Search
To God's slave, our brother Mr. Nee,who is always concerned about us andprays for us night and day before our Father God:
Chin Chou and Hsi Lin, your two brothers, send you greetings. We have not corresponded with you for a long time; we are really sorry. We received your letter yesterday and were very comforted. We received great light, and we prayed for you. We hope that Collection of Newsletters can be published soon, so that the Lord may be glorified and all the beloved ones can receive the benefit.
My disposition (Hsi Lin) is to hide myself, so I usually have an attitude of not wanting others to know but only wanting the Lord to know. So you who are as dear to me as a teacher but who treat me like a fellow student do not know how the meetings here (Kuai Huo Lin Street, Ling Tzu) began, what their condition is, and how the work is, etc. Since receiving your letter, I have had a deep feeling of doing a kind of wrong to the extent that the beloved in the Lord cannot pray for us, cannot thank, cannot correct, cannot give all the glory to God. So I take the opportunity of this day in which we have both been exhorted and encouraged to joyfully mention these things, so that those who love us will know.
We began meeting in this place almost two years ago. It began as the work of the Holy Spirit in us. We felt we had a burden. We felt that in the corrupted denomination (the denomination in Ling Tzu is Baptist), in the human organization, there was no real worship of God, and there was even less freedom for the development of the truth! However, at the time, there were only two people in one accord, myself and Yuan Ling Shu. (At that time Chin Chou was in Chefoo.) Five months before the meetings began, there were four or five in one accord. The way we adopted for our need at that time was not to let man know but only to tell our Father. Offerings were made voluntarily; we never exhorted anyone to give. Thank the Lord; what He had prepared for us was very complete and appropriate for our number. It was a small courtyard and two dilapidated buildings, one for the brothers and one for the sisters. There were two old tables, one for the brothers and one for the sisters, and four short benches. We met principally to worship God and to study the Bible. By human standards, we would have been satisfied with six or seven people! However, within the first half month of meeting, we had seven brothers and sisters in one accord. With everyone in one accord, we seemed to be moved by one Spirit and joyfully met together; this met the need at that time. On the fourth day of the twelfth month of the Chinese calendar in 1931, we had the first meeting in the Lord's name to "worship God." Although the number was small, we were all very joyful and the sound of thanksgiving was among us. "For where there are two or three gathered into My name, there am I in their midst." The Lord was among us; we were joyful and satisfied. Nevertheless, we did not understand anything of the truth. We knew almost nothing of the matter of the church, so it was difficult to avoid errors. But those meeting with us just had a heart to fear and please the Lord. Thank God; He blessed us, for He had prepared His servant ahead of time to gradually give us the light of all His truths (most of it from Notes on Scriptural Messages) to shine among us. The shining became brighter and brighter, until it shone as the sun at noon. In the end we were led to obey Him. In March of that year (1932), four brothers (Yuan Hsi Ling, Yuan Ling Shu, Yuan Hsi Chang, Chu Lo Yuan) and one sister (Chu Ai Jung) left the denominations. Once we did this, the denominations began to oppose, ridicule, and despise us. (When we first met, they thought it was a game and were not offended.) Their propaganda became stronger, and they said we were only a Bible study group. But our joy was the Lord, and we were obeying the Bible. Therefore, we stood firmly on the Bible. At this time, a wind of heresy blew (Pentecostalism), but the Lord had helped us long ago with the topic of the sealing of the Holy Spirit, so we were not affected.
During this section of the way, I had two wrong concepts: (1) I looked for help from man, but the help of man cannot be relied upon; God caused me to rely only on Him. (2) In the battle with the denominations, I was secretly trying to glorify myself, but God also let me know that this is a very big sin and is very abominable. Thank the Lord! We overcome by relying on the washing and forgiveness of His precious blood.
In 1933 two brothers (Yuan Chin Chou, Yuan Hsi Ting) and two sisters (Chu En Chao and the mother of Yuan Ling Shu) gradually left the denominations in order to please the Lord and because they hated sects. In March three brothers and one sister were baptized in the Tzu River (behind the dock at Chao Wang Farm). In May a total of nine brothers and sisters were baptized (behind the dock at the Yu family farm) in the Tzu River. The baptizing one was one who had believed and been baptized. But these thirteen people asked the brother to baptize them; the baptizing brother did not take the initiative to ask them to get baptized.
When we first began meeting, to avoid being identified with all the other churches, either great or small (we were only half a mile away from a denomination), we called ourselves the Bible Study Place. But this was slightly in error because our meeting should not be called by some local names or be named after a method. Such a name was not really appropriate. In order to obey the truth, we took down and destroyed the sign that said, "Bible Study Place."
Previously the Lord's Day morning meeting had a definite person to lead our worship. Because the brothers were mainly immature, we had someone who was temporarily responsible. We no longer do this because we are afraid that it would become our habit to have a meeting in a person's name!
We used to have a Bible study meeting on the Lord's Day afternoon, but for several months we have changed it to a table meeting. (There are difficulties with meeting in the evening.) The word "to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin" operated within us; therefore, we had no choice but to obey. Thank the Lord! Recently there are two who desire to break bread with us, but because they are not clearly saved, we have not allowed them to join us yet. Now there are twenty people in the meetings regularly, with fourteen who break bread together.
There used to be only one offering box. Now there are two. One is for the meetings, and one is for the work. Those who have received the grace to be elders collect the offerings for both the meetings and the work, and they work with those who have the grace to be deacons to determine how to spend the money. We do not have to ask or check what they do. We also thank God that in October 1932 at 10 South Kuan a Bible study meeting was started on Tuesday afternoons. Up to this year it has never stopped, no matter how busy the autumn harvest has been. Now there is a meeting near the South Gate in Yuan Ling Shu's house (Yuan Ling Shu is now in Anhwei Su County) for the gospel. In the north of the city at the Tsue family farm and at the South Gate and South Kuan, there are home meetings every evening. South Kuan also has two evenings for prayer meetings (Monday and Saturday). On the Lord's Day, we all meet together in the Lord's name. There are hymns or teachings according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. We worship God freely. We can all prophesy one by one, so that all can learn the truth and be encouraged. It is not in confusion but in quietness with temperance. Hallelujah, praise the Lord! He causes us to obey Him in all these matters, so that we may please Him.
We used to place much emphasis on the visitation work, but recently we have put equal emphasis on the gospel work. Recently, we have gone to the Yu Family Farm. (This is a small village with a strong denomination. There are many who belong to it. There are two deacons and one clerk. It is eight miles from the city.) Some people there received the truth. The most enlightened ones are Yu Bao Min and his father Hsiou Cheng. Yu is free from prejudice or position, and he is about the same age as Ching Chou. The meeting is in their house. Although Bao Min has not been baptized, he is definitely a believer because he deeply believes the Bible and gladly receives all truth. In this village, there are those who have left the denomination and those who want to leave the denomination because they do not want to make donations or attend the Sunday worship. We have spoken with them and feel that the situation is generally good.
Ching Chou also visited the Hsueh's home about eight miles to the east of the city. According to flesh, they are relatives, but they are unbelievers. However, his cousins were receptive and learned to pray and give thanks before eating. There was a teacher in the village who was from Li Kuan Village. His name is San Min Tzu. He is twenty-two years old and is an unbaptized believer. He received the truth like Yu Bao Min. Chin Chou was introduced by a cousin to Li Kuan Village (this village is close to the Hsueh's home). He went to his own relative's home and preached the gospel; then he went into San Min Tzu's house. It was a believing home, but they had been forgotten by the denominations. There was also a sister in the Hsueh's home that had been forgotten by the denominations. Then he went to Nieh Hsien Village, which is a place we visit often. Its condition was not very good because not many obeyed the truth. Then he went to Zao Wang Village, and many people received the truth, but unfortunately they received it almost as if it were a kind of philosophy.
Wang Ts'un Shu, who lives thirty miles to the east at the small rapids, has been reading the Bible by himself for three years. He has never been polluted by the denominations, and very few people have contacted him. He really is like a lily of the valley.
In the villages of Chu Liang and Tuan Town (these two villages are very close together with many women believers) about thirty-five miles to the east of town are two people, Wei Ch'un Fang and Wang Hou T'ing, who were leaders of the denomination. Because they entered the Pentecostal movement, they were rejected by the denomination. But Messrs. Wei and Wang both received the truth to the uttermost. They came to the city and stayed for two or three days talking with us before they were clearly saved. Thank the Lord for this.
Three miles south of the city in Nan Ma Fang, Chia Fu Ch'in (twenty-four or twenty-five) and his father, Wen Meng, both desire the truth. Chia Fu Ch'in was baptized when he was a teacher in Kao Mi County, but he does not understand anything. They have contacted us. There are a few people in their village who have also begun to desire the truth.
Thirty-five miles to the west of the city in Pei Kao Yang, there are a few people who have believed the word for many years but who are just now beginning to understand salvation. There are also the villages of Wu T'ai, Shih Fen Kuan Village, and Mao Chia T'un. Some there have just begun to seek, and some have believed in the Lord for many years but do not understand.
Nieh Tao Hung is in Mao Wang Village to the west of Kuang Jao. He is now home. We do not know him but have heard Yuan Ling Shu mention his history. A few days ago we sent a letter to him. When we receive something from him, we will tell you more about him. In the area of the work, we feel that the harvest is great, but the workers are few. The sisters are even fewer. We also feel that we should not argue with those who do not believe the Bible. We should treat the older ones in the denominations as if they were our fathers, lest we place a stumbling block before them and deprive ourselves of the authority to preach the gospel to them again. We can now go in and out of the parish of the denomination freely and are welcomed by all the laity (those without any position). We only hope there is more prayer for the meeting and work here so that more people will be raised up to bear the burden, preach salvation, worship God, and remember the Lord. May honor and glory be richly given to the Lamb until eternity. Amen.
In the table meetings, some of the sisters who break bread with us carry or bring their children to the meetings. They are often noisy and bother the people in the meeting. We do not know what is an appropriate way to deal with this. We also have a few questions that we do not want to write to you in ink. May the Lord bless us so that in the upcoming meeting, we will have the opportunity to speak with you face to face.
We especially greet Brothers Chang Kuang Jung, Tu Chung Ch'un, Ho Yue Chiao, Huang Tsai Ching, John Wu, Chou Hsin Yi, and we greet all the brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Your brothers in the Lord,Yuan Ching ChouYuan Hsi LingDecember 14, 1933
To Brother Hsin Yu in the Lord:
I have received all your letters, and I am acquainted with the condition of the brothers and sisters there. Truly His will is different from our will. To those who do not obey, it appears that God is really contrary to man in every place. But to those who have already obeyed, we just have to say, "Father, Your will be done." Throughout history, who has blocked God's will? (See Job 4:2-3.)
I am still much pressed physically. Sometimes I can hardly stand it. But I still want to thank Him even with tears because He still enables me to stand. There has been a change in my environment. Beginning on the twenty-third of this month, I have been transferred to work in the P'u Lan Tien (about one hundred twenty miles from Dairen). Although this is a transfer, I was thinking about going myself anyway, because there is not much of a way for me to do the Lord's work in Dairen. Most people here pursue the comforts of the soul, and not many are willing to obey God and walk the narrow way. I have been in Dairen for exactly two months and have only gained two brothers. They are brothers Chiang Ch'uan Ch'ing and Chang Wen Wei; both are beloved by the Lord. May the Lord protect them so that they can testify for the truth. Whatever happens, the truth of the church in Dairen has already begun. May the Lord bless His own work. Amen.
I am quite active in this place through His power. I know that Satan is fighting fiercely. I ask the brothers and sisters to please pray for the Lord's work here in their meetings, to resist the devil more. (Parts omitted.) Peace to you. I greet all the brothers.
Your brother in the Lord,Chang Chun MingNovember 28, 1933
(This was sent by a Mr. Wang Ching Sheng who works in the Min Ai Hospital in Nan Kuan, Su County, Anhwei Province to his pastor, and a copy was sent to us. We have never seen Mr. Wang. This is his story of obeying the truth.)
Dear Pastor:
I was led by the Lord's Spirit to walk in the Lord's way. I was enlightened and did not dare to refuse. If I am a little late, I am afraid it is from sin again. I have decided to leave the system of the denominations, because the system of the denominations is not according to the teachings of the Bible. I cannot return to the denominations to be a lukewarm layman. I want to be a solid believer and walk by following the Lord's light. The Lord is the lamp to my feet and the light to my path. Wherever the Lord leads me, I will go. I cannot follow my own will, because it is God who operates in me both the willing and the working for His good pleasure. I hope you will cross my name off the roster. When we meet, we cannot lose our civility. Our feeling for each other is the same as it always was and always will be. Different people have different views because the gift God has given each one is different. No matter what, we should perfect the saints for the work of the ministry unto the building up of the Body of Christ. All the brothers and sisters in the Lord should hold forth the word of life to this perverted generation, which does not obey the truth, but obeys human affections. If we love God, we should be the children of God without blemish. This is what pleases the Father. I hope that you can forgive your little brother. It is not pride, nor is it jealousy, nor is it division. I write this to notify you. (Parts omitted.)
Your brother,Wang Ching ShengDecember 25, 1933
Sister Ruth Lee:
I am sure that you are very busy because it has been so long since you have written. (Parts omitted.)
By the Lord's grace, we now meet to remember the Lord every Lord's Day afternoon. There are eight sisters altogether. Three sisters have just been raised up to follow the Lord (teachers at Ts'ung Teh Girls' School). We did not invite them to the meeting; they came to meet with us of their own accord. This really shows that the Lord has heard our prayer and worked by leading them to rise up to take the way of obedience. May the Lord fully gain them. Oh, we really feel we are empty and impotent in ourselves; we cannot bring His children to follow Him. We can only pray that He does the work and raises up His children in Ning Po to come and obey Him so that He may be glorified. Even more we hope that the Lord will raise up brothers who can bear the responsibility for the meetings so that we can have the table meeting. Sisters, please pray for this matter also.
Thank the Lord, my physical strength is much better than before. Although the pain in my abdomen has increased, I can pass through everything by relying on the Lord. I believe that everything will come to pass according to His Word. Oh, by His faithfulness, I have a living hope. May He lead me to learn the lesson He wants me to learn; may I learn it well in order to please Him and so that I may get up again to serve Him with my remaining time. I ask the Lord to bless you with peace.
Your sister,Yu HuaJanuary 3, 1934
To the beloved sister in the Lord, Sister Lee:
Thank the Father God for His grace. He leads us day by day. He teaches us to see that the world is temporary, but reality is in Him. He really is our Savior, and He saves us to the uttermost. How has your health been recently? I am sure that your work has been blessed by the Lord.
Two other sisters and I, one who is a colleague of mine, Miss Lu Ai Chen, and Sister Liu Lien Hsin, have a meeting every Lord's Day evening. Our hearts are completely happy. Thank the Lord that He is with us and leads us Himself. I hope that you also remember us often and ask the Lord to glorify Himself and ask God Himself to do a deep work so that we might completely turn to Him as His most beloved children. May He gain more people. (Parts omitted.) May the Lord bless you.
Your sister in the Lord,Wei Ch'ingJanuary 7, 1934
To the brothers and sisters who faithfully love the Lord:
When the news came about starting Collection of Newsletters, we few weak ones were both joyful and watchful. We were joyful that we could receive comfort from the news of the brothers in other places. We were watchful that we would not steal the glory from the Lord. Therefore, we want to give the glory to the Lord on the one hand, and on the other hand, we want to let the brothers and sisters know our condition in the region of northern Kiangsu. Today we will list all the places in northern Kiangsu that have meetings in the Lord's name and the names of the responsible brothers in these places. We hope to establish fellowship in the Lord and ask that the Lord strengthen us so that we may completely obey the truth. We also ask the Lord to bless this newsletter that it may give much glory to God. Amen!
The northern region of Kiangsu province used to be the territory of all the denominations. We were also members of a denomination and saw that the administration in the denominations was not according to the Bible in many points. Doubts often arose in us. Since we went to Shanghai to attend a conference in the middle of February 1928, we were enlightened by the Holy Spirit concerning our previous "doubts." They were answered one by one. After we returned, we were more enlightened by God and knew, for the most part, that sectarianism is contrary to the principles of the Bible, so we boldly and absolutely left the denominations. We started to meet in the Lord's name in Yi Ling. Then we continued in Su Chia Tsui, Ta Ch'iao, and other places. We also gradually established the Lord's table in these places. At that time there were more than one hundred brothers and sisters in the meetings.
In April 1931, Brothers Wu Wei and Chi Yung T'ung were together in Shanghai and testified in the Lord's Day meeting concerning the condition of the meetings in the Lord's name in northern Kiangsu (it has already been printed in Notes on Scriptural Messages). In October 1931, we attended the second conference in Shanghai bringing ten brothers with us. At that time there were nine places with the Lord's table in northern Kiangsu and more than three hundred people attended the breaking of the bread. In April 1932, we went to Shanghai for a meeting again. At that time northern Kiangsu already had fourteen different table meetings with more than five hundred people breaking bread together.
Now there are nineteen places with the Lord's table and about six hundred people breaking bread in them. About twenty percent came out of denominations; eighty percent are sinners called by the Lord. This entire situation has been raised up by the Lord Himself. This has been the result of works by the co-worker brothers and sisters and the prayer of the brothers and sisters who love the Lord. It is nothing we few weak, little ones could have done.
Thank the Lord! He has put us in the last age and made us able to stand for Him to testify for His testimony. May the Lord bless His work more strongly so that His glory and authority will not be hindered. I also hope the brothers and sisters will not forget to pray for us so that the Lord's grace will be manifested more greatly until the end of the age. Amen.
The slaves of Christ,Wu Wei, Chiu Jih Chien, Chi Yung Feng, Chi Yung T'ung, Ting Yi YuanJanuary, 1934
The list of the meetings in the Lord's name in the region of Fu Ning County, northern Kiangsu province:
Brother Shun Tien:
In the Bible, there is no clear word that places baptism and breaking bread together. Nor does it say that baptism is a condition for taking the table. However, from the Bible, it seems that those who have not been baptized may not take the table. (1) The example in the Bible shows us that on the night the Lord was betrayed, all those who took the table together had been baptized. After Pentecost, all those who took the table had been baptized also. Therefore, from these two examples in the Bible, it seems that one who is not baptized should not partake of the table. (2) According to the meaning of baptism and the table, it requires one to be baptized first and then partake of the table because baptism is to enter into the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. The table meeting manifests the Lord's death by remembering the Lord until He comes again. If a person has not entered into the Lord's death, how can he manifest such death? If a person does not become part of the Lord, how can he remember the Lord? Baptism implies our initial union with the Lord. The table meeting implies our continuing union with Him. Baptism implies our initial entrance into the Lord's death. The table meeting represents our lasting entrance into His death. Baptism causes us to enter into Christ. The table meeting represents our constant abiding in Him. Therefore, we are only baptized once, but the table meeting occurs many times. Baptism represents our entrance, while the table meeting represents our walk. The order in the Bible is to enter the door first and then walk on the way. Thus, we see that we should be baptized first and then take the table.
Furthermore, we should remember that the believers spoken of in the Bible were all baptized immediately upon genuine faith in the Lord. No one who genuinely believed in the Lord and had His life waited to go through many processes before he was baptized. Furthermore, everyone in the Bible who believed in the Lord was immersed into water. No one went through the ritual of sprinkling, where water was sprinkled from a person's hand onto someone's head, as is practiced today. Therefore, the believers in the Bible were all baptized by immersion. Their believing and baptism were never separated. These two matters occurred within a very short period of time. We can say that once they believed, they were baptized. We know that only those who believe the Lord can come break bread to remember the Lord. Therefore, believers are those who have been baptized. By this we know that all those who partake of the table must be ones who are baptized. In the Bible the two matters of believing and being baptized are not separated in time. Therefore, in their meetings, the question of whether or not the people partaking of the table should be baptized ones never arose. As soon as they believed, they were baptized. Then they partook of the table.
Nevertheless, if a person truly believes in the Lord but has not been baptized by immersion, if he has only been baptized by the sprinkling ritual, can this person partake of the table? He can. The teaching of the Bible is that those who have not been baptized cannot partake of the table. However some people do not understand that the baptism referred to in the Bible is a baptism by immersion. They think that baptism by sprinkling, which they have received, is the baptism spoken of in the Bible. In the eyes of this kind of believer, they have already been baptized. Although we know the baptism they have received is not the baptism referred to in the Bible and although we know that it does not count before the Lord, it is a question of knowledge and light. We cannot refuse someone because he does not have knowledge. We cannot refuse to allow him to break bread and fellowship with us. The Bible says that we should accept all those whom the Lord has accepted. "Now him who is weak in faith receive,...for God has received him" (Rom. 14:1-3). Although one who has been baptized by sprinkling has not really been baptized, the Lord has received him; He has not rejected him because he has not been baptized by immersion. Since our Lord is willing to receive him and give him life, we certainly should also accept him and fellowship with him. The Lord receives him because he has faith, not because he has been baptized. "Therefore receive one another, as Christ also received you..." (15:7). We should also receive him because he has faith. Christ does not reject him because he has not been baptized by immersion. Our receiving others is based on only one principle: "God has received him." Whomever God has received, we should also receive. We should not look at whether or not he has been baptized by immersion. Therefore, if someone has believed in the Lord, received eternal life and been baptized by sprinkling rather than by immersion as the Bible says, we should receive him. Even if he has not even been baptized by sprinkling (like those of the Quaker denomination and the Salvation Army, etc.) and thinks that he does not need to be baptized, we cannot refuse to fellowship and break bread with him, because God has received this person.
Finally, the Bible teaches us that: (1) baptism should be by immersion, (2) the table should be taken after baptism, and (3) we should receive people to the table only on the ground that God has received them. Some who have not been baptized, or whose baptism is not according to the baptism by immersion in the Bible, should still be received by us. Our attitude is that anyone who has genuinely believed in the Lord can be baptized immediately. After baptism, they can partake of the table. If a person has not been baptized yet still comes and asks to take the table with us, we should advise him to wait awhile and then take the table with us. If he insists on taking the table immediately, we should allow him to partake of it. With those who have been sprinkled, whose baptism was not according to the Bible, we should allow them to take the table with us, but we should show them in the Bible that baptism by immersion is the baptism that is scriptural. In conclusion, in receiving people, we should only look at whether or not they have life and whether or not they have committed the sin in 1 Corinthians 5. As to other matters that are not according to the Bible, we should exhort the ones who practice them and hope that they will wait. But if they will not wait, we cannot refuse them.
The slave of Christ,Watchman Nee
All the brothers and sisters who fellowship with us and who want this publication should write to us so that we can add them to our mailing list.
