make the request, but she volunteered and, together with another sister, successfully translated this book.
Because I see that the church of God today has fallen into a state in which it follows absolutely the tradition and opinion of man, I have often reminded the believers in this little paper, The Christian, concerning this matter. Of course, this kind of work has not been entirely fruitless, for some people's consciences have been aroused. (A hardened conscience is what I fear the most!) But I have my own difficulties also. It is not because I do not know God's teaching concerning this matter. The problem is my attitude toward my brothers. Every deep, thoughtful heart before God knows the difficulty of attacking teachings and conduct that are not according to the Bible. Unless God grants the grace, there is subconsciously a bitter taste against brothers who hold different views; sometimes ridicule may slip out of one's mouth. This is the problem on my side. On the other side, they are also my brothers. In every denomination today, as well as in organizations that resemble the denominations, there are many of my friends. Some of them I know well, and some I do not yet know. Their names often arouse in me respect and love. We all believe in one Savior, and we all serve one Lord. The precious blood and the Holy Spirit have already united us tightly, and we have become inseparable.
They are in the denominations, and they support the present form of the denominations. Though we do not hold the same view, I always believe that their intention is for the good. To doubt this is a sin. If I stand up to tear things down in a resolute way, inevitably it will cause problems among the brothers. This is what makes me sad.
But the word of God should not be buried. Why are we living on this earth? We should love the brothers, but such love should be controlled by the truth. My prayer was and still is that God would grant the grace to, on the one hand, witness for the truth concerning His church and, on the other hand, maintain a heart of brotherly love.
Ever since The Christian began this kind of open discussion, God has opened the eyes of a number of people. Is this not God's grace? Even some of those who bear the so-called responsibility in the churches are also seeking after the truth. The following are excerpts from two recent letters:
"The organizational method of the church today is really a sin of idolatry and fornication. The workers they employ are like Balaam who was hired by Balaak to work for him and who simply took orders from Balaak. But I am not very clear concerning the New Testament way. During this time of dramatic changes in foreign diplomacy, it is the right time to reform the church. Please show me in detail how to go on."
Another letter reads, "Since reading The Christian, I have been greatly helped by your teaching. But I am still not very clear concerning today's church system and organization, which you denounce. Therefore, I am writing to ask respectfully many questions that are in my heart. Please explain them for me in order to dispel my doubts. I shall be obliged." (Many questions followed.)
I am happy because the believers' consciences have already been awakened concerning this matter. John 7:17 really fits here. Today, many matters have fallen into a state of confusion. This is not due to the believers' lack of understanding, but to their disobedience. Many consider that even though the Bible has said something, it still cannot be done. This attitude renders the Lord's servants helpless.
Concerning the church, I deeply feel that only two things are indispensable: the Bible and the Holy Spirit. Man must discard all his "'however," "'but," "that will also do," "nothing has been said to forbid it," and obey the Bible. I have always wanted to ask peacefully those who advocate sectarianism, "Can you exhort others to obey the Bible's teaching concerning sectarianism?" Those who advocate sectarianism cannot exhort others to obey the Bible.
However, it is absolutely impossible to try to obey the command of the Bible without the power of the Holy Spirit. Those believers who have been taught by the denominations for a long time will feel that the biblical teaching concerning church organization is too "loose." Truly, if there is no Holy Spirit, everything will collapse! In the human organizations, everything is artificial; of course, when a person applies diligence, things will be booming. If the believers act according to the teaching of the Bible yet without the power of the Holy Spirit, they will see that their order will be worse than that of the human organizations. However, no fleshly order can substitute for the power of the Holy Spirit. Wherever the flesh is working, the Holy Spirit is not moving.
A believer in Amoy who read an original version of Straight Paths wrote us a letter saying:
"Straight Paths is needed urgently because the believers, though revived, do not know how to be baptized, how to leave the denominations, and how to establish the church according to the Bible. Brother, if you can devote one issue of The Christian to the church and publish Straight Paths in another issue, those who desire to establish churches will be able to learn from these issues. This would be wonderful."
In response to the need and requests from everywhere, we are now making Straight Paths a special issue of The Christian. In addition, we will print it as a separate book to make it widely available. I desire that Straight Paths will induce the readers to study the Bible and receive the teaching of the Bible directly. If Straight Paths and this magazine are taken by some as a set of charters or regulations for setting up churches, I would rather that this book not be printed. The Bible is the standard for all things. Do not follow men, and do not follow us.
The teaching of Straight Paths is outright and clear. Of course, there are many problems not yet covered. The Lord willing, perhaps in the future I will publish a more detailed book. I am most fearful, however, that a book will be taken by people as "a set of rules."
Finally, let me give a brief introduction of the author of Straight Paths. His name is Alexander M______. He is an evangelist greatly used by the Lord in Europe and America. He has been a prolific writer. One of his writings, "God's Wonderful Way of Salvation" has already been translated into Chinese (published by Holy Religious Books Society). Today he is already an old man. Though he cannot do any vigorous work anymore, his writings still continue to speak for him everywhere. In his books, he quoted copiously the words of others. All those he quoted were servants who have done fine work for God.
May 7, 1927Watchman Nee, in Shanghai
Worship is an art that is long lost among Christians. There are very few people who know the meaning of the word worship. There are fewer who know how to worship God in spirit and reality. This is one reason for the degeneration of spiritual life among believers today.
The most important work in the spiritual life is to contact God and to fellowship with God individually. This contact and fellowship with God has its highest expression in worshipping God. It is when believers become mature in life that they know how to worship God as God. Another great reason for worshipping God is to worship Him for what He is to us.
Recently, the Lord has been pleased to see men in China preaching the importance of worshipping Him. This special issue that meets this timely demand should receive the greatest attention from the believers. May God guide those who are willing to be taught.
Watchman Nee
(The content of this letter describes the major changes for next year. We urge the readers to read this.)
When this issue reaches you, it will be the end of the year. Looking over the past year, we really thank Him for the way He has blessed us, led us, taught us, supplied us, urged us, healed us, rebuked us, chastened us, and disciplined us. Praise the Lord, Oh my heart! Again considering ourselves in this past year as being so defiled, defeated, head-strong (willful), rebellious, ungracious, unrighteous, lacking, and wrongful, we feel thoroughly discontented with ourselves. How we wish that these dark spots were not part of the history of our life. But wishing is wishing; still we are defeated. What a pity! Nevertheless, knowing our condition only convinces us more that our flesh is incurable and causes us to loudly sing praises to the Lord, for in such defeat He is still so gracious to us. O Lord! How can we forget Your grace?
It seems that my ill health during this past year was known far and wide. In three localities it was even rumored that my earthly tabernacle had been destroyed. For this reason there were increased prayers for me more than ever before. I greatly appreciate those who care for my physical welfare. In the past days my natural strength has been much weakened. Even light activity causes my body to feel its burden. But praise the Lord that this year was still filled with many days of work. Instead of resting and getting rusty, why not labor and trust? The strength of promise in time of need is never decreased. For this fact I cannot but praise the Lord.
The scarcity of fruit, the emptiness of life, the staleness of the spirit, and the weakness of the body are each enough to make me feel ashamed. Actually, I deserve nothing but to be ashamed. That all things work together for good to them that love God is true and trustworthy. In my situation these words again have become so real.
After a long period of waiting and praying, I am now clear about the Lord's will concerning The Christian for next year. When I first began publication of this paper, I knew it would not be of a permanent nature. At first I intended to publish it only on a trial basis for one year. Following the first year, I continued its publication for another year. Now two full years have passed. When I began, a few friends asked, "What is your purpose in publishing The Christian? What do you plan to do with The Present Testimony which you published before?" My answer was, "The goal of The Christian is to lead believers to read The Present Testimony. Whenever I feel the time has come, I will stop publishing The Christian." This was what I said to my friends then. Now the time has come, and The Christian will be discontinued.
This whole year I have been continually before God, contemplating and praying over the future of this paper. Day by day I have become clearer that the message of this paper is now adequate. God is now leading me on to bear another special testimony. As this instrument has been used in the hand of God, and as He now desires to put it aside, who am I that I should say no? Some friends who learned of my decision felt sorry that The Christian was being discontinued. Also, humanly speaking, it seems that since this paper is enjoying such a wide circulation, that it is a shame to discontinue it. According to my natural thought, I also am reluctant to discontinue The Christian, for I am most delighted with such a work. But God has stepped on the brake, and I must obey with rejoicing. In that day you will know that I was obeying God in this matter.
I feel deeply that the various testimonies we have printed in The Christian, especially those concerning the outward behavior of believers, are sufficient. If we continue our tiring reiteration, it will make The Christian a paper specializing in "leaving the denominations," "baptism by immersion," etc. I thank God that He gave the co-workers and me the same feeling concerning this matter. Some readers still have many questions that are still with me. I do not know now how the Lord wants me to spend my time. Therefore, I dare not promise to answer these questions. I had the thought once to put together the questions answered during the past two years plus the hundred or so questions I have at hand now and make them into a book for future reference. But I do not have the confidence that this is of the Lord. Hence, I can only wait.
As for those who have paid for more than we have published, we will send a separate letter to communicate with them. We hope that those readers will watch for such announcements. For those whose subscription will expire after this issue, we will not send additional letters to inform them anymore.
Does this mean that we will cease printing such writings concerning our testimony? The Lord is leading the believers meeting in Shanghai to publish The Present Testimony. Henceforth, The Present Testimony will be a written testimony of the believers who meet and have fellowship in Shanghai.
The Bible contains numerous teachings that ordinary believers cannot fully understand. Moreover, the testimony of the Lord is so incomparably great that we cannot receive and preach it completely. During the time of my waiting and praying, God committed to me the testimony which He wishes me personally to bear. I consider the book The Spiritual Man to be an outline of the special testimony which the Lord has committed to me. In the past years, day by day the hand of the Lord has become heavier upon me, forcing me to realize that He desires me to bear a special testimony for His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. There are many who have ordinary testimonies, but the Lord wants me to bear a special testimony for Him. Therefore, I am ready to give up the work of expounding the Scriptures, which thing I would like to do most, in order that I might bear the specific testimony that God has freshly committed to me. The wonderful thing about it is that the Lord is also leading all the brothers and sisters who are meeting and having fellowship in Shanghai in the same way. Hence, by means of the coming issues of The Present Testimony, according to what we have received from God, we shall specifically explain "the deep things of God" to the Body of Christ. We wholeheartedly desire to bear this unique testimony that the Lord has committed to us. We also fully realize that the Lord will raise up many other believers besides us to bear this testimony together. The more we walk on the spiritual path, the more we realize the importance of the message of the cross. Believers today have failed because they have not allowed the cross to work deeply and destroy all the works of the flesh. There is still a mixture of the new and the old creation in the lives of believers, because the old creation has not yet been replaced by God. Such mixture always results in loss to the new creation. Correctness in outward behavior, excellence in church organization, increase in Bible knowledge, and exertion in God's work are all insufficient to guarantee against a mixture of the flesh within. On the contrary, the flesh can act freely in all these things and promote them with all its might. For this reason, the work of the cross annihilating the old creation is indispensable. Without the cross standing between the new and the old creations, a person's spiritual life is false, shallow, and superficial. Since a believer's life is always related to both "self" and the Lord, the cross must destroy the self so that the Lord can have His legitimate place. The time of the millennium will be the right time for the Lord to overcome Satan. Therefore, by the grace of the Lord, we would remind the church of God that the Body of Christ must rise up to work with Him to bring in the kingdom. Our desire is that the enemy might soon be put to shame and that Christ might soon be glorified.
Because many believers today are limited by their financial means, we desire to see them receive the gospel without a price. In addition, the Lord Jesus' coming is near; if we have received subscription fees from others and we are raptured and no magazine is received by them, it will become an unsettled matter. Hence, we feel that it is better that we do not charge anything for this paper. For this reason, The Present Testimony will be completely free. The readers can support all publication needs according to their strength and the Lord's leading and help. In this way, those who have abundance among us will have a way to help those who are lacking. We ask that the Lord would loose the purse of the believers, and we at the same time ask the Lord not to allow the misers to send in their money.
It is almost the end of the year. Next year is now within sight. I once again am conscious of my own corruption, weakness, defilements, and my inability to meet the great responsibility that God has entrusted to me. At the same time, I am emboldened by His love, faithfulness, and wisdom, and I deeply realize that everything is His and that He bears all things. May God lead us on in His way.
Watchman NeeDecember 10, 1927
Subject:The Lord Jesus Christ (with special emphasis on His life, death, resurrection, supplications, His Body, His advent, and His kingdom).
Nature:Cultivating the spiritual life, rather than intellectual debates.
Period:The Lord willing, one issue per month.
Price:Completely free. No subscription fee. (Readers can support all publication expenses according to their ability received from the Lord.)
Publisher:The brothers meeting in Shanghai.
Distributor:The Gospel Book Room, P.O. Box 323, Shanghai.
Requests:The readers' prayers are what we treasure the most. Please pray for us, that we can preach the testimony that the Lord has committed to us freely.
