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To the brothers who have been called together in grace:
We had a week-long special gospel conference beginning February 7 at two o'clock every afternoon in the meeting place of the local church in K'un-ming (next door to the Tung Hsing Pharmacy, Tung-Ren Street). I was responsible for it, but Brothers Chou Kang-yao, Chou Hung-bao, Chang Jing-yuan, and Chen Hsi-wen all helped quite a bit. The Lord did a great work for the sake of His honorable name. Many people desired the Lord's word and came forward with enthusiasm. The brothers and sisters were busy bringing friends and relatives to the meetings, and everyone was very living. Every day the audience filled the hall to overflowing. There were not enough chairs, so new chairs had to be added. The only exception was on the twelfth, when it rained and the audience was slightly smaller. The Holy Spirit did a marvelous work, and most of the audience was touched. After the meeting the brothers and sisters prayed for those who wanted to receive the Lord. They also spoke personally with those who still did not dare to believe in the Lord, exhorting and encouraging them. The number of those who received salvation eventually became quite large. The last day saw the greatest number in attendance. We could see God's blessing from beginning to end. The Lord willing, we will have several special edification meetings beginning Thursday evening. This will render a group of lambs more understanding concerning the truth they must believe and the road they must walk after salvation. Many brothers and sisters are ready to be baptized into the Lord's name. May the Lord increase His work in the future by saving more sinners into the local churches to glorify His great name. We hope that the brothers and sisters in the Lord will not forget to help us through prayer.
Brothers Hsu Jung-jieh and Hu Yi-min are still working in Yeh-Ji. (I heard that Mrs. Hsu had a baby girl on January 19.)
Sisters Yu Su-jen and Rachel Lee arrived safely in K'un-ming on the fifteenth of the month. When they arrived at Ho-Kou, they had no trouble entering the territory because they were helped by Brother Chen Ho-sheng. They arrived at Ho-Kou one day and were able to leave the very next day. It was very different from my first time of coming to Ho-Kou. Brother Ho-sheng's job transfer to Ho-Kou certainly was the Lord's good arrangement. I hope that a local church will be built up there also. Brother Chou Hung-bao was sick with an intestinal infection, but thank the Lord for hearing the prayers of the brothers and sisters. He is completely well now, and he is able to go out to help with the work. I have heard that he will go to Luh-Liang (in the eastern part of Yunnan, about two or three days from K'un-ming) to work next month.
Brother Chou Kang-yao and his wife are temporarily doing some work for the Lord in the Hwei Tien Hospital. I have heard that the director of the hospital is very much in one accord with us concerning the matter of furthering the gospel in the hospital. He welcomes the brothers and sisters preaching the gospel to the nurses and patients. I have heard that Brother Chou will work in Chu-Jing in the near future.
Sister Chen Huei-sien is still in K'un-ming doing much individual gospel preaching and visiting. Her burden is still for the countryside, and if the Lord wills, she will go with Brother Chou to Luh-Liang.
Sister Hsiao Ru-chuan and an elderly sister, who loves the Lord, went to work in Mong-Tze, Lin-An (southern Yunnan) and Shi-Ping on the fourteenth of the month. Sister Hsiao is from Shao-Wu in the north of Fukien and has been working for the Lord in Yunnan for years. She has read The Christian and the other publications of the Gospel Book Room for years. Since the church in K'un-ming was established, she has voluntarily taken a stand with us based on the scriptural ground of the church.
As for my own work, I plan to go work in Mong-Tze, Jien-Shui, and Shi-Ping if the Lord wills. All of these places are in the southern part of Yunnan. Later, if the Chou brothers go to work in Chu-Jing, I will go and work with them for awhile. Thank the Lord, He has opened a door for us to preach the gospel in Ning-Er and Meng-Ke (in the southwestern part of Yunnan). My old classmate, Chen Jao-fang (a believer also), is in Ning-Er where he is working in the field of health. A Western sister of whom I have spoken before, Sister Hai, is in Meng-Ke. She is preaching the gospel there. If the Lord allows, I will also go there to preach the gospel.
The most difficult thing about the work in the interior of Yunnan province is the traveling. One must walk most of the way, ride a horse, or ride in a sedan chair. There are bandits in some areas who appear and disappear on and off and cause trouble. I hope that the brothers and sisters will pray more for the work in the remote regions and also pray that I would have the utterance to be able to boldly speak the mysteries of the gospel (Eph. 6:19). Peace to you!
Your brother,K. H. WeighFebruary 17
Brother Watchman:
I was helped in the second issue of The Open Door by your frank teachings in the Lord! The work of the local church has not started here. In the past, it was all my own work. We have recently rented a local house in Shi-Ping for a meeting hall, and I have rented a portion of it from the church because there were extra rooms. I am preparing to go out to work, but I have not been able to leave because some sisters are undergoing trials. After one sister believed in the Lord, her husband, who was on business, rushed home from another county. He promised to leave her alone if she would only deny her faith, but that he would kill her if she would not deny her faith. This sister would not back down because she hoped in the Lord's appearing. She was beaten and chased out of the home. (This was the first day of the Chinese New Year.) Although many people tried to reconcile the situation, it was to no avail. The brothers and sisters met that evening to desperately petition the Lord. Thank the Lord, the next evening, without any explanation, her husband asked the people to bring her back. He has not persecuted her since. The next day another sister received news from some people that her beloved son had been attacked by bandits on his way home for the Chinese New Year and had been cut into several pieces. It is impossible to describe this sister's grief. Thank God, He is still preserving her to stand in His grace. Through these circumstances the brothers and sisters have manifested the Lord's love. If the Lord is willing, I will go to Bao-Shiu to do pioneering work on the seventh of this month (Bao-Shiu belongs to the second region in Shi-Ping). My family will still stay in Shi-Ping. Peace in the Lord.
Your weak brother in the Lord,Lin Kwang-chaoJanuary 3[Address omitted]
Brother Lan:
The work in Ch'ang-Teh has already begun, so I will not return to Yuan-Jiang for awhile. Yesterday, I moved into the upstairs of the meeting hall. There is a room that I have rented myself. The rest of the building is shared by the assembly and the Chiu-Shih Tutorial School. They each pay half of the rent. The Lord really prepared this house for us. At this time it would be impossible to find a more appropriate building. We had a good meeting yesterday. The brothers and sisters were smiling and praising the Lord with joy. A brother said that he never thought that there would be so much work to do in Ch'ang-Teh. There is a group of newly saved brothers and sisters who really want to pray for the work in this locality. The present condition seems to indicate that the work will turn out to be very profitable here. I still need to find a building with a storefront for preaching the gospel. I would like to do a good gospel work during the Chinese New Year. I hope you will help me with your prayers. I have heard that the Lord has already raised up a group of brothers and sisters in one accord in Yi-Yang. I hope that Brother Chang is standing firm for the Lord there. We should spread out and not gather together in one place. Peace and well-being in the Lord. Greetings to Brother Chou You-sheng, Brother Hu Lan-sheng, Brother Chu, Brother Lee, and the rest.
Your brother,Fu-shengJanuary 24[Address omitted]
I went to Yi-Yang on the ninth and took a private boat on the eleventh to Yuan-Jiang. The brothers and sisters (the refugees) in Yuan-Jiang are all safe in the Lord's grace. They are happy and comforted. The Lord has arranged for Brother Gun-jih to teach English at the T'ao Hua Lun Lutheran Secondary School in Yi-Yang. The principal of this school is Mr. Chen Kai-yuan, who was formerly a classmate of our brother at Shanghai University. They had no prior contact with each other. Their encounter in Yi-Yang is really of the Lord's leading. Through him the Lord resolved the burden of living for Brother Chang's family and also enabled him to stand firm for the Lord in Yi-Yang. There is an old sister who loves the Lord in Yi-Yang, Mrs. Chiu Jung-sheng. She has returned from Ch'ang-sha to the countryside for the Lord's sake. She plans to testify for the Lord with Brother Chang. She has taken the task upon herself of providing hospitality to all the brothers and sisters who pass through Yi-Yang. They began to have a prayer meeting last Lord's Day. I hope you will remember them in your prayer. Brother Chang may move his whole family to Yi-Yang. He is still waiting for the Lord's leading.
Brother Han is in Ch'ang-Teh. There is a start in the work. The Lord's table has already been established. I have heard that there are about twenty brothers and sisters. Brother Lo's school is set up. He has also started a Living Water Tea Room with the purpose of preaching the gospel. Elderly Brother Chu Teh-hsin is the manager and seven students are the waiters. May the Lord flow living waters out through them.
Your brother,Lan Tsi-yiFebruary 24, in Hankow
After working in Jieh-Yang, I returned to Swatow to rest for a few days. I had already accepted the invitation of those in Pao-Tai, so I went there to work for a week. Although the opportunity in Pao-Tai is not as good as that in Jieh-Yang, the Lord taught me to "preach the word in season and out of season." After working in Pao-Tai, I was more tired physically. After ten days of rest and with the prayers of the brothers and sisters, I am much better now. I really thank the Lord for His grace! I have already decided to go out to work in the inland regions again on February 2. Four or five localities have already sent invitations. It will take more than a month to finish. I tremble at the thought of the importance of the work ahead. I can only finish the course to testify of the gospel of grace through the petitions of the brothers and sisters. There were a few brothers in Pao-Tai who sympathized with us. Two of them were baptized. I really hope that place will have an assembly also. The area is peaceful. The brothers and sisters are well and comforted. Peace in the Lord!
Your brother,James Chen January 30[Address omitted]
Greetings in love to the brothers and sisters in the Lord:
I saw The Open Door and found out that the Gospel Book Room has a branch store in Hankow. I also found out to my comfort that the brothers and sisters in all the localities had been protected by the Lord! There are a few matters that I want to report to you; I hope you will take time to read them:
(1) Because The Christian is free, many who do not desire spiritual food and light send in a postcard asking for five or six copies per person (some ask for more than ten copies). They put them away and do not distribute them to anyone. I have seen this with my own eyes in the northern and eastern parts of Fukien. It would be better for each reader to personally subscribe. If many live in one place, the publications can still be sent to one place. They will not be wasted this way.
(2) Please send two copies of The Open Door to each of these places: (1) Ong Jeh-dun, Hung Shan Bridge, Foochow, Fukien; (2) Dr. Lee You-fu, Tung-Ren Hospital, Lien Shui, Fukien; (3) Christian Gospel House, Tung Tai, Lien Chiang, Fukien; (4) Gospel House in Hsiao-Yao-Hsia Store, Lien-Shui, Fukien; (5) Mrs. Chuang Shih-chi, Dong-Men Ji-Min Hospital, Shao-Wu, Fukien. The places mentioned above all have meetings or will soon have meetings.
(3) I have recently been led by the Lord to work in eastern and northern Fukien. The Lord has opened the door of the gospel wide for me. I preach on salvation and victory. May the Lord bless and give grace. May you be filled with the Lord's grace!
Your weak brother,Ong Je-dunJanuary 28[Address omitted]
Beloved brothers in the Lord:
Juang-Shan-Jen belongs to An-Hsi. It is located upstream from Pei-Shi at an important point. A few years ago Brother Chen Ju-yen worked here for a long time. Later, we could not take care of it because there were security problems. A few months ago Brother Ju-yen and Brother Wang You-yi passed through and worked for awhile. Brother Wang Teng-ming and I had seven days of meetings. We thank the Lord for this assembly. There are about fifty or sixty people in the meetings. There are still fields for our labor in the neighboring regions (in remote areas) which are waiting to be opened up. Please pray for them. Please send me The Open Door regularly. Peace in the Lord.
Your little brother in the Lord,Chang Tung-yuan
To my respected and beloved sister in the Lord:
May God bless you and all the sisters more richly in all things through Christ. The sisters here (Pu-Tien) had meetings every afternoon from January 3-8. Sister Wang Yu-Ju and Sister Weigh Kwang-shing translated for me into the local dialect. Thank the Father for giving grace and blessing and for leading us through. On the seventeenth, the Lord willing, we will begin a week of meetings in Han-Jiang. It will be an edification conference for the sisters. Please pray for this, if possible. Brother Ke-san has already gone ahead to Feng-Ting to work. I have heard that some will be baptized there. Three sisters here want to quit their jobs to give themselves full-time to prayer and the ministry of the Word. May the Lord bless and use them much, and may He open a door before them. They are Sister Weigh, whom I mentioned earlier, Sister Fang Ching-ying, and Sister Chen Tien-leh. They have been saved for quite a long time. May God call out more servants who are able to match His heart's desire and answer His call (Matt. 24:45)! Praise and thank the God who is my all! He is light. He is salvation. He is strength. He is my shield. He is my hymn. He is my joy. He is my everything! Sister, may we meet together in His glory soon! 3 John 2.
Your sister,Bao Hsu-minJanuary 11[Address omitted]
I had just returned from the meeting place when I received your letter. Thank God, and thank you. I already have the second issue of The Open Door. I hope to receive the third issue soon.
Having been assured of God's leading and arrangement, I accepted the invitation of the brothers and sisters of the assembly in Han-Jiang and arrived on the fifteenth with Sister Weigh Kwang-ying. We began a sisters' conference on the seventeenth, which will tentatively last for a week. Four days of the conference have already passed. Every day there is a prayer meeting from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. At 10:00 a.m. there is an edification meeting in which we discuss matters of the spiritual life. There is a meeting which starts at 2:00 p.m. to discuss questions related to the sisters' daily living. May the Lord bear the responsibility to work, oversee, bless, correct, and accomplish everything! I hope you can teach me many things. After the conference I will probably have two or three days to contact the sisters individually and talk with them. Because it is the traditional time of the New Year, I want to take this opportunity to pray for a few days with a few sisters who have already been called out, if the Lord is willing. If the Lord delays and keeps me away from home, I will wait for a clearer leading and then go to Sien-You and Feng-Ting to work, because the brothers and sisters there have invited me. Please pray for me. In the future my travels will be more from assembly to assembly; therefore, they will not be too strenuous. I will serve God mainly among the sisters and will have many companions; you do not need to worry about me. There are still two days of the conference left. There are many sisters who have come from the neighboring localities to attend the conference. I am sincerely waiting before God, hoping that He will work beyond our capacity and not be limited in His work by a narrow vessel. May He gain the sisters, and may they boldly dive in and get to know Him. Please greet Mrs. Yuan and the sisters who are with you! Brother Ke-san will go to Amoy and Kulangsu. Brother Tsai-seng has already returned. May we meet before the Lord soon. Peace and health in the Lord!
Your sister,Hsu-minJanuary 20[Address omitted]
Greetings in love to Sister Lee in the Lord:
I received and read your letter. You will soon go to Kuei-yang, which is a new place to you. I hope you will take care of yourself for the Lord's sake. When you have time, please write to instruct me so that I may be comforted. I am busy as usual. There is nothing much to tell you. However, the Lord's love and His marvelous leading are too great to be recounted. Praise the Lord! After returning to Fukien, my spiritual condition has been up and down for four months. Although I have no help but the Lord, He has promised, "I will not fail you or forsake you." Hallelujah! It is enough to have the Lord! The Lord opened the way for me this time to temporarily leave Jien-Ou. I passed through two places where I stayed for a few days testifying for the Lord. I finally came here to Chung-An. There is a sister who cares for the souls of her relatives and those in the countryside, and she asked for a special leave of absence from the administrators at the hospital to make the long journey for the sole purpose of paying back the gospel debt. I met her in Jien-Yang (one hundred and twenty miles from Jien-Ou). Although we had never met before, we felt like we were old friends. She asked me to come with her on this trip so that she might have my help in the joyful task of testifying to her relatives and family. As a consequence, I had her as a guide to take me to another county and city to testify. Because it was the end of the old year and the beginning of the new and because each household was very superstitious and busy, we did not have as many opportunities as we had in the other localities I passed through. However, the gospel was preached and all who were predestined to obtain eternal life believed. Chung-An borders Kiangsu province. It is near Wu-Yi-Yan. The scenery is outstanding, and they produce excellent tea here. A new road is being built that will connect this area with Kiangsu province. I hope that when communication is more convenient in the future, many who travel for the Lord will come to the northern region of Fukien so that many will understand salvation and enter into the Lord's name. I have not received the second issue of The Open Door. I think the postal service must have lost it. If you have any news of Sister Tso, please tell me. Sister Juang Shi-chi and Sister Lee Ju-lien left the coastal area four or five months ago and went northwest to Shao-Wu. Their goal is to testify for the Lord in their jobs. Sister Juang sent me a letter a few days ago asking about your recent condition. I have already told her. This letter is too short to hold all that I want to say, and I would have to go on and on. Peace to you! Peace to Sisters Wang and Chang. My two sons are still at boarding school. They have received the Lord's grace and are healthy. Their studies are improving. I know you care about them, so I am giving you their news.
Your sister,Yu-bingFebruary 3[Address omitted]
Dear Brother Yueh-chiao in the Lord:
I was led by the Lord three weeks ago to leave Ning-Hai and work in the region of Huang-Yen and Hai-Men. I have not had any news about the condition of the assembly in Shanghai and the brothers in Kiangsu, Shanghai, and Shao-Shing. I heard that the people in Shanghai were trapped in high inflation. I would imagine that the brothers in Shanghai must be in the same situation. I wonder what the situation really is. Is Brother Chang Kwang-rong still in Shanghai? Does Brother Chang still want to travel to Ning-Hai? I think about him often. Please greet him for me. Praise the Father that He has raised up many young brothers in Huang-Yen who love and pursue the Lord. They sit around me day and night asking how to walk in the Lord's way. Unfortunately, my spiritual life is immature, and my knowledge of the truth is too shallow; therefore, I cannot help them much. Fortunately, Brother Guan En-chiu is my companion. The Lord willing, I hope to go to Wenchow and the region of Ping-Yang. I look at the world situation, and I know that the day for the Lord to be glorified is near. However, the bride (the church) has not made herself ready. Many sinners have not been saved. My spiritual life has not matured. I really do not know how I can face the Lord. Please pray for me. Peace in the Lord!
Your brother,Hwa Shi-binDecember 15
P.S. Brother Guan sends his greetings.
(This letter was mailed from Huang-Yen, Chekiang to Shanghai.)
The condition of the church in Sheng County is very desolate. I visited several meeting places and preached the gospel. A few people were saved, but there were still many who needed God's grace. I met Brother Yu Cheng-hwa, who lives fifteen miles from me. We hope that there will be an assembly in Sin-Chang, Sheng County, but we are waiting for God to start it. Please pray for this. The Lord willing, I hope to go west after I stay in Sheng County for awhile. Please pray for me. I received a letter from Brother Hwa Shi-bin. The churches in the Ning-Hai area will have a conference beginning the third day of the Chinese New Year. They have invited me to attend, but I wonder what the political situation will be like.
Lou Chuan-enJanuary 12
To my dear brother in the Lord, Mr. Watchman Nee, and to the brothers and sisters who work for the Lord:
We received a copy of The Open Door from Da-San-Yang. By reading it we become acquainted with all of your travels, and we thank and praise the Lord for this. May the Lord bless the work you do and the gospel you preach so that we may be able to fulfill the commission He gave when He sent us to the ends of the earth and so that we may hasten His second coming. We really thank the Lord for causing us to live in this poor and remote region of Ping-Yang where we are peacefully going about our business. Not only so, the Lord has given us grace that we never expected by sending His faithful servant, Brother Hwa Shi-bin, to Ping-Yang. He went to Hu-Shan, Yi-Shan, Wa-Yao-Tou, and Fang-Yen-Hsia strengthening the brothers and sisters in every place. Wherever he preached the gospel, sinners confessed their sins and believed in Christ. On the third and fourth day of this month, we pitched a tent in our locality of Chien-Chang, and he preached the gospel for one day and two nights. The audience poured in, and we had to enlarge the tent. Although the people were very crowded, they kept very quiet throughout the meeting and did not leave until it was all over. Brother Hwa spoke powerfully about how God loves sinners. Every day he sounded the call to those who were under the authority of Satan and about to perish. People in the audience would raise their hands to show that they believed. Thank the Lord, two new people have joined the Lord's Day, Wednesday, and Friday evening meetings. Their attitude is very serious, and they are sincere in obeying Christ. We still need your earnest prayer before the Lord. Pray that God would add saved ones to the church every day, bind Satan, and release the slaves of sin. Please send four copies of The Open Door so that we may constantly know of your travels and work and have fellowship with you in prayer. In this critical time, the remaining days of grace, the most important thing is to pray for one another and to keep in constant contact. May God give peace, and may His Son, Jesus Christ, be with you forever and ever, amen.
Your weak brothers in the Lord,Ma Hsian-yi, Su Tze-san, Liu Sing-kwang, Su Sheng-chuanJanuary 19[Address omitted]
Peace to my brother in the Lord, Mr. Nee:
I received both the money which you wired to me through the Bank of China on the twenty-fourth and your letter of the twenty-fifth. I passed on X dollars to Brother Chen Meng-jao and distributed the rest. Thank the Lord, and thank you. We still meet and work as usual. The children of God are all at peace. All the brothers and sisters who fled to Lan-Si have moved into the countryside. I am still in the city for the meetings and for attending to practical matters. We had a meeting from January 31 to February 4. Ten people attended (elders and co-workers) to consider the kind of work and way God would have us take. Praise God, He has already given us new light, new work, and a new way. From now on, the assembly and the workers, the work and the church, will be separate but will cooperate. In the past the assemblies rallied around the workers. In other words, the workers became the leaders in the church, and the church and the work were mixed up. Now we know that this is not the pattern left by the early apostles. Therefore, we hope to have a conference with the entire congregation to explain these matters to them more fully. There are eight local churches in this area (Lan-Si), one city, two northern townships, and five southern townships. Although there are responsible brothers in each locality who take care of the practical matters in the house of God, very few of the gifts spoken of in Ephesians 4:11 visit to edify the churches. May the Lord raise up some for His name's sake. Please pray for us. I have lived in Lan-Si for twenty years. Throughout these years I have been working for the Lord on the one hand, and practicing medicine on the other hand. However, in the past two or three years, I have gone out to work more and more, and my medical practice has dwindled. I have a feeling in my heart to serve God full-time. I have prayed about this for almost two years. Recently, the environment seems to indicate that God is moving in this direction. I have been more desperate during the past two months as I waited. Do you have any opinion that you can give me? (I know you are busy.) I am asking because I want to walk according to God's will. I hope to speak to you about the rest face to face. May the Lord give you more of His word and commission that you may help and serve us and, by doing so, help and serve the Lord Jesus Christ. May power, honor, and glory be to the Father.
Your brother in the Lord,Ma Chuan-fooFebruary 8[Address omitted]
I go to the refugee camps every morning and return at noon. Every week I speak three times in the first camp to about two hundred people. I am also responsible for the preaching every day in the second camp. Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Lu also go along to help. Sometimes there are more than four hundred people listening, sometimes a little less. Although we have come short in the Lord's work because of our foolishness and unfaithfulness, the Lord still works beyond what we can do. He manifests His glory through the sisters' prayer behind us. One sister bears the responsibility of prayer in the background. Thank the Lord for raising up a supplicating one. He really heard her prayers. Although she never leaves her house, her work is more precious than that of many who run around. Praise the Lord!
Tso Fu-ruJanuary 27
The work at Jiao-Tung University refugee camp has been completed. Sister Tso has been gone for about two weeks, along with Mrs. Lee Han-shen and Mrs. Lu Tze-ming. We cannot say that God did not bless the work, but we fear that we were not faithful enough. Thank God, we saw His hand in the beginning and end of this work. May we fully trust in Jehovah day by day, and may we rely on His grace rather than on our own wisdom. We thank and praise God all the more for His glory, His faithfulness, and His acts!
Liu Hwei-fenJanuary 31
(The preceding two letters were sent from Shanghai to Chungking — Editor.)
Brother Watchman Nee was recently in Shanghai, and we invited him to conduct a Bible study on the topic of "The Truth Concerning the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit." The place was 34 Wen-teh Lane, Hardoon Road, every evening from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., January 31 — February 12. We saw God's blessing. Those attending the Bible study filled the room, and some received the promise of the Holy Spirit from God. We thank the Lord because His promise never changes. May the Lord give extra grace to each believer to receive all the gifts of the Holy Spirit which he should receive.
(Quoted from Issue No. 99 of the Shanghai Local Newsletter.)
I am still waiting for God to give me a clear way. Please do not forget to pray for me. Last week there was a week-long Bible study. Many people desired the Lord. If the Lord allows, I plan to hold another Bible study the week after the Chinese New Year. Please pray for this and ask God to gain some. Sister Chang Chui-hsi of Tai-Ku sent a letter a few days ago saying that she was staying in a Methodist Church protected by the Lord. Thank the Lord, praise the Lord, this region is still peaceful. Please greet Sister Wang, Sister Chang, and all the brothers and sisters!
Chai En-shangJanuary 21
The few brothers here are all out working. Brother Hwa Tien-min has been traveling to several places in Kiangsu province the last few months. Thank the Lord, He has given grace in every locality. A few local churches are in a particularly good condition. Just before the Chinese New Year, Hwa Tien-min and Wu Jao-teh will return to Feng-Tien. There will be a conference for a few days during the Chinese New Year. Please remember all this before the Lord.
Chao Fei-wo, Sang Chen-guang
(This letter was sent from Feng-Tien — Editor.)
Since coming to Tien-Shui, I met with every church in She-Shiang. There are more than ten. I finished a few days ago and returned to rest.
The last time we had a meeting in Xie-Jia-Juang, Gan-Gu, Kansu province, more than ten people were saved. More than forty people were baptized on the day before Christmas. After the meeting we went to a few churches, and the Holy Spirit blessed us. We were in one accord, and some new ones were saved. Sister Chen Bi-hsi's elder sister sent a letter from Shantung saying that they had been kept safe by the Lord. My child (age 17) is now working with me. Please send more copies of The Open Door in the future. Please greet Brother Chang Yu-zhi. Also greet Sister Ruth Lee and Sister Phoebe Chang. Peace in the Lord!
Your brother in the Lord,Duan Chai-juJanuary 20Please greet all the co-workers.[Address omitted]
Sister Mei Guang-yao was saved and baptized last Saturday. Praise the Lord! Sisters Yu Su-jen and Rachel Lee hope to go to Yunnan on or around February 10. Brother Chen Ju-yien is still in Hong Kong. If it is completely according to the Lord's will, I plan to go to Chungshan and Macao with Brothers Ju-yien, Wen-yao, and Brothers Mei and Ho. Please remember this in your prayers.
Your brother,PhilipJanuary 31
I recently received a letter from Brother Tang Shou-ling written December 12, which I have enclosed. The Lord willing, Mr. Luan will take Brother Chen Ju-yien, Brother Ho Nai-zhao (a responsible brother here), and myself to Macao and Chungshan this afternoon. The work here continues as usual, but it still needs your prayers. Please pray for me individually. Please greet Miss Chang, Miss Wang, and Brother Yu-zhi. Peace.
Your weak, little brother in the Lord,Stephen KaungFebruary 8
Sister Ruth:
I was very happy when I received your letter. Sister Su-jen and I have decided to go to Yunnan on the tenth of this month by way of Canton. We have the assurance concerning this trip. We will follow the Lord's leading step by step along the way, and we hope that it is not our own move. God kept me in Hong Kong for almost three months and has edified me through all kinds of things. I have benefited greatly. Praise Him! Two brothers and four sisters were baptized last Saturday. There really is work to do in Hong Kong, and the sisters really have a need. Peace in the Lord.
Your little sister in the Lord,RachelFebruary 3
Greetings to Sister Ruth and Sister Phoebe:
I really thank God for leading us to come to Hong Kong and for keeping us here for almost three months. We really have benefited much. I deeply feel that any work which does not issue from the Holy Spirit's revelation is dead. Even though something may be spoken, it will not benefit the hearer. Last week Sister Rachel preached the gospel for one week, and some were saved. We will go to Yunnan via Haiphong on February 20. Please pray for us according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Peace in the Lord. Greet Sister Peace Wang.
Su-jenFebruary 3
Sister X:
Did you receive the letter I sent from Macao on the eighteenth? (We have not received it because surface mail from Macao to Chungking takes a very long time — Editor.)
Brother Nee returned to Hong Kong on the seventeenth. Yesterday evening (February 24) we began a Bible study in Kowloon, and Brother Nee is responsible for it. Peace in the Lord to you and to Sister Peace Wang, Sister Phoebe, and Brother Yu-zhi. Please greet Mrs. Yuan and Miss Chen.
Your brother,PhilipFebruary 25
Greetings to my beloved brother in the Lord, Kwang-hsi:
Thank the Lord for leading you safely to Yunnan. Although you tasted much suffering and many difficulties, the Lord will not forget you, and your trip will not be in vain. I have been in Singapore for three or four weeks. I am ashamed to say that I am so mediocre that I cannot do much. The brothers and sisters in Singapore really hope that you and Brother Kaung can come and work here. The work on the southern islands has a great and desperate need. After meeting in this hall for two weeks, we have concluded nine evenings of meetings in the True Light Chapel of the Anglican denomination. Starting next Monday we will have four evenings of preaching on the rooftop to the Evangelistic Crusade. Greet Brother Chung Huang, Brother Kwang-tsao, the Chou brothers, and Sister Hwei-sian. May the Lord use you all very much! Peace!
Your brother,Faithful LukJanuary 10
Thank the Lord, my meeting with Mr. Lee with regard to the orphanage was satisfactory. He has promised to make up for the shortage in the budget, but he can only support us for one year. He has also agreed to move the orphanage, but he gave me the freedom to decide where we will move. I have been constantly praying for this matter, and I have clearly seen several things concerning this matter: (1) In order to answer to God and man, I cannot shrink back from my responsibility concerning the education of these children. (2) I cannot return to my old hired position in the orphanage. If I do, it will be completely against the leading I received when I quit. Therefore, I have decided to stand on God's side in receiving man's commission. The most marvelous thing is that Mr. Lee and Brother Yu's attitudes toward the commission are similar to mine. They say that they will do their best to supply the money needed to meet the financial needs. They will not interfere with the administration. On the one hand, I feel a great responsibility and cannot avoid being in fear and trembling; on the other hand, I am forced to take this way, so I must look to the Lord for the way ahead. May the Lord prove His faithful Word and precious promises (2 Cor. 12:9) in a weak and useless person like me. My problem now is the matter of moving. In the long run it seems better to move to a safer region, but in order to be close to the care of the brothers and sisters and in the center of the region of my personal work, it seems that I should not move from Wu-ch'ang. In my prayer I feel that it is best to settle ourselves in Wu-ch'ang. The other things that must be taken care of immediately include: (1) finding jobs for the older students, (2) hiring able brothers and sisters to be responsible for administrating and teaching, and (3) finding one or two productive means for income. Please pray for the future of this.
Your weak member in the Lord,Lan Tsi-yiFebruary 24, Hankow
Brother Watchman Nee left Shanghai on February 15 and arrived in Hong Kong on the seventeenth. There is a Bible study in Hong Kong which began on the twenty-fourth. He will leave Hong Kong on March 5 for Singapore and then go to England by way of India.
Brother Philip Luan went to work in Macao and has returned to Hong Kong (39 Shek-Kip-Mei Street, Floor 4, San-Sui-Pu, Kowloon, Hong Kong).
Brother Stephen Kaung went with Brother Luan to Macao. We heard that he plans to go to Shanghai because his father is sick. (Letter from Hong Kong dated February 28)
Brother Chang Yu-zhi and Sister Peace Wang went to Ch'eng-tu together on March 2. They will work for about two weeks in Ch'eng-tu. They also plan to visit Ji-Jung and Nei-Jiang for one week in each place. They will probably return to Chungking at the beginning of April. Their mailing address is still c/o Yuan, 4-3 Upper Chang-Jia Garden, Chungking.
Sister Liu Hwei-fen left Shanghai at the beginning of February and went to Tientsin (c/o 82 Yao-Hua-Li, 21st Road, English Concession, Tientsin).
Brother Han Fu-sheng (13 Hsiao-Shu-Tze Lane, Ch'ang-Teh).
Sister Yu Su-jen and Sister Rachel Lee arrived in K'un- ming on February 15 (c/o Huang, 11 Wen-Miao-Dong Lane, K'un-ming, Yunnan).
(The preceding news is the most recent news we have of the workers' movements and changes — Editor, March 5, 1938.)
According to a letter sent from Shanghai by Brother Ho Yueh-chiao on February 19, eighty percent of this book has been printed. It will be available in the very near future. The next issue of this publication will be printed with the table of contents of the book. The book will be in hardbound and paperback. Each hardbound copy will cost one dollar. Each paperback copy will cost fifty cents. There is an additional charge for postage.
Thank and praise the Father who protects and loves us. He has shown how He graces His children in many ways in the church in K'un-ming. We should give blessing, glory, wisdom, thanks, honor, power, and might to our God forever and ever, amen.
(1) The meeting hall: We used to rent a meeting hall at 39 Hwa-Shan South Road in K'un-ming. However, our landlord decided to build a house on some empty land nearby, and he wanted to use the building as a workplace for the carpenters. Therefore, we had to rent another meeting place. Because of the political situation, many people from other provinces moved to Yunnan, making it difficult to rent a proper building. The brothers and sisters looked to God and prayed. Thank the Lord, He is Jehovah-jireh. In a surprisingly short time, He led us to a new, well-lighted and well-ventilated building that can hold about one hundred fifty people. The location is also good. It is in the middle section of Tung-Ren Street in K'un-ming at the east end of Yen-Tse Lane. It does not have a number because it is a new building.
(2) The meetings: In addition to the table meeting and the gospel meeting on the Lord's Day, there are prayer meetings every Tuesday and Saturday evening at 7:00 p.m. There is a Bible study or testimony meeting every Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. By the Lord's protection, these meetings have never stopped during the past year, starting in March. Before we found a meeting hall, we met in a brother's house. When we began the table last year, there were a little over ten brothers and sisters. Thank and praise God for His operation. The number of saved ones has increased gradually. Now more than thirty brothers and sisters attend the table meeting. Before Brother K. H. Weigh came to Yunnan, we had Brother Lin Kwang-tsao lead the gospel meetings on the Lord's Day. Afterward, three brothers led it in rotation. At that time there were only twenty or thirty people who would come to hear the gospel (including the brothers and sisters). Thank the Lord, the number has increased, and now eighty or ninety come to hear the gospel (including the brothers and sisters). From February 7-13 of this year, several workers for the Lord held gospel meetings in the meeting hall. Thank the Lord, many believed and received Him. Brother Weigh has decided that on the eighteenth of this month he will have some edification meetings for several evenings in a row.
(3) Marvelous miracles: When the brothers were preaching the gospel in rotation, a Miss Lee began to attend the meetings. When she was at home, a piece of earth fell from the ceiling and hit her on the head, injuring her brain. She frequently had headaches after this accident. She went to both Western and Chinese doctors, but to no avail. The doctors said that there was no hope of recovery. They exhorted her to give up her studies and take a long rest. When she heard this, she was desperate. Her classmate introduced her to the gospel meetings. Thank and praise the almighty God for leading her to come to the gospel meeting again and again. She received the Lord Jesus as her Savior. One day she was reading in Psalm 103:3, which says, "He pardons all your iniquities;/He heals all your diseases." When she read it, she realized that God was not only her Savior but also her doctor. She prayed desperately that God would heal her sickness and pain. Thank and praise God for listening to her prayer and healing her. Now she is normal and back in school. She also comes to break bread with us. There is another Sister Lee who had been oppressed by demons for many years before she believed in the Lord. She really felt that human life was a suffering. When the evil spirits acted up, she could not sleep for nights. She would lose her temper, get extremely angry, and even hit herself. It seemed as if she was possessed by a demon. Since receiving the truth and believing, she has become very peaceful and happy by relying on the Lord. She was once bound by Satan, but now she has received a wonderful freedom. These are the miracles that the Lord's grace has bestowed upon sinners. Hallelujah!
(4) Offerings: In the past the offerings from the brothers and sisters did not do much more than cover all the expenses; at the end of the year not much was left. But the church is the house of God, and there should never be a lack. When man has no way, God has a way. The deposit on the meeting hall is very large, and there was not enough in our bank account. The brothers and sisters prayed that God would touch His children to do their best to make an offering. Thank and praise Jehovah-Jireh, on the last Lord's Day before the Chinese New Year, there was enough money in the offering box, including two pieces of gold jewelry and the addition of our bank savings, to more than pay for the deposit and the rent. There was even quite a bit left over. Thank God that His grace exceeds our need. The furnishings inside the meeting hall are sufficient. The Lord supplied all the necessary things by touching His children to cheerfully give. Although what we have mentioned pertains to material offerings, it shows that the brothers and sisters care very much for the house of God.
(5) Baptisms: Since we began meeting in K'un-ming, those who have believed and been saved have not been baptized. If we continue to delay, it will not be very good. We have already prepared a metal baptistry framed in wood. A baptism meeting will soon be held. More than ten people want to be baptized. We hope that God will give grace on the one hand, and that the Lord will touch those who have not obeyed yet to be willing to render this testimony on the other hand (Mark 16:16).
(1) Brother Chang Jing-yuan and Sister Chang Jing-shia arrived safely in K'un-ming from Ch'ang-sha on January 13.
(2) Sister Wang Juh-ching arrived safely from Hankow in the middle of January.
(3) Brother Chen Ho-seng, who used to work in the Euro-Asia Airlines Office in Peking, was transferred to their K'un-ming office as the radio operator. He was transferred again on January 9 to be the radio operator in Ho-Kou. When Sister Yu Suh-jen and Sister Rachel Lee came to Yunnan, they entered the province at Ho-Kou. They did not have any difficulty because Brother Chen was there to take care of them. This really was the sovereign Lord's arrangement.
(4) Brother Chou Bao-jen (from Mong-Tze, Yunnan) left K'un-ming on February 16 to go to Hong Kong to continue his studies.
(5) Sister Chu Teh-hwa arrived safely in K'un-ming on February 18.
(6) Sister Yin Ding Su-jun and her eleven children arrived safely in K'un-ming from Ch'ang-sha on January 4.
(1) Please ask God to save more people in K'un-ming into His church and to raise up more brothers to be elders and more brothers and sisters to be deacons.
(2) Please pray for the work in the interior of Yunnan that the Lord would send His servants to open all the counties.
(3) Brother Chou Hung-bao plans to go to Luh-Liang to work. Please pray that he would preach the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit so that many would be saved.
(4) Please pray for the futures of Brother Chang Jing-yuan, Sister Chang Jing-shia, and Sister Wang Juh-ching. They still do not have proper jobs.
Your brothers in the Lord,Lin Yau-huei, Chung TsuangFebruary 27, K'un-ming[Address omitted]
Peace to our brother in the Lord, Mr. Kwang-hsi!
We remember the work and the workers in the remote areas before the Lord, making mention of you often in our prayers. May the Lord, who gives strength, be with you so that you may fight the good fight and testify to God's gospel of grace, leading more sinners out of darkness into the light. May the Lord's name be glorified, and may the number of saved ones be filled up soon so that the Lord can come back quickly, amen. We are wiring X dollars through the Post Office. X dollars are for the Lord's work. Please give the rest to Brother X. This money was prepared by the Lord for the work and the workers in the remote areas. May you be victorious in the Lord!
Your brothers,Chen Fang-ching, Chai Gi-chen, Hsie Tse-shun
For the brothers in the assembly in the Lord's name in Swatow.
Greetings to all the brothers and sisters in K'un-ming:
It was the Lord's arrangement that I come here to live for a long while. When the brothers and sisters pass through Ho-Kou, they need only to notify me, and I will take care of them. By God's grace, I will do my best for anyone. This is God's personal arrangement. Peace to you all.
Your little brother,Chen Ho-sengJanuary 15
Dear Brother Philip in the Lord:
We have been apart for so long. My heart often thinks about you. May the Lord bless your share of the labor in the work. I received your letter yesterday and read it. I am well; please do not worry about me. We stayed in Ch'ang-sha for more than ten days. We met the brothers and sisters in the meeting hall, fellowshipping, breaking bread, praying, and testifying together. I stayed in Brother Liu's place in the orphanage. We took the southwest bus and train route at the beginning of our journey. The mountain roads were steep, and the bus was on steep slopes. The higher we climbed, the more dangerous it became. We were racing into the fog, and we felt as if we had left the earth far behind and were closer to the Lord. We feel that Kweichow province is still very barren. It does not seem to have much vegetation. Apart from Zhu-cheng, we did not see any fertile soil. The Han people and the Miao natives live together, and development is slow. There is a great need for the gospel. Please pray for them. K'un-ming is at a higher elevation, but it is flatter and more fertile. It has bountiful produce and a good climate. It does not rain often. Winter is leaving, and the cauliflower is turning yellow. The peas are already full in the pods. Visitors coming for the first time often feel that it is very dry here. We have already acclimated and are doing well. We did not know anyone when we came, but we were thankful to have Brother Chung Huang's gracious hospitality. We stayed in his home for nearly ten days. Now the Lord has prepared a house for us to rent, and we are living in it. Prices are cheaper, so it is easier to make a living. We can live on what I brought for a while longer if we are thrifty. Thank the Lord for His grace, and thank the brothers and sisters for your prayers. All the brothers and sisters in K'un-ming are well. Peace in the Lord! Please greet the brothers and sisters in Hong Kong for me. Please greet Brother Stephen Kaung for me.
Your little brother in the Lord,Chang Jing-yuanJanuary 26
To Sister X in the Lord:
I left Hankow on December 29 and arrived in Ch'ang-sha on the thirty-first. Thank and praise the Lord! On the afternoon of January 4, I was able to get my bus tickets without any problem. The buses to Kuei-yang were booked up to April 17. However, one person had made a reservation and did not come to buy his ticket on the fourth, so the ticket office sold me that ticket. My fare was sixty-one dollars and twenty-five cents to travel by bus to K'un-ming. If anyone wants to go to K'un-ming, they should definitely not buy their tickets in Kuei-yang. Some people do not know that they can buy combination bus and train tickets; therefore, when they get to Kuei-yang, they wait for two or three months and still cannot get bus tickets. On the morning of the fifth, I went to the West Station in Ch'ang-sha to wait for the bus. It was 11:30 a.m. before all the people crowded in. The bus did not go for very long before there was a problem with the tire. We waited several hours for help. I was secretly praying. The rescue bus arrived at 6:15 p.m. If it had not come, we would have had to spend the night in a small town nearby, which was certainly dangerous because bandits might have attacked us. We crossed the river into Yi-Yang around 7:50 p.m. and headed for Ch'ang-Teh. By the time we reached Ch'ang-Teh, it was already midnight. I went to the station the next morning to ask whether the bus to Yuan-Ling had come. I waited for one day. The bus to Yuan-Ling did not come until the seventh. We left at 9:00 a.m. and arrived at 5:30 p.m. I boarded the bus at 9:00 a.m. on the eighth and arrived in Zhi-Jiang at 3:00 p.m. We were in Huang-Shian by 5:00 p.m. I spent the ninth through the eleventh in Huang-Shian waiting for the bus to Kuei-yang. I left Huang-Shian at 10:00 a.m. on the twelfth and passed through Yu-Ping Station and Jen-Yuan Station, arriving at Huang-Ping Station at 6:00 p.m. Then I left Huang-Ping at 11:00 a.m. on the thirteenth and passed through Zhung-An, Lu-Shan, Ma-Chang-Ping, Sha-Ping, Kwei-Ding, and Lung-Li. I arrived at the Kuei-yang station at 8:30 p.m. From Hunan to Kweichow, the bus spent one whole day going through the mountains. I heard that the bus which left Ch'ang-sha on the sixth had an accident. Twenty of the twenty-five passengers were injured. But thank the Lord for bringing me through. I also heard the other passengers say that in those five or six days there were no attacks by bandits. The buses are usually attacked and robbed by bandits, who are usually natives of the Miao tribe. They particularly love to rob armed passengers of their weapons. I also thank the Lord that it did not rain between Ch'ang-sha and Kuei-yang because it is difficult for the buses to run when it is raining. I passed out gospel tracts on the fourteenth, and I did not want to leave. I also wanted to rest. I could not have left in any case, because there were only one hundred seventy-five seats on the bus that left for K'un-ming on the fifteenth, and my number was one hundred seventy-seven. It rained on the fifteenth. There were no buses on the sixteenth. There were no passenger buses on the seventeenth either, but I worked out a deal with the station master and was able to take a Corps of Engineers' bus to continue my journey. When we got to An-Shun area, the bus had a flat tire, so we had to wait for several hours. The rescue bus arrived at 4:30 p.m., and we continued on for about twenty minutes to the An-Shun Station. We left An-Shun at 1:30 p.m. on the eighteenth. It was already 5:00 p.m. when we arrived in Kwan-Ling-Chang. The driver said the bus could not continue. It was 7:00 p.m. before help arrived. We drove for several minutes up a deserted mountain and then had to stop at the top because the bus did not have water. All the travelers who had wash basins had to get out to fetch water. After we found water, we continued on our way. We arrived in Yung-Ning Station at 8:30 p.m. We started out again at 9:00 a.m. on the nineteenth and arrived at the Pu-An Station at 4:00 p.m. The driver did not want to continue, so we had to spend the night there. We left Pu-An on the twentieth at 9:00 a.m. and arrived at the Pan-Shian Station at 11:35 a.m. This was the last stop in Kweichow; the bus did not continue on. Pan-Shian has two bus stations, one for Kweichow and one for Yunnan. I had to register at the Yunnan Station to find out about buses. When I boarded the bus on the twenty-first, there were not any seats, so I had to sit on a suitcase. We left Pan-Shian at 9:47 a.m. and arrived in Ping-Yi at 11:50 a.m. The inspection was very rigorous. The bus did not leave until 1:30 p.m. We arrived in Chu-Jing at 3:25 p.m. I left Chu-Jing on the morning of the twenty-second and arrived in K'un-ming at 3:00 p.m. I went first to Deng-Shi Street to see Brother Huang. Then I heard that he had moved to Wen-Miao-Dong Lane, but I did not know the number. I could not find his house, so I had to stay in a hotel for one night. I looked for him again on the morning of the Lord's Day, the twenty-third. I found the place because I heard the sound of the brothers and sisters singing hymns to remember the Lord. The brothers and sisters were very surprised. Thank the Lord, the weather was good from Kuei-yang to K'un-ming (with the exception of Chu-Jing where it snowed for a few minutes). I also thank Him that I was not carsick except for one day, nor did I feel tired. I saw the Lord's grace in all things.
Your brother in the Lord,Chen Hsi-wenJanuary 24
Sister X:
Our ship left Hong Kong at 4:30 p.m. on the seventh and arrived at Haiphong at 7:00 on the tenth. Brother Tseng, who works at Haiphong, helped us to go on and accompanied us to Ho-Nei (a three-hour train ride from Haiphong). We took a train to Ho-Kou on the morning of the thirteenth. Brother Chen Ho-seng met us at the station and took care of everything for us including acting as a guarantor. On the fourteenth we took another train to Ah-Mei-Jou. On the way we preached the gospel to a clerk with the Communication Broadcast Company and to an official with the railway. God cared for us through them all the way to our destination. We arrived safely in K'un-ming at 5:00 p.m. on the fifteenth. Some brothers and sisters were waiting for us at the station. We are now living temporarily in Brother Huang's house. Along the way we saw beautiful scenery with both mountains and streams. We passed through one hundred eighty tunnels on the three day railroad journey and crossed more than ten iron bridges over mountain valleys between Ho-Kou and K'un-ming. We fully enjoyed the beauty of nature and thought of the words of Psalm 19. We really felt happy. Mountains, streams, flowers, and trees all express God's glory in His creation and His wondrous works. Peace to you all. Greet the sisters.
Yu Su-jen, Rachel LeeFebruary 16
To Brother X in the Lord:
The ever-living God is constantly planning for His children. In my travels from Ch'ang-sha, the weather was mainly clear and sunny. When the bus I took left, nobody was going to K'un-ming. The bus should have gone to Ch'ang-Teh to stay the night, but it went on to Yuan-Ling. When we arrived, I found that a Mr. Chao was going to K'un-ming. He had left one day before I did (on the seventh) and should have been ahead of me. But God provided for me, and he was waiting for me. He assisted me the entire way. We arrived in Kuei-yang on the twelfth. On the thirteenth I happened to be reading the Bible in the hotel according to my habit of reading consecutively through the Scripture. It was really marvelous how the Word of God gave me great comfort. Exodus 23:20 says, "Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared." I held on to this word. On the fourteenth, I boarded the bus at dawn. The road from this point on was a little different. Sometimes there were no porters when we stopped for the night. On the seventeenth we ran out of gas deep in the mountains. It was already 5:00 p.m., and we were twenty miles from the city. All the men ran into the city, but I and a few other women travelers could only wait. When it was almost dark, the people who passed by on the road exhorted us to go into the city because bandits sometimes would appear in that area. The gas had not arrived at 7:15, and everyone was getting frightened. I could only pray. God placed His precious Word before my eyes again in Psalm 27:1, "Jehovah is my light and my salvation;/Whom shall I fear?/Jehovah is the strength of my life;/Whom shall I be dread?" I held on to God's word tightly. It seemed that the gas came at around 8:00 p.m., and we arrived in Pan-Shian safely. We left Pan-Shian a little after 9:00 a.m. on the eighteenth and arrived in K'un-ming at about 3:00 p.m. We were inspected countless times along the way. Some travelers were questioned at almost every station, but I was only questioned twice, once at An-Shun and once when we arrived in K'un-ming. I can say that God's special care was with me the whole way. The weather was very good. Although it rained for two days, it rained while I was in the bus. After the bus stopped, it never rained on me. Oh, I really must thank and praise God! I am now living with a friend named Hsu. Peace in the Lord.
A weak one in the Lord,Chu Teh-hwaFebruary 21[Address omitted]
Dear Brother Lan in the Lord:
May grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be to you. Since parting from you at the station, I arrived in Canton by the Lord's grace. Although I experienced many hardships and threats along the way, the grace of God was always sufficient. God protected, watched over, and upheld me more carefully and more completely than a loving mother protects her baby in love. I cannot deny the dangers of the Canton-Hankow Railway, neither can I refrain from praising our God, saying, "Jehovah will keep you from all evil; He will keep your soul. Jehovah will keep your going out and your coming in from now to eternity."
After the train passed through Ch'ang-sha, it would sometimes back up because there were too many trains on the tracks ahead. We would go forward for a day and backwards for a day. After four days and nights, we barely made it to Li-Dong in the middle of the night, because the #22 Canton-Wu-ch'ang Express traveling north had gone off the track at the entrance of the tunnel between the Ying-Teh and Li-Dong stations (about 64 miles from its point of origination); our train had to stop outside the tunnel. It could not go forward, and the passengers were free to get off the train. For awhile everything was in confusion. People were frightened, and we could not make out our way because it was night. There were no hotels and no place to stay the night. I had brought only two pieces of luggage with me, having shipped the rest of my things. Two people left their luggage with me and walked five miles to the southern end of the Li-Dong tunnel to take a train to Canton. Since I had been entrusted with their luggage, I had to be faithful. At dawn I hurriedly boarded a train back to Lien-Jiang and took the Jung-Yuan electric boat to Canton. I traveled for three days under the covering of His blood and did not meet up with any danger. I must honestly say that it was the Lord's covering. When I arrived in Canton, I had to wait for a few days at Brother Shuan's place because my luggage had not arrived. I also went to Hong Kong to visit the brothers in the Lord in Kowloon. The meeting in Kowloon experienced much blessing from the Lord. Because of this trip south, I was able to hear Brother Nee's message. He spoke on the topic of "The Question of Power and Wisdom" on the Lord's Day. The Scripture reference was 1 Corinthians 1:22-31. The main points of the message were: "The Bible manifests God's wisdom, while the Holy Spirit manifests His power. Many of God's children think that if they beg God to make them this and that way, they will become this and that way. They do not know that such prayer is like climbing a tree to get fish. The more they pray, the farther they will be from what they want. We are justified, not because we are worthy to be justified, but because the Lord Jesus, the righteous One who lives in us, makes us righteous. If someone asks who my righteousness is, I can immediately answer that the Lord Jesus is my righteousness. From this we see that we do not have to ask the Lord to make us righteous in this or that matter. We just need to allow the Lord to reign in us, for He is righteousness itself. The Holy Spirit has the power and can accomplish in us what we are unable to accomplish in ourselves. He can overcome what we are unable to overcome. Therefore, we do not need to beg the Lord to make us this or that. We just need to allow the Lord to do this or that in us." The Holy Spirit worked much on that day. The atmosphere in the meeting was attentive. The word was strong and piercing. Unfortunately, I did not write it all down, so I can only tell you the main points.
I arrived in Wu-Chow on the sixteenth, but the Salt Ministry was not set up yet. This was really unexpected. The only denominations here are the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church and the Baptist Church. This is only my second day here, but I have been invited to testify at the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church twice already. I spoke on the matter of life. They really desired it. What is the current situation in Hankow? Will you be going elsewhere? Has God given you some direction? Please write an answering note if it is convenient. May the Lord be with you! Greet all the brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Your little brother in the Lord,Mu Hue-chenJanuary 21
Peace in the Lord to our dear Sister X:
We have received special mercy from the Father and are in a peaceful situation. Whenever we think of the brothers who are fleeing from the war, we can only pray desperately for them before the Father. May the Father of mercies, the God of grace and mercy, shorten the days for the sake of His chosen people so that His children might be kept safe and at peace, living their lives in godliness. We enclose a money order from the Communication Bank for X dollars. Please distribute X dollars for us to the brothers and sisters who are in need. X dollars are for your personal use. The remaining X dollars are for Mr. X. May the Lord repay you for your labor. Peace in the Lord.
Your little brothers in the Lord,Chen Fang-ching, Chai Gi-chen,Hsie Tse-shun on behalf of the brothersmeeting in the Lord's name in SwatowJanuary 20
Here is a postal money order for X dollars. Please acknowledge the receipt. This was offered by a Christian to the Lord. The offerer's prayer was written on the envelope. It clearly said that it should be sent to P. O. Box 84, Hankow. We are just obeying the Lord's will and doing what the offerer prayed in sending the entire amount to you. Please distribute it in the Lord according to different needs. Peace in the Lord!
Your little brothers in the Lord,Chen Fang-ching, Chai Gi-chen, Hsie Tse-shun on behalf of the brothers meeting in the Lord's name in Swatow.February 1[Address omitted]
Greetings to Sister Lee:
By the Lord's grace I am still in Chungshan learning to serve and draw near to Him. The brothers and sisters here need edification. You know deeply that I have always lacked spiritual power. May God change me for His own glory and His great mercy's sake so that I will have the boldness to go on. Please pray for me and give me advice. Thank the Lord for using Sister Kuo to help me. My natural man is not completely dealt with yet, so there is still much friction. I really want the Lord to hold me tightly and to tie me up. My future and the time I will return to Hong Kong are all in the Lord's hands. I am waiting for the Lord's clear leading and arrangement. Please greet Miss Chang and Miss Wang for me. Peace in the Lord.
Your little sister,Ro-chenJanuary 22
Sister Ro-chen:
May you have peace in the Lord! I left Canton on the twenty-third of last month and went with a colleague and a few of his relatives to Wu-Chow in Kwangsi province. Then we went on west to Teng-Shian in Kwangsi. I was originally going to stay there for awhile, but I received a telegram telling me to return immediately to Canton. I arrived in Canton on January 1. There are now more than ten brothers and sisters in Canton. There are still three sisters in Rou-Zhi Hospital, Sister Liu, Sister Hsue, and Sister Yi. Puo-Zhi Hospital has two sisters, Sister Liu and Sister Tu. Sister Hung Chi-hwai from the Women's and Children's Hospital still comes often. Sister Lin Siao-ching and her mother are also here. Sister Liang Siu-jeng has not come for a long time because she is too busy with her job. Brother Huang and his wife from Hua-Di are in the same place. Brothers Mai, Wang, and Huang (Hua-shun) are all well. Peace to you and Sister Kuo.
Your brother,Chang-mingJanuary 4
Greetings in the Lord to our dear Brother Watchman and to all the brothers and sisters in Hankow:
We think that you probably are not familiar with Sien-You in Fukien province. However, thanks be to the loving Lord for doing a great work in this little place. God sent his servants Faithful Luk and Chen Jai-seng to begin a new work in February 1936. At that time a few sinners received grace and were saved. Later the brothers met in their homes and came together every Lord's Day evening to break bread in remembrance of the Lord. There were only five people. Last summer, the Lord sent His servant, Mr. Chai Wu-wuo, to work for more than a month, and a few more were saved. Because there were many people, we rented a place last fall where the brothers and sisters could meet, preach the gospel, and remember the Lord. Last winter, the Lord sent His servants to work among us, and twenty-five people obeyed the Lord and were baptized. There are now about forty-eight brothers and sisters in the table meeting. In the past month the Lord has done a great work, and more than ninety people were saved. We hope that the brothers and sisters will pray for us. May God encourage us with His love to be faithful in testifying strongly for Him so that saved ones may be added to our number daily, amen. Thank and praise God, it is still safe in Sien-You. We really remember the brothers and sisters in the war zone. We remember them each time we pray. We are remitting the offering from one Lord's Day of X dollars in a wire to Miss Ruth Lee to distribute for us. We are really ashamed that we are so lacking in love. May God stir up our heart of love more that we would glorify His name in the Body life until the day the Lord returns.
The church in Sien-You
We are sending a postal money order from the Lord's Day offering of X dollars and X cents in stamps. Please distribute it for us to the brothers who have a lack from the war or for the needs of the work in the remote areas. (This money has already been given to K'un-ming for the use of the work — Editor.)
The church in Sien-You[Address omitted]
Peace to Sister Ruth in the Lord:
We wired X dollars through the local bank yesterday. It is the offering of brothers and sisters in the church in Han-Jiang for the use of those who are suffering from the war. Please accept it, check the amount, and then distribute it for us. Sister Bao Hsu-min began a one-week sisters' conference in Han-Jiang (tentatively). Please pray for it. The sisters in Han-Jiang need perfecting. If you have the chance and are led by the Lord, we hope that you can come to help us. (I will consider this matter in prayer — note from Ruth.) The brothers and sisters in the coastal region of Fukien are all safe. Please do not worry about us. Peace to you. Second Corinthians 12:9.
Your brothers,Fang Shi-rong, Fang Kun-chengJanuary 13[Address omitted]
We have just wired X dollars through the post office. When it arrives, please accept and count it. Please distribute it for us to all the brothers in the war zone. Did you receive our last letter, which requested five copies of each issue of The Open Door? Please send them to us.
Representing the meeting hall of Chuanchow, Shi-Shee,Chai Gung-yuanFebruary 7
Greetings to my dear Brother Stephen in the Lord:
May the almighty God Himself keep you in peace until the Lord comes. I received your letter of November 5. The mail service was suspended for quite awhile, so it took almost one month for the letter to reach me. When the fighting approached San-Chiao-Bu, God still graced us by leading us to flee to Ya-Dan-Ou, a valley in the mountains not far from San-Chiao-Bu. We are completely surrounded by mountains, so this gives us a taste of the words of Psalm 121. I served the Lord for more than a month in Shao-Shing and then went home to take my family and flee. With regard to the work, we acknowledge that the Lord is the almighty One; man can do nothing. Mr. Sun's whole family also fled to Ya-Dan-Ou. I think that your letter was delayed because the post office service was frustrated by the war. Many of my letters (some were sent to you) have been lost or delayed. May this letter reach you without delay. The brothers and sisters in Nanking have all fled. Unfortunately, all my books are there. If the Lord does not want me to keep those things, I just praise and thank Him. If this is just the beginning of the tribulation and we cannot stand it, what will the great tribulation be like? May we both be able to keep the word of endurance, and may we keep watchful that we may be preserved from the coming tribulation. I hope you can come north, but may God's will be done. I have not written all I want to say. May the Lord's grace be with you.
Your brother in the Lord,Tang Shou-lingDecember 12, 1937
(This letter was written by Brother T'ang almost three months ago. We do not know where he is now. If anyone knows, please send an airmail letter telling us — Editor.)
Brother Tsi-yi in the Lord:
After receiving the first issue of The Open Door, we wanted to order several copies from you, but we were stopped for various reasons. I was able to borrow the second issue from Brother Wang Jin-tang and read it carefully. Then I found out that this publication contains news that is indispensable to the responsible brothers of a local church. Therefore, please send nineteen more copies of the second issue of The Open Door. Then send me twenty copies of each subsequent issue. I will tell you something of the condition of the church here. We have received perfecting from Brothers David Hsu, Chang Kwang-rong, Ma Chuan-foo, and Sister Miao Yun-chun over the past few years, and we have grown much. The Jesus Chapel in South Lion Lane of Wu-Yih now has the Lord's table, but there are not many people. There are already sixteen meeting places with believers in the Lord:
(1) Jesus Chapel, South Lion Lane, Wu-Yih. Responsible ones: Wang Jin-tang, Shao Tse-lin. (2) The church in Ho's house. Responsible ones: Ho Jang-yun, Ho Yin-dah, Ho Jun-lin. (3) The church in Wang-Shan-Tou. Responsible ones: Wang Sun-dah, Wang Shi-jin, Chu Sin-mu, Wang Zhang-hsi. (4) The church in Dong-Gao. Responsible ones: Hsu She-bao, Hsu Shui-hao, Chu Hwei-ai, Ho Du-ching. (5) The church in Shan-Fang. Responsible one: Wang Tien-shun. (6) The church in Kuo-Dong. Responsible ones: Ling Shun-mei, Ho Shang-pin. (7) The church in Tang-Li. Responsible one: Lin Bu-sha. (8) The church in Liang's house. Responsible ones: Fang Da-jiang, Chui Feng. (9) The church in Hsie-Keng. Responsible ones: Ding Keh-ming, Ding Keh-chang. (10) The church in Da-Ling Tsiao. Responsible one: Tsou Tu-wang. (11) The church in Ma-Ang. Responsible ones: Wang Jung-shing, Wu Da-tsing. (12) The church in Yao-Chu. Responsible ones: Hsie Shi-lin, Chang Chun-fa, Hsu Chi-mei, Wu Chou Hsiang-mei. (13) The church in Sin Village. Responsible ones: Yeh San-chun, Yeh Shi-chun. (14) The church in Hsu's house. Responsible ones: Dong Li-shing, Chang Teh-rong. There are also two meetings in Lu-Bi and Yu-Yuan, which are still in the stage of infancy, so I will not mention them this time. However, saved ones are there also. It is difficult to work in this region because most of the people are poor, suffering farmers. However, God is not a respecter of persons. I hope that there could be a meeting to train co-workers (plus elders and deacons) in this area. I have not received any special assignment from the Lord, so I am still waiting on Him. Please pray for us. Peace in the Lord.
Your brother in the Lord,Ding Keh-changFebruary 8[Address omitted]
(Some of the names in this letter were not written clearly, so it was hard to avoid errors. We hope Mr. Ding will send another letter with the corrections. Among the names of the responsible ones, it seems that there are sisters; we assume that this refers to the deaconesses — Editor.)
Respected brothers and sisters in the Lord:
We received The Open Door today and learned that the brothers and sisters are still laboring to bear the responsibility of the holy work for the Lord's name. We should sing Hallelujah together and praise the Lord Jesus Christ for His grace! We have also been comforted. The war has caused us to remember our brothers and sisters in the assembly in Shanghai. We now know that God has protected His children according to His promise. Enclosed, please find X dollars for printing costs. We also ask that you continue to send us subsequent issues of The Open Door. Please read 2 Thessalonians 1:2 to the end of the chapter.
Tu Yun-sien, Ge Shi-lienFebruary 2[Address omitted]
To Brother Tsi-yi in the Lord:
Lan-Si is still peaceful. Last Lord's Day, when we were preaching the message in the meeting, bombing occurred, but we continued the meeting as usual. We can say that no one was frightened. Praise the Lord Jesus Christ because He surrounds us with His grace and disciplines us with His authority. Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still and know that I am God." May we be able to keep the commandment of this word and testify that we are His children. I have already received The Open Door. I hope you continue to send it in the future. Peace in the Lord.
Your brother in the Lord,Ma Chuan-fooJanuary 25
Dear Brother Lan:
I received the card and the second issue of The Open Door. Thank you. Please do not worry about me. I am enclosing an order form. Please continue to send the publication. Brother Lu Kui-tsao left on his return trip to Shanghai this morning. He intends to either get into the artificial limb business or repair shoes. I have been back in Sin-Chang for almost six months now. I see eye patients daily. I have gone into the countryside to hold meetings several times and have seen the Lord's blessing. I really want to return to Shanghai, but I am not clear about the Lord's arrangement, so I am waiting. Our area has now become part of the war zone. Please pray for me. May you have peace in the Lord. Greet Brother Watchman and Sister Ruth. Please greet the assembly in Hankow.
Your brother,Yu Cheng-hwaJanuary 15[Address omitted]
Peace to my dear brother in the Lord, Mr. X:
I have not written for a long time. I found out that you were in Hong Kong yesterday from Brother Ma Di-sheng. Thank the Lord very much for this opportunity to communicate with you....The brothers and sisters in certain places in Sha-Di are suffering more in places like Tou-Peng, Hsin-Wan-Di, San-Cha-Dai, Twelve Dai, and San-Tai-Chiao. (San-Cha-Dai and Tou-Peng are across the river from Hai-Ning.) The meetings in Shao-Shing stopped more than a month ago because most of the brothers and sisters had moved into the countryside. In the wake of the present calamity, I only hope that God protects, gives grace, and saves His children. I moved my family from Dong-Jieh Road to Tou-Peng on August 10, and on November 24 we moved back to our old hometown in Sheng County. My ancestral home is five miles from the major city of Sheng County. I do not know how many days Sheng County can remain safe. We can only rely on the protection of God's great power. The churches in this region have really been graced by the Lord. The assembly in Wan-An-Chiao has really progressed. The number of new believers is increasing. The assembly in Ji-Shan-Chiao in Yi-Rung has increased in their zeal for the preaching of the gospel. The assembly in Tou-Peng has improved in material offerings. The assembly in Si-Shing has improved in the matter of following the leading of the Holy Spirit. There is a table now in Sin-Wan-Di. The work in Sha-Di has come to a conclusion. Where are you going? How is your health? Peace in the Lord!
Your brother in the Lord,Lou Chuan-enJanuary 12[Address omitted]
The meetings in the city stopped a long time ago and all the brothers and sisters have fled into the mountainous countryside. Wherever they went, they did a good job testifying for the Lord. Praise the Lord! In south Sha-Di the outward situation is not very peaceful, but their spiritual life is higher than before. They have a very simple and unshakable faith, and they are very watchful to pray at all times. I am always encouraged by them. I really thank the Lord. They are all farmers by occupation, so their livelihood has not been affected much by the war. There are one or two who are in difficulty, but they do all they can to care for one another. They really live the Body life. There are already nine meetings in the Lord's name in this region. Six localities have the table to remember the Lord. The total number of saved ones is about one thousand. I hope that the brothers and sisters in the Lord do not forget to pray for them before the Lord. They passed through very hard times in the past because of the failure of the silk industry. Their past experience has taught them to rely on the Lord, to obey Him, and to love the brothers. I see how the Lord uses sufferings more than ease to edify us. The brothers in the assembly in Hsia-Fang-Chiao are mainly in the silk business, but they are different from those in Hwa-She. We are the ones who are most positively influenced by this war. The responsibility for the meeting here is completely borne by the local brothers, so we can get by smoothly. May the Lord uphold them daily. Because the locality of Jou-Shan is near the mountains and the water, most of the refugees from the cities have moved there (Mr. Hsie Tze-yuen is among them). Therefore, the number listening to the gospel is very great. There are more than one hundred in the Lord's Day meeting. There are also many new believers. The responsible brother there, Brother X, has made much progress recently. May the Lord continue to edify them. Jou-Shan and Hsia-Fang-Chiao still do not have table meetings. I hope that the brothers and sisters will pray much for them.
A slave of the Lord,Shan Kai-fenFebruary 5[Address omitted]
(1) The meeting in the city of Shao-Shing has stopped. Most of the brothers and sisters have fled to Jou-Shan and are meeting there. The rest are all scattered in the mountainous counties: Dan-Ju-Wu, Ping-Shui, and Shang-Zao. I have heard that they are doing individual gospel work. Lo-Kou in Ping-Shui has already begun a (temporary) meeting. (2) The assembly in Jou-Shan has more than one hundred people. Many are new believers. Brother Wu Ting-chi and Brother Hsie Tze-yuen are responsible for preaching the gospel. We hope to have a conference for several days in the near future. Brother Hsie will be responsible for the Bible study, and I will bear the responsibility for preaching salvation. Please pray for this. (3) Hua-She: They have been in great difficulty physically, but God's grace is rich and has brought them through, and they manifest more of a heart of gratitude and are more spiritually alive. We preached the gospel from the first day to the third day of the Chinese New Year. I was responsible for the speaking. Thank the Lord, the result was not bad. (4) Hsia-Fang-Chiao: There are between thirty and fifty believers, but they have not begun the table meeting yet. They hope to have an edification conference. They are undergoing more physical suffering than those in Hua-She. Therefore, I have already talked with the responsible brothers in Hua-She about the grace they have received. They intend to share some of it with the assembly in Jia-Zao-Wan.
(5) Sha-Di: (A) Wan-An-Chiao: The church has improved very much. They are pursuing more deeply, and they have the greatest number. At the message meeting there are three or four hundred people. At the table meeting there are about two hundred. When Brother Luan came, they received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Later, Brother Tang came to help them with deeper edification in life. We hope that there will be another outpouring of the Holy Spirit soon for all the new believers. (B) Tou-Peng: During the past three months, God has manifested special miracles and given the gifts of tongues, interpretations, and spiritual songs. The preaching has been with power. A brother, Chou Ah-fan, was completely healthy, but he was suddenly called to be with the Lord. Brother Chou loved the Lord most zealously. As a result of his death, a great revival broke out in the church, and the believers became very watchful. There were only joyful noises in the funeral. There was no sound of crying. Even the soldiers stationed there marveled when they saw it. The prayer of the sisters was especially spiritual. This is something I heard with my own ears. The meetings are a little quieter now. Probably the brothers are taking more roots in the spiritual life. (C) Jia- Zao-Wan: The believers are all poor, but they are very rich spiritually. One Lord's Day I conducted three meetings in the morning and evening. They were really hungry and thirsty. (D) San-Tai-Chiao: It is gradually being revived because some people have been going to the prayer meeting in Tou-Peng (Friday evening). (E) Ji-Shan-Chiao (or Yi-Rung): It is progressing steadily. Brother and Sister Kao Chi-luh are laboring there. (F) Sin-Wan-Di: A few brothers have been raised up by God. They preach the word with power and serve the Lord out of love, but they still pray for deeper edification. Brother Fei Chang-hwa asked Brother Chou Jing-tang to come and ask me to help them. How can an unworthy person like me help them? (G) Twelve Dai: God has already begun a work here. Perhaps there will be another local assembly and table soon. Last November and December, I went for three Lord's Days and held three private meetings. (H) Dang-Shan: At its invitation, Brother Kai-fen and I will go there next Lord's Day. Presently, it is still part of the China Inland Mission. May God bless this time of work. (I) Although there have been army corps in Si-Shing, Ning-Yuan, and Tien-Yuan many times, the believers' houses are still safe. They have not lost much. Brother Kao Jing-fu and I have agreed to go out together if there is an opportunity. We will go first to Liu-Li-Chiao, then to Kan-Shan, and finally to Si-Shing. There is a need in Liu-Li-Chiao and Kan-Shan, and Dang-Shan is about the same. (J) San-Cha-Dai: It is by the coast near Tou-Peng and San-Tai-Chiao. There has been an assembly in the Lord's name there for a long time, but the saints have not started the table meeting yet. Their condition is quite good, but they are somewhat immature.
The preceding is just a report of what I have heard and seen. May God give us the burden to pray for one another and to pray much for the assemblies in the localities mentioned above. The work in Sha-Di was worked out by the heavenly Father Himself, and God has worked through Brothers Luan, Shan, and Tang to revive, outpour, and establish the saints. The usual work of traveling around the area is done by Kao Chi-lu, Fei Chang-bao, Wang You-gen, and Kao Jing-fu. God has raised up many brothers to help. It really is true that God has mercy on whom He will have mercy. It is not of the one who runs the race, but of God who gives mercy. May glory and blessing be to Him forever! Amen. Peace to you! Greet the brothers and sisters in Shanghai!
Your little brother, Hu Ji-tangFebruary 3
Greetings to Mr. X:
I received the money you wired from the bank. I know how you want to use it. I also know that the brothers and sisters in Shanghai have all been kept in safety by the Father. I really thank the Lord for His grace. Thank God for His overflowing grace in remembering a small one like myself. I also thank you for your love. May the Lord remember it much and repay you. I have been healed by God, and my sickness is gone. However, my body is still weak and needs rest and recovery. The situation has been kept in peace by God's gracious protection. Please do not worry about us. Peace in the Spirit!
Your little brother in the Lord,Pan Huo-lingFebruary 7[Address omitted]
Greetings to my beloved Brother X in the Lord:
I met Miss Tso Guo-ying in the Jinhua Gospel Hospital on December 26. She said that she and some of her colleagues planned to go to Nan-ch'ang, because the hospital was closing. Miss Tso came to my home before she left for Nan-ch'ang the next day. I asked her if she needed anything. She said no. She boarded the train that day for Nan-ch'ang. I trust that she is safe now. I left Jin-Hwa on January 1 and came to Li-Shui. I have permission to use the new China Inland Mission Chapel (which has never been used). I am living in the dormitory of the mission's elementary school. Brother Hu Jeng-dao and I share a room and are very comfortable. The air is better than in Jin-Hwa, and I have more time to pray quietly before our Father. Thank the Father for His preparation. There are several missionaries from the China Inland Mission who are Westerners. They are all German. Pastor Chui, his wife, and two sons are also here in Li-Shui. The female doctors are all very godly. Pastor Chui is more than seventy years old. Mr. Chiu, Si Meng-yu, Chang Ming-jing, Chang Hao-ran, and Mrs. Chang are all here. We remembered the Lord on January 9 in Mr. Chiu's house. There were seven people there. Mr. Chiu has borrowed the office of the China Inland Mission's elementary school for his business, so he is very close to us. It is as if we are in one place. My family is still in Pai-Tou. Dr. Ruan, Brother Ah-lai and his wife, Huang Tsai-ch'ing, and Brother Lee Kwei-sien have all stayed in Hangchow and have not come out. May the Lord keep and protect them. May He also provide them with what they need. We are unable to communicate with them by letter. I heard that Miss Miao has already returned to Shanghai. Brother Yang-teh is still working at the Mei-Fu Company in Shanghai. Peace in the Lord!
Your brother,Di-shengJanuary 16[Address omitted]
Greetings to my brother in the Lord, Mr. Luan:
When this war started, God said to me, "I am watching over them for evil" (Jer. 44:27). I was very frightened at that time. However, God showed me that believers and unbelievers should be different when they are faced with the same environment. While believers lose something in tribulation, they also gain something. There are many commandments and promises in the Bible that are now being fulfilled richly in the believers. These are things that we could not have gained in the days past. While I was praying for peace in this region, God said, "The time for the lovers of the Lord to be taken up to heaven is almost here." Works of power will be with us daily, as you once said. The Lord's love during the past months has been more than words can describe. If God gives me the opportunity, I will tell you about them in detail. I left Hangchow and passed through Fu-Yang, Tung-Lu, Jien-Teh, Lan-Si, Jin-Hwa, Yung-Kang, and Tsin-Yun; I am now in Li-Shui. During the first half of the year, I knew when I prayed that I would leave Ching Po High School. I asked the principal to release me, but he would not. After the war approached Hangchow, I came with Mr. Chiu to this place. I am now in the Chung-Teh Elementary School of Jesus Chapel, Tai-Shan-Gung Alley, Li-Shui. My wife and Samuel are in Sheng County. In my prayer and through the outward circumstances, I became clear that I should go to Kweichow. God keeps pointing to Sinkiang, Tibet, Tsinghai, and Kweichow, where the gospel has not been fully preached. God will not give the latter rains from heaven until the gospel has been preached to the ends of the earth. Christ's second coming is near. Perhaps we will not pass through the grave. The time has come for the church to be one.
I still marvel at the last conference in Hangchow. Everyone shed tears on the last day. These tears were shed because Hangchow was to pass through tribulation. Only Christ is Lord. The believers will all be tested so that they will all give up the things of the earth to gain the things in heaven. Allow me to tell you what is on my heart. Sometimes I do not know why God wants me to go where He sends me. I have asked the Lord why I must pass through the tribulation. There have been two times when I could have died in the past. One of those times I could have died painlessly without any worry. Thank God for answering me. I must finish the course God has set for me. In the future I will clothe myself with thanksgiving and crown myself with praise so that all the people I know will know how God has graced me. May the Lord come soon so that we will all see and hear Him! Hsu Tseng-rong is in Chou-Jia-Pu. Tao Chun-yen and the others are in Hu-Shu. Lee Kwei-sien is in Si-Wen-Che. Lou Chuan-en is in Sheng County. Yu Hung-fei is in Ju-Jih. Dong Tsen-teh is in Hankow. David Hsu is traveling back and forth between Wu-Yih and Jin-Hwa.
Humbly yours,Si Meng-yuDecember 5
(The meetings in Hangchow are now in Brother Ruan Chi-yu's home — Philip. Brother Ma Di-sheng sent a postcard from Li-Shui to the brothers in Hankow saying that Brothers Si and Chiu went with Brother Chang Ming-jing to Kiangsu. He does not know where they are now — Editor.)
Dear sister in the Lord:
I received your letter from Hankow and was filled with unspeakable joy! My living in the past several months has really been in a black tunnel. I have passed through many dangers, but thankfully the Lord's presence protected and constantly comforted me. Since I left Wu-Sung on October 31 for Hangchow, I stayed in town for fourteen days, and then I followed the people here from Hangchow on the fifteenth. On the nineteenth, we arrived in Jien-Teh, Chekiang and stayed for ten days. Later, I went with my elder sister to Li-Shui. We arrived on December 2. I really am not accustomed to life here. I have wanted to go to Shanghai for a long time, but the Father has not yet allowed me. I am still planning to go to Shanghai. I hope God will allow me to go and will open a way for me. I think that Miss Chang must be with you; please greet her for me. Where is Miss Wang? I miss her! Even though I am in this environment, I am together with you sisters every day in the Lord. I no longer have a home, so what will I do? God will decide! That's all for now. Peace in the Lord!
Your sister,Jing-tzeFebruary 18
(Sister Chao Jing-tze will be going to Shanghai soon. Letters for her can be sent c/o Ms. Cheng Yi-feng, 34 Lane 10, Hardoon Road, Shanghai — Editor.)
Greetings to Brother X in the Lord:
Bei Chien-ji in Lien-Shui was attacked and robbed by bandits on January 26. All the brothers and sisters lost some money, clothes, and other possessions. The bandits wanted to shoot the responsible brother, Brother Kao Yu-kun, but he strongly trusted in the Lord. He placed his body, soul, and spirit in the Lord's hands and received the Lord's protection. Afterward, the brothers and sisters did not grieve. On the contrary, they were exceedingly happy and met every day. Thank the Lord! God did a special work and saved more than thirty new brothers and sisters. This is something to rejoice about! The condition of the churches in Sun-Chiao and Lien-Shui is quite good. Please do not worry about them. Lien-Shui has received The Open Door. Chien-Ji and Sun-Chiao have not received their copies yet. Please check your mailing records. Peace and well-being in the Lord!
Your brother,Ge Chung-yiFebruary 17, under the lamp[Address omitted]
Greetings to my respected sister in the Lord,
Miss Ruth Lee:
I received and read your letter of January 22. In it I learned that you (Sister Wang and Sister Chang) and Brother Yu-zhi are all well. I was very comforted. I also heard that the Lord had opened a door for the gospel in Chungking, so I was even more joyful. May the Lord give you more wisdom and power from above so that you may be fishers of men for the Lord. We here can only pray for you. The meetings continue as usual by the Lord's grace. The brothers and sisters are beginning to pick up the responsibility because they see that the local church is really theirs. Therefore, they are all learning to go the way of the cross for the Lord's sake. Brother Nee has been in Shanghai recently, and he is conducting a Bible study. It will last for about two weeks. Then he will go abroad to England. I have enclosed an announcement for the Bible study. Please read it. The children's meeting on the Lord's Day morning began last Lord's Day. It is at 262 Hardoon Road. We were planning to have a baptism soon, but after considering the situation, perhaps we will not be able to do it for awhile. The book The Normal Christian Church Life is still being proofread. May the Lord bless this book so that many believers and workers will know their own position and be able to stand firm in it. If they do, the church and the work will be recovered back to the beginning. Moreover, the number of people in the Bible study is more than ever before. The brothers and sisters in fellowship with us are not the only ones who come; there are also many outsiders, and the meeting place is not big enough. May the Lord bless this conference so that every believer may be edified. May the grace of the Lord be with you! Greet the brothers and sisters in Chungking.
Your brothers,Du Tsong-chen, Wu Si-gu, Lin Kwang-biaoFebruary 7[Address omitted]
To Sister X in the Lord:
We received all your letters. Please do not worry about anything. Sister Chang Yi-hwa from Ning-Po sent a letter saying that they are all well. Sister Wang Ai-juan has already come to Shanghai and will teach in Hwei Feng Girls' School. Mrs. Shen Guang-ling has not been well recently. Mrs. Shen Chui-fen is very well now and can walk a few steps by herself. Sister Ho Shao-ying married Brother Chu Chen. Sister Yin Hsia-chin has not found a teaching job for next semester. I (Sister Yi-feng) will continue teaching as a tutor for Fu's family next semester. God has led me through everything. I really thank Him! I (Sister Yu-ying) will continue to tutor for Shen's family next semester. The last letter I sent home to Jia-Shing on November 4 has not been answered. I do not know where my father, brother, or sister-in-law are. God is never wrong in what He wants us to pass through. Please pray for them that they would write me a letter telling me how they are. Chi Wen-ju and Mrs. Zhu Ming-sheng's sister have come to Shanghai. Please do not worry. Sister Hu Hsi-hsin has not found a teaching job for next semester.
Sister Di Hwei-jia of Yi-Shing sent a letter after Mu-Wei Girls' School in Sung-Jiang was destroyed. In the past she had only heard people talking about trusting in God and believing that all things are God's will, but she did not understand them. However, now she has tasted it. She said one thing that really touched me, "Now is the opportunity to know what it means to live according to one's environment and to live in Christ. The visible things will all pass away, but the eternal things will never be lost." She also said that God loved her so much this summer that she was able to be baptized; this bears special significance for her. We have not received any letters from her since Yi-Shing capitulated. Please pray much for her and her family. Mrs. Hsu Chang Hsiu-feng can come to the meetings now. Peace in the Lord! Greet Sisters Wang and Chang for us.
Your sisters,Yi-feng, Yu-yingFebruary 1[Address omitted]
Sister X in the Lord:
I am praying to God to see whether He wants me to teach in the mornings. I am asking Him if He wants to give me a position as a teacher. If God does not want me to, I am willing to obey. May God direct me in the way in which I should walk so that He may gain me and so that I may not hurt His heart. Rather than sadden the Lord, I am willing to hurt myself. Thank and praise God. He poured His own love on me richly. I am very well physically. Sometimes I am weak, but whenever I go to God, all the weakness passes away. Last week Sister Yi-feng and I went out every day to visit the sisters because it was winter vacation. I really feel that some sisters are very dear before God. Visiting the sisters can really help ourselves as well as teach us how to pray. Thank God for gracing us in these past two weeks. God has shown us much light through Mr. Nee. He spoke about the matter of the pouring out of the Holy Spirit. It could not have been clearer. The outlines included: (1) the work of the Comforter in the Christian's heart, (2) the work of the Spirit poured out on our body, and (3) every believer needing to live a life "full" of the Holy Spirit. The last few days feel like days of showers. Many people have received blessing, but we do not know what fruit will be born in the future. There is the need for many supporting prayers.
Sister Chi Wen-ju arrived in Shanghai from Jien-Teh last month. I have already introduced her to a teaching post at Hsieh-Tsin School. Sister Wu Pei-shueh also has a teaching job at Hsieh-Tsin now. Altogether, six sisters are there. May they have a good testimony in the school to glorify God. Sister Ding Chung-jen is studying obstetrics at Dr. Ai's place on Hsin-Ja Road. She will graduate in six months. We have no news from Sister Jin Bao-jieh from Ping-Hu and Sister Di Hwei-jia from Yi-Shing. I have heard that Sister Wu Jen-han of Jiang-Yin is in Nan-Tung. Sister Liu Hwei-fen returned to Tientsin because her mother was physically weak. Mrs. Si Jiu-rong had a baby girl last week. Peace in the Lord. Greet Miss Wang, Miss Chang, and Mrs. Yuan. Sister Kao Ya-luh just came to see me. She said that her nephew has moved from Soochow to 106 Cheng Street, Jin-Kou Town, Wu-ch'ang. He does not need help financially, but if someone there knows him, it would be good if he could visit him. (A letter from a brother in Wuhan said that Jin-Kou Town was more than twenty miles from Wu-ch'ang, so they have not been able to visit him yet — Editor.)
Your sister,Wang Yu-yingFebruary 12
Sister Ruth:
When will you and the others be coming back to Shanghai? Will you wait for Peace and then come together? I will not be able to go anywhere for awhile; I moved into the meeting hall last Wednesday. The Normal Christian Church Life is still being typeset. Mr. Lin Gang-biao and Mr. Ho Yueh-chiao are proofreading with me. Hua Feng Printing Company is not as big as it was before, but we are managing to get it typeset there. There really is not enough room to set everything up. Peace and health! Greetings to Sister Phoebe.
Yun-chunFebruary 21[Address omitted]
Sister X:
Thank and praise God. After returning to Shanghai, my health recovered. Sister Li Li-ying is better now. She is resting at Sister Ku's place. Sister Wei Hsiang-yun of Soochow is now living in the meeting hall. Brother Lu Tze-shing came with her to Shanghai. My sister Guo-ying is working in Kiangsi at the Lin-Chuan Health Clinic. I have written and asked her to return to Shanghai. The brothers and sisters in Shanghai have really progressed and have been pursuing very much since Mr. Nee's last conference. Mrs. Huang You-gan has been healed in her body. Mrs. Tsan Wen-ming's little daughter was taken by God, but her heart is still peaceful. Mrs. Joseph Huang has improved spiritually since the death of her son. Peace in the Lord. Greet Sisters Wang, Chang, and Yuan.
Your sister,Fu-ruFebruary 24[Address omitted]
Greetings to my dear Brother Yao-ju in the Lord:
Your card of February 5 was received on the tenth. I was out in the countryside, so I did not see it until the twelfth. Thank the Lord! We are safe. We also thank you for your prayer. I went to Liu-Jia-Lou on the ninth (thirty-six miles west of the city, where there are fields and a village). The next day Brother Chang Yun-shiu arrived too, and there was a meeting on Friday night. Many sisters came from the neighboring villages, and there were more than ten men. Brother Chang preached the message. Brother Yuan Ling-shu and Brother Lee Teh-chi came together from Huang-Jia-Juang. (It is about thirty-six miles from the city and eighteen miles from where we were.) Brother Yuan went back to Huang-Jia-Juang in the afternoon to do visitation work. (Since Brother Yuan returned home from working in Shou County, he has been living in Huang-Jia-Juang, cooking for himself.) Brother Lee returned to Pai-Ma-Chun, which is about fifty-eight miles from the city. If the Lord allows, Brothers Chang and Yuan will both go to the meetings in Pai-Ma-Chun. Thank the Lord, there has been a table meeting in Huang-Jia-Juang for the last two Lord's Days. There has also been one table meeting in Liu-Jia-Lou. Please pray for the work in the places mentioned above. In July of last year, my personal desire was to move my family to the countryside, so I went to Liu-Jia-Lou to make preparations. God did not allow me to move, and I was sick for two months before I could get out of bed. We met in my home in the city until the city was bombed in December. I then brought my daughters to the countryside. The Catholic Church and the Gospel Chapel have set up a refugee center for women and children, so I brought my five children to live in the Chi Hsiu Girls' School in Nan-Kuan (the refugee center is in Chi Hsiu). My wife can take care of them and also care for the rest of our family, so I am able to go out into the countryside. Please pray for my whole family. My son, Da-re, has two or three brothers as companions. Thank the Lord for His grace. I hope you will discipline him for the Lord's sake and teach him often. May the Lord bless all the brothers and sisters in the assembly with peace. Amen. (Please send me one copy of the second issue of The Open Door.)
Your little brother in the Lord,Huang Tze-houFebruary 13Mailed from Liu-Jia-Lou[Address omitted]
Dear Brothers Lan,
Chou, Hu, and Chu:
Two months have passed quickly since I left you in Hankow. First, I went to Wu-Hu and stayed in the hostel for missionaries of the China Inland Mission. Later, I went to Yun-Chao. I then took a boat through Wu-Wei County to Lu-Jiang County. On February 10 I left Lu-Jiang County and went to Tung-Cheng. Lu-Jiang County is about thirty miles from Tung-Cheng, and we came by wagon. May the Lord lead me. The China Inland Mission is in this area. If the Lord is willing, I may leave Tung-Cheng next month and go somewhere else. I still have not decided where I will go. Perhaps I will return to Hankow. Our life and travels are all in the Lord's hands. Please pray much for me. Please pray for my family, too, because I cannot communicate with them now and do not know how they are doing. Greet all the brothers and sisters in Hankow for me.
Your little brother,Dai En-tsaoFebruary 18
Sister X:
I received and read The Open Door and got to know the condition of the brothers and sisters in each locality, thank the Lord! I have been in Ying-Shang for more than a month now. During the Chinese New Year, there is a gospel meeting for women in the China Inland Mission every day. I wanted to leave this place and go somewhere else, but I saw that so many wanted to believe in the Lord and were desperately in need of salvation; therefore, I forgot everything. If the Lord wants me to preach the gospel to the refugees in one place all the time, I am happy to do it. My spirit and heart are at peace all the day. Peace to you. Greet Sister Wang and Sister Chang.
Ji Hwei-jenFebruary 12
(This letter is sent from the China Inland Mission in Ying-Shang.)
The current condition of the assembly in Hankow: In the past two months there have been meetings almost every day, but we never see God's manifested blessing! After Sister Wang Ju-ching went to K'un-ming and Sister Chen Bi-kun and Sister Wu went to Hong Kong, Hankow has become more lonely. The brothers have almost all gone. We have been preserved by the Lord, but what can we do, aside from learning to preach the gospel and taking care of the mail from the brothers and sisters every day? Since Brothers Kuo and Shang and Sisters Wu and Shang came to Hankow, we have been comforted very much. We still have the opportunity to give hospitality to saints from afar in these few remaining days of grace. Moreover, they have more growth in all areas than we weak and small brothers and sisters. Brother Kuo preached the messages on the last two Lord's Days. Brother Shang and his two sisters were even more zealous in gospel preaching. The day before yesterday was the Lord's Day (February 20). We had the Lord's table meeting at 7:00 p.m., and there were ten brothers and eight sisters. We are really very happy. Most of the brothers and sisters around the table were from far away. None of us expected to meet each other on that day. The price we pay for joy is very great. May we testify more of the Lord's grace day by day.
Your brother,Ju Yao-juFebruary, in Hankow
The brothers and sisters now living in the Gospel Court in Hankow (except for the local brothers and sisters) are: Brother Chou You-sheng (from Nanking), Sister Shang Yi-rung (from Tsao-Yang), Brother Kuo Pu-yueh (from Hou-Ma), Sister Wu Teh-hsing (from Tsao-Yang), Brother Wang Ching-shan (from Tsinan), senior Mrs. Wu (from Tsao-Yang), Brother Huang Da-rei (from Shu County), Sister Huang Shu-hsien (from Shu County), Brother Shang Jiu-tze (from Tsao-Yang), Sister Liu Yu-ying (from Shu County), and Brother Tsung Kung (from Sian).
Other brothers and sisters living in Hankow (in our fellowship): Brother Timothy Chou, Brother Chung Shuan-ching, Brother Luke Hsuan, Brother Yu Hsiang-shan, Brother Wang Yung-yuan, Brother Bai Kuang-liang (recently from Tsingtao), Mrs. Hsia Chang Yun-mei, Dr. Kao Yueh-ying, and Mrs. Bai (Brother Bai's wife).
Ju Yao-juFebruary, in Hankow
The jobs of Brothers Ju and Hu: Brother Hu Lan-sheng started working in the YMCA a few days ago. Brother Ju Yao-ju was introduced to work in a "Wounded Soldier Assistance Organization" on a trial basis as a secretarial clerk. His testing period is over at the end of February, and if he does well, he will begin as a regular in March. Thank God for finding us some jobs. We ask the Lord to give us an opportunity to learn how to serve others and to ease the burden which the brothers and sisters bear for us.
Your little brothers in the Lord,Hu Lan-sheng, Ju Yao-juFebruary 15
A few letters from Brother Lan Tsi-yi: Missionary Hai of the Charismatic Crusade, who is traveling with three companions from the China Inland Mission and four from the Lutheran Church, is going to Hong Kong with us tomorrow. Through her kindness, she purchased three tickets for us. By God's good arrangement, Sister Ma, Miss Yao, and I will leave with them for Canton tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. (This was quoted from a letter from Hankow written on January 26 — Editor.)
Thank and praise the Lord! His gracious hand held us and His loving arms covered us. All the words in Psalm 121 were fulfilled in us. We, who are so unworthy of grace, have received the greatest grace, and we cannot refrain from praising the Lord with a marveling heart! We began our journey by train on January 26 and arrived safely in Canton on the morning of the thirtieth. That evening we changed to the Canton-Kowloon train and arrived in Kowloon. The train went very fast. The train from Wu-ch'ang that traveled on the twenty-third to the twenty-fifth was only ahead of us by one day. We can only praise and thank the Lord! We also thank you sisters for your petitions.
Missionary Hai and the others will return to England on a ship which leaves on the eighth or the tenth. Mrs. Wu sent a letter yesterday saying that she was taking the train to Canton on February 1. The brothers and sisters in Hong Kong are all well. I will need a few more days here. If nothing new happens, I will return to Hankow after the Lord's Day after I meet with Mr. Lee. On the return trip to Hankow, I must pass though Ch'ang-sha and then transfer to Ch'ang-Teh and Yuan-Jiang. I will be delayed one week by this transfer. I will then return to Hankow from Hunan. God will have to give grace for my safety in traveling and the arrangements of all things. I hope you will pray for me. (From a letter sent on February 2 from Hong Kong — Editor.)
God's presence is so sweet! I have seen God's manifested grace in all aspects on this trip. At the same time, I have also seen the hunger and thirst among so many brothers and sisters in each locality, the need of the gospel among the sinners, as well as my own poverty and depravity. Through these I have gained some understanding of the Lord's desire in this age.
I took a sailboat to Yi-Yang with Brother Zhang on the seventeenth. I returned to Ch'ang-sha on the sixth. I had originally decided to return to Hankow the same night, but Brother Wu-ru insisted that I stay in Ch'ang-sha for two days of meetings with two special messages and one table meeting. This is a chance for me to receive grace before the Lord with the brothers and sisters in Ch'ang-sha. Praise the Lord! By the Lord's arrangement, I left Hunan on the evening of the twenty-first and arrived safely in Hankow on the twenty-second. (From a letter sent from Hankow on February 24 — Editor.)
Through God's sovereign arrangement, Brother Liu Guo-jieh has found a job working for the Health Department.
Brother Liu Chu-fei and his uncle, Brother Liu Jing-hsi, are both in Ch'ang-sha with their families. Brother Chu-fei is working as a physician at the Ren-Shu Hospital. Their mailing address is Ren-Shu Hospital, Ch'ang-sha, Hunan. Witness Lee's second sister came to Hankow a few days ago and has already returned to Hsu-Chang. His third brother came to Hankow also. His sister came especially to bring her brother to the meeting hall to hear the gospel. Please pray for her brother.
Brother Gu Teh-chang has already found the meeting hall. He came to Hankow in December of last year but did not know where we met and could not find us. Brother Ju made a special trip to speak with him today. He is living in the Heng-Chung Cloth Factory at 1 Yung-Teh Lane. Sister Wang Shuai-hsin and her two younger sisters are both living in the upstairs of the Gospel Court. (From a letter sent from Hankow, February 26 — Editor.)
Greetings to Sister X in the Lord:
Praise our God for bringing me from Hou-Ma to Hankow in three days and three nights. He gave me a burden for the need to come to Hankow, so I came not long after. Hallelujah! He is Lord! There are lessons for me to learn here. Please pray for me. I am an ignorant and stubborn person, but God has loved me. How this has happened is unimaginable and inconceivable to me. May the Lord give me the heart to be faithful unto death in serving Him. Glory be to Him. Amen. Peace in the Lord. Greet Sisters Wang and Chang.
Your weak brother in the Lord,Kuo Bu-yuehFebruary 9
Dear Brother Philip in the Lord:
Last year you stayed in Dr. Stearns's house in Shanghai. He spoke of you to me, but I did not have time to visit you. I left in August with a few brothers who were with the medical aid team. We went to Wusih and Nanking and worked there for three months. We took the train to Nan-ch'ang at the end of November. Last month the Red Cross changed its organization and regrouped the two groups of workers from our school into three medical units. We are temporarily working in Nan-ch'ang, but we do not know where we will be sent in the future. I met the following brothers and sisters in Nanking: Chou You-sheng, Liu Guo-jieh, Dung Shen-ying, and Liu Guo-hsiang. I also had time to attend a few meetings. After arriving in Nan-ch'ang, I met Brother Liu and Sister Dung. They went to Ch'ang-sha last month. I really miss the brothers and sisters in the Shanghai Medical College and Dr. Stearns, even though I know that they are under God's care. Have you received any letters from Dr. Stearns? Have his wife and son arrived in Shanghai? Is there still a meeting in Wen-teh Lane? I really ask God to specially protect everyone who belongs to Him in this age and to give us new light so that we may walk in His will. I am sending an order form to the Gospel Book Room to send me three copies of each issue of The Open Door. Please send me one copy each of Issue Nos. 92—94 of the local newsletter and the first issue of The Open Door. I will return them after I have read them. I know there is a shortage of them. Please tell Brother Chou You-sheng that I will send him the copy of The Light of Human Life which I borrowed from him in Nanking. Greet him for me also. This place is not too bad, but there is no meeting on the Lord's Day. Where is Brother Tang Shou-ling? Is Hankow still peaceful? Greet all the brothers and sisters for me, even though I do not know many of them. Peace in the Lord! Isaiah 26:3-4.
Your little brother,Yu Nan-gengJanuary 5[Address omitted]
(Dr. Stearns's whole family is now in Shanghai and is safe. The meetings in Wen-teh Lane continue as usual. Brother Chang Kwang-rong is still in Shanghai. We have not heard any news from Brother Tang Shou-ling recently. I will ask Brother Lan Tsi-yi to send you The Open Door and the local newsletters from Hankow — Philip.)
Greetings to Mr. X in the Lord:
I received your express letter and postcard. I intended to answer them a long time ago, but I have been cleaning out materials and other things, so I have delayed until today. Please forgive me for the Lord's sake. I wrote a letter to Miss Lee a long time ago. I also answered Brother Han and Miss Tso's letters when I received them. Please do not worry. Five other sisters came with me to Zhen-Chiang Hospital, and we are still together. They are all well. There is a seventy to eighty percent chance that we will go to Nan-ning in Kwangsi province. We probably will not stay together wherever we go in the future. We will probably spread out into four clinics, so we five will have to separate to four different places. I have no difficulties at present and am doing fine financially. However, I will have to pass through a difficult portion on the way ahead. Even though my heart is ready to break, I hope the union with the Lord is not broken. I only ask that God would keep me. Thank and praise Him. Since He has opened up this way for me, I hope that He will gain something from it. Peace in the Lord.
The weak one in the Lord,Chien Sin-hsianJanuary 24
(This letter was mailed from the Hunan-Kweichow Railway Clinic, Hunan, to Hankow. Perhaps Sister Chien has already gone to Nan-ning, Kwangsi province — Editor.)
Due to the many things entangling me and to the fact that I do not have a settled place, I can only send a simple greeting to the brothers and sisters in the Lord. I hope that you will forgive me before God. After the hospital was destroyed last year on December 9, I took a train with some friends to Ch'ang-sha in the middle of the night on the eleventh. On the fourteenth I transferred to the Ju-Ping line and arrived in Li-Ling. I am staying at the house of a friend's aunt. I have been here for more than a month. I contracted the mumps more than ten days ago and find it difficult to read or write. I really thank God that having Him in a difficult situation is better than not having Him in an easy situation. Therefore, I feel that this is a good opportunity to learn the lesson of worshipping Him. I usually have a quick temper, but now I am forced to endure quietly. I am telling you about my situation so that those in the Lord who know about it will remember me before the Father for my weaknesses.
Liu Su-fangJanuary 21
(Sister Su-fang: I hope you will tell us your mailing address — Ruth.)
Greetings to all the brothers and sisters in the Lord:
Grace, peace, and joy from the Father and the Lord Jesus to you! After the recent unfortunate event, God's special grace has been very great and marvelous among His children. God is edifying His children through the environment and is spreading His gospel so that many people in the interior and remote regions can hear of salvation. Praise Him! It was really the Lord's arrangement and grace for me to come to Chungking. After I arrived in Chungking, I met a few brothers and sisters in the Lord. Thank the Lord, God had already sent His servant Brother Chang Yu-zhi to work here before we came. Later, Sisters Lee, Wang, and Chang came. They mainly preached the gospel in the missionary schools and held Bible studies. Thank our Lord for gaining a few in these meetings. In addition, many brothers and sisters have come to Chungking, and we often meet together. The meetings are in Brother Yuan Hou-tsai's home at 4-3 Shang-Chang Garden. This is all God's doing; we have not done anything at all. We began the table meeting on January 30. There were more than ten brothers and sisters. Thank the Lord, although there were not many people, the taste was precious. There is a prayer meeting every Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. and a preaching meeting on the Lord's Day at 3:00 p.m. (at present it is for edifying Christians). We remember the Lord at 5:00 p.m. Over the Chinese New Year, we preached the gospel for ten days in special meetings apart from the regular ones (February 1-10) at the Cross Chapel. Brother Chang Yu-zhi was responsible for the speaking. On February 21 we began to have a Bible study meeting every evening in the meeting place. Brother Chang Yu-zhi is also responsible for the speaking. The Lord has already blessed His work. We had the first baptism on the nineteenth of this month. (Five brothers, Lee Yun-hsuan, Huang Ai-san, Hsia Wen-gan, Liu Yi-peng, and Niu Jin-fang, were baptized.) We will go to the southern hot springs on the twenty-sixth of this month for the second baptism meeting (two brothers and six sisters).
Brother Ge Shien-shen, Brother Lee Yun-hsuan, and I are responsible for the meetings. The responsibility for the assembly is very heavy. We are so weak and powerless and are really not worthy of such a task. May the Lord give grace and bless us in spite of our weaknesses so that His church may be preserved. We really need your prayers and advice. Brother Ge Shien-shen went to visit his relatives in Chekiang on the seventeenth. He will return to Chungking in about two months. There are dangers along the way, but our Lord is with him, so he will not fall into danger. Please remember him often in your prayers.
The Lord has begun a good work here and is gradually raising up people. On one Lord's Day there were thirty brothers and sisters in the table meeting. Praise the Lord! May He add the saved ones daily to His church. May the Lord be with you all until the day of His coming.
Your weak brother in the Lord,Liu Guo-huaFebruary 22, 1938[Address omitted]
Greetings to all the brothers and sisters in the Lord:
The brothers and sisters in the Lord in Tsinan (whom I know of, who meet at 10 Kuang-Chih Street, and the rest) are all safe. Please continue to pray for us. I believe that the Lord's blood has cleansed us, and we have been sealed. Please tell Liu Kuo-hsiang, Liu Kuo-hwa, and Liu Chu-fei that their homes and families are safe. Peace in the Lord.
Your brother in the Lord,Yu Jia-chiDecember 30, 1937
Dear Brother Watchman in the Lord:
Thank the Lord for really showing us that He cares for His children. In this time of distress, I have committed everything to the faithful Lord and watched His acts quietly. My faith was fully assured. Most of the brothers and sisters in Hong Kong are still safe. Although a few have had some slight problems, they have suffered no loss. On the contrary, we have received a great benefit. Now our meetings consist of a gospel meeting at 10:30 a.m. on the Lord's Day and a table meeting at 3:00 p.m. This coming Thursday (the twenty-fourth), from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., there will be a new meeting for prayer and fellowship (to meet, shake hands, converse, etc.). However, this meeting is temporary. Once the political situation becomes stable, we will resume our prayer meeting at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, the sisters' prayer meeting on Friday, and the discussion meeting on Saturday evenings. I have received the second issue of The Open Door. The first message on the truth is really precious. God corrected many of our mistakes through His word. I am enclosing twelve order forms. We would like to order a total of fifteen copies. Please send them all to: Yu Jia Chi, Chi-Loo University Medical School, Tsinan, Shantung. Please remember us and the Lord's work often. Peace in the Lord.
Your little brother in the Lord,Yu Jia-chiJanuary 16
To my son Guo-hwa (a family letter):
Everything is fine at home. Although we cannot see each other because of the political situation, we have God's leading and the Lord's presence, and we will never have wants. The brothers and sisters in Tsinan are all well. Sister Chung's family is well also. Thank the Lord.
Your motherJanuary 2
(This is one of Brother Liu Guo-hwa's letters from home — Editor.)
Greetings to Sister Lee
whom we are concerned for in Christ:
We received the second issue of The Open Door yesterday and were so thankful when we read it. We are sending an order form today so that you can send us the next issue. After you and Sister Wang came to my house and prayed for Rui-ying, we gained a deep impression of the Lord's love. Although we do not write often, we often pray for you by name before God's throne. Rui-ying's illness has not been completely healed, so we deeply hope you will pray for her. God has given Chefoo peace. Thank those who walk in the way of loving the Lord for the grace they have given. Peace! May the work go smoothly.
Qu Tze-yuan, Luan Rui-yingJanuary 11
Peace to my dear brother Philip in the Lord:
Our hearts are filled with thanks and praise to the Lord who loves us! He has given us grace. He is the true and living God! When I pass out gospel tracts on the street, many people come over to ask for them as if they are asking for something precious. May the Lord give them grace so that they may gain comfort from those words. One day, while a few brothers and sisters were praying with me, we saw a short slip of paper before our eyes. The first sentence said, "Fear not...I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward" (Gen. 15:1). The second sentence said, "He is a shield unto them that put their trust in him" (Prov. 30:5). Hallelujah! Thank and praise the Lord! We knelt down and prayed for the brothers and sisters in each locality. Please remember the unbelievers here in your prayers. If the Lord allows, perhaps I will return home for a period of time. Please pray much for the brothers and sisters in Tsingtao. Please order seven copies of The Open Door for us. Peace in the Lord! Greetings to all the brothers and sisters in Hankow from all the brothers and sisters in Tsingtao. Greetings to Mrs. Luan.
Your brother in the Lord,Chang Tze-jiehJanuary 10[Address omitted]
X in the Lord:
I have not written you for a long time. I have often wanted to write, but I did not know what to write, so I have put it off until today. Thank the Lord! I read the last little paragraph of The Open Door today and found out that you were happy to hear our news, so I am writing this letter. Thank the Lord! Praise the Lord! He is the never-changing Lord! He will never forget those whom He loves! I am very unworthy, but it does not matter. When I was in Ling-Zi, I heard the rumors of war getting worse and worse every day. But thank the Lord, His doings are truly marvelous because He allowed me to do some work in Guang-Rao during that time. Outwardly I was helping people, but inwardly I was edified myself.
On December 4 Mrs. Shen and Mrs. Yuan Ling-shu safely arrived in Tsingtao with their daughters. Thank the Lord for edifying us every day. The Lord gave me the word in 2 Timothy 2:22 before I left. Since my arrival, it has been wonderful for us to be able to pray in one accord daily. May the Lord grant us grace upon grace. Peace in the Lord. Greetings to Sister Chang and Sister Wang. I received a letter dated January 1 from a brother in Ling-Zi saying that the county seat of Guang-Rao has been captured by bandits. Since Guang-Rao was lost, Ling-Zi is nervous. May the Lord preserve those who believe in Him in those two places.
Jing Sin-nai[Address omitted]
Greetings to X in the Lord:
Thank and praise God for allowing the brothers and sisters in Tientsin to read The Open Door. We have received both the first and second issues and have passed them out to the brothers and sisters. Most of the brothers and sisters are living at temporary addresses. They move or leave Tientsin constantly. Communication by mail is also difficult, so the responsible brothers will subscribe for the brothers and sisters and distribute them accordingly. This way the publications will not be lost, and the saints in Hankow will be spared much trouble. Is this all right with you? (It is very good — Editor.) I am enclosing an order form for a total of eighty copies. I am wiring X dollars through the Bank of China for the Lord's work and the publication costs. Some was collected from the offering box for the work in Hankow, and some is local offerings for the expansion of the Lord's work in general. Please determine how it should be distributed. Let me give a little report of the assembly in Tientsin: Our address is still 82 Alley 6 Yao-Hua-Li, British Concession 21 Road, Tientsin. Thank and praise the Lord. Our meetings have continued as usual since the beginning of the war; we have not had to cancel even one meeting. Our meetings include edification meetings, gospel meetings, table meetings, prayer meetings, and Bible studies. Although we can grow cold and change, the Lord who loves us will never change; He will love us to the end. He manifests His wisdom, power, grace, mercy, and love to His children all the time. Truly, "Had we ten thousand thousand tongues, our theme of joy's but one!" Praise and thank our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! The brothers and sisters are all well and safe in the Lord. Please do not worry. There are, however, a few who have lost their jobs. Please remember us in your prayers. We also hope that God's workers will come here often. May the Lord be with you until He comes. Peace and joy to all the brothers and sisters in the Lord! Amen.
Your brothers,Lee Bih, Sia Si-ling[Address omitted]
Greetings, Sister X:
I arrived safely in Tientsin on February 11. My mother's health is fairly good. The brothers and sisters in Tientsin are living and growing. They wrote a letter inviting Brother Witness Lee to come here, but Mr. Lee said that he did not have a burden to come yet. I also heard that the brothers and sisters in Peking invited Brother Philip Luan. Perhaps Mr. Luan will come soon. Thank God, He is never wrong. Brother Sia, one of the responsible brothers in Tientsin, mentioned that he wanted me to have a few days of sisters' meetings. I will be staying one or two months in Tientsin, so I will be praying with the sisters every Friday in the sisters' prayer meeting. The rest of the time I will have much contact with the sisters. Brother Hsia agreed to this. Sister Fu-ru also intends to come north. I have already asked others to look for a house that she can rent. We will see how God leads and arranges. Peace in the Lord.
Your sister,Hwei-fenFebruary 14[Address omitted]
Greetings to our dear Brother Tsi-yi in the Lord:
I received your letter. We have already received one hundred copies of The Open Door and distributed them to the brothers and sisters.
We prepared X dollars for the use of The Open Door a long time ago. However, wiring it was a problem, so we did not send it until the twenty-first. We sent it through the Shanghai Bank. Please follow it up. The condition of the assembly is quite good for the most part. Thank and praise the Lord! Please pray for the work here. Peace in the Lord. Please send subsequent issues of The Open Door to the meeting hall for us to distribute to the brothers and sisters. This will save you postage.
Your brothers,Hsiao Lu-yuan, Ping Sin-woJanuary 22[Address omitted]
Brother Watchman:
May the Lord give you more spiritual gifts, power, and light, and may the number of believers increase and the work spread. Amen. Thank the Lord and thank you for your love. Yesterday, I received the second issue of The Open Door which you sent. I read the article on the principles of the work and felt that Christians today really need principles like this concerning the truth of the church. It also inspired me to write this letter. Thank and praise God that His faithful servant has already explained everything. Therefore, I am sending a subscription form to order one copy so that I may read everything. Please send me a copy of the first issue as well. I am enclosing my subscription form and one dollar for postage. Peace!
Your brother in the Lord,Ding Jun-jihJanuary 26[Address omitted]
(We printed only one thousand copies of the first issue, and they are all gone. Could you go to 5 Foreign Ministry Street and ask the brothers if they have a copy? — Editor.)
Peace to Mr. X in the Lord,
From The Open Door, I found out about the condition of the Lord's work in all the localities. Thank the Lord, He always takes care of His work. My heart was very happy because He is the beginning and the end. Since He raised up the work, He will also complete it. The assembly in Peking really needs the light the Lord brought in through The Open Door — the principles of the work. May the Lord lead us according to these principles. All the brothers and sisters in Peking are safe under the Lord's protection. No one has lost their job yet. This is the result of the petitions of all the brothers and sisters. Please pray for me so that the Lord would revive my prayer life and so that my inner man would be strengthened. I am sending X dollars. X dollars are for the publication of The Open Door; the rest is for the use of the Lord's workers. Peace in the Lord. Please greet Brother Nee.
Your little brother,Chu Teh-yauJanuary 17
Sister Peace:
Thank God for His rich love and mercy. He never leaves those whom He has purchased by His blood! The assembly here is completely in God's hands. Every Saturday there is an edification meeting at five o'clock. I can always go. We mainly look to the Lord for His own work. On the Lord's Day morning there is a gospel meeting. Many people come to hear the word. Brother Hsu Zih-fang is being used by God to preach the messages. There are many brothers and sisters in the table meeting in the afternoon. Please pray for us much. May you be blessed with health in the Lord!
Your sister,Shen Shi-shuanJanuary 16[Address omitted]
Peace to Sister X in the Lord:
I received your letter of January 13. Thank the Lord that the sisters of Hsieh-Ho Hospital have had much improvement. More sisters are coming to the meetings, and the sisters in Peking are well. When we pray, we remember your work in the field and ask God to be with you so that you may express His glory in the regions of darkness. Sister Chiang writes sometimes. She is in Huang County, Shantung. She said that the Chinese New Year is a better opportunity to preach the gospel because the farmers have some free time. Praise the Lord! There are more prayer meetings at Foreign Ministry Street. We began a children's meeting on Friday about two months ago. Last Friday there were twenty-seven or twenty-eight children. It was really good. Brother Luan's last letter said that he may come to Peking to visit the brothers and sisters. We are eager for him to come. Everyone likes to hear him speak. Brother Wang Jien-tang from Tientsin is in Peking. He goes out every day for his personal business and the gospel. This morning he asked me to greet you. At one time we thought that you would be able to come to Peking. Now you are getting further and further away, so I do not know when I will be able to see you. May the Lord lead you. Please pray for what I mentioned above, and please pray for me. May God work in the heart of everyone who hears the gospel. Peace in the Lord. Greet the two sisters working with you.
Your little sister in the Lord,Huang Jen-zhiJanuary 9
The condition of the assembly is really good now. There were more than seventy in one table meeting. However, the point is not how many people there are, but the godliness displayed in the worship. By this we know that God is among us. I left Hsieh-Ho Hospital on July 1 of last year. I am clear that it was God's will for me to leave. After coming out, I saw all the work before me, and I jumped into it. Now I am going to homes to visit women, both believers and unbelievers. I have been to more than two hundred fifty homes and have seen the glory of God. I am useless and cannot do anything, but God Himself works everywhere. Praise and thank His holy name.
Your little sister in the Lord,Huang Jen-zhi
(This letter was sent from Peking to Hong Kong — Editor.)
Greetings to Brother Luan in the Lord:
Thank the Lord for preserving us and gracing us to this day. Before we received The Open Door, the Lord had given us some light concerning how the localities should meet by themselves and how the local brothers and sisters should bear the spiritual and practical responsibilities. This is the only way to have real growth. Thank the Lord that His light shined more clearly on us when we received this issue of The Open Door. We can only rely on Him and ask Him to lead the localities into His grace. We pray constantly before Him for the believers in every place. May the Lord give grace to the brothers and sisters in every place. We thank the Lord even more because the faithfulness of the saints to the Lord has touched our hearts. Peace in the Lord.
Your brothers,Chao Fei-wo, Sang Chen-kuangJanuary 21
Greetings to Mr. X in the Lord:
I received a copy of the first and second issues of The Open Door from my brother Shi-shun. Now I know about the condition of the work in all the localities and how the brothers and sisters are doing. I am really thankful. There were meetings in Sian last winter in Brother Chao Rue-tze's house. Brother Chao was here from Tsinan at that time, and I had temporarily moved there from Tai-Yuan. In the middle of November, I returned to my ancestral home (Hwai-Yuen, Anhwei). On January 20 my brother, Shi-shun, and I returned. Brother Chao had already moved his family to Szechuan. There are no meetings now. In the deepest part of my spirit and heart, I feel that I have lost a support without the meetings; I am very depressed. If the Lord allows, I hope to bring my family so that we can rent a house and begin to meet. It is easier to meet in someone's home. The Lord is omnipotent. I really hope you and all the brothers and sisters will pray for this matter so that it will come to pass soon. Please send all subsequent issues of The Open Door, beginning with the third issue, to me. If there are extra copies of the first and second issues, please send me one copy. Peace in the Lord!
Your weak brother in the Lord,Liu Jih-wuFebruary 15[Address omitted]
Greetings to my dear Mr. Nee and all the brothers
in Hankow in the Lord:
Thank the Lord, I unexpectedly received The Open Door a few days ago and really received much comfort and encouragement. I saw that God has seen the hungry lambs in the inland and remote regions of our country, and He is using the war to save sinners by sending out his servants. In Kansu and Tsinghai provinces, we really need and desire these workers. May the Lord send and lead some to come, amen. We hope that you will not forget us in Kansu and Tsinghai. We hope that you will follow the Lord's will to come according to His commission and feed His lambs "unto the uttermost part of the earth." May God have mercy on us in this matter. Even more, may His will be done. Please continue to send The Open Door. Peace in the Lord.
Your little brother in the Lord,Wang Kuo-jingJanuary 10[Address omitted]
Brothers and sisters in the Lord:
I received the second issue of The Open Door from Brother Duan Chai-ju. I really thank God that I have some news concerning the brothers and sisters. I am sending a subscription form and hope that you will send me ten copies in the future. The preaching brothers in the provinces of Kansu and Tsinghai also need them. I am settled in one place, so I can pass them on. I came from Tsinan with some brothers and sisters this spring. We hope you will help us through prayer. Peace in the Lord.
Your brother,Kung Shou-ren[Address omitted]
Greetings to Brother X in the Lord:
I believe you can love me as a younger brother in the Lord. I began working in the Independent Textile Store in 1928. This store is a wholesale textile business. In the past its yearly sales exceeded five hundred thousand dollars. Recently, business has declined, and workers have been laid off. The area of our business has also decreased. We are a branch store of the store in Ding-Si, so sometimes I am in Ding-Si and sometimes in Yu-Jing. When I first entered the business, I received a little more than ten dollars a year. I now receive seventy-five dollars a year. Although I do not earn much, the standard of living is very low, so I do not have any financial problems. There is only one thing that troubles me! I am surrounded by lying tongues! I have never had the peace to lie, so rather than tell a lie, I do not speak much. I am very free in Yu-Jing and can attend the meetings every week. However, the meeting in X is like a half-dead body. Some brothers need a co-worker to pray and read the Bible for them.
Your little brother in the Lord,Lee Geng-shunJanuary 11[Address omitted]
Sister X:
I heard that you had already arrived in Chungking. Forgive me for waiting to greet you until now. I heard my father tell his company in Hankow to send X dollars to you in January. Did you receive the wire? Are you safe in Chungking? Are Sisters Wang and Chang well? If you have time, please send me a note. The business in Hong Kong has received God's protection and blessing. It has doubled since last year. My father went to Singapore on January 2. He hopes to buy a store there. Please pray for him. If God is pleased, we will open a branch store. Although I am so busy, my health is still holding up. It is all the Lord's grace. My brother has returned to Shanghai. He will not open a store for the time being. Sister Liu Ching-dong is now helping me in the store. I will tell you the rest later.
Your sister,Huang Shiu-baoFebruary 12[Addresss omitted]
(This letter was sent by Brother Huang Tsao-ling's daughter Shiu-bao — Editor.)
Dear brother in the Lord:
I think you will want to know about the condition of the church in Singapore and Brother Luk's work. I will report some of it to you. We are now temporarily meeting at...Singapore. This is Brother Wang Kai-sen's home. (Brother Wang is one of the responsible brothers in this locality.) The number of people has increased, and the place is too small. We are looking for a meeting hall. There are more than fifty brothers and sisters, with more brothers than sisters. This is different from other places. There is a gospel meeting now at 10:00 a.m. on the Lord's Day and an edification meeting at 2:30 p.m. The table meeting is at 7:30 p.m. There are meetings every day from Monday through Saturday, such as the prayer meeting, the sisters' meeting, the brothers' meeting, the Bible study, etc. The Lord has raised up the work among us. The brothers sent a letter inviting Brother Ke-san, Brother Lien-jun, and Brother Stephen Kaung to come. We do not know what the Lord will do yet. Brother Luk will be leaving tonight (January 10) for Penang. He will return to Singapore in about ten days. We hope you will pray for all matters concerning us. May the Lord be with you until that day. Amen.
Your little brother in the Lord,Huang Ren-shanJanuary 10
(This letter was sent from Singapore to K'un-ming — Editor.)
Sister Ruth in the Lord:
Thank and praise our Lord for His faithfulness. His promise to me on January 1, 1937 was true. The eternal God is really our hiding place and shield. Praise His name! When I felt that I should travel south, I placed the matter before God. Thank the Lord for leading me step by step. I told the Lord that if it was His will for me to leave Shanghai, He should prepare someone to rent my house and furniture for a certain price. I went through several months of testing. It seemed that my house was not going to be rented, but I kept saying that what was difficult for man was not difficult for God; I was peaceful in my heart. Indeed, the Father had already made arrangements for me secretly! I not only rented my house for the price asked, but the timing was perfect. The lease on the tenant's old house was not up until December 20, and we could stay until that day. On the twenty-third, there was a boat to Manila and our passports were ready about the same time. I really saw the Lord's love. He is not a respecter of persons. He really remembers the orphans and the widows. The Lord prepared a job for Mrs. Chien and a home for Yi-tseng (Mrs. Chien's son). Thank the Lord, He really is the Lord who does beyond what we ask or think! Praise His name! We left Shanghai on December 23 and passed though Hong Kong on the twenty-fifth. We met with many brothers and sisters there. We really saw the Lord's love everywhere! We felt both thankful and ashamed in our hearts! We arrived safely in Manila on the twenty-seventh and are now living in my elder brother's house. May the Lord accomplish what He wants to do in His children. Please pray for me. Please greet Sister Chang and Sister Wang for me. Peace in the Lord. En-hung and my daughters all ask me to greet you.
Your sister,Yun-changJanuary 18
Mrs. Han Fu-sheng is safe in her ancestral home in Wu-Jen, Kiangsu.
Brother Chang Hao-ran has arrived in Shanghai and will be teaching in a school.
Sister Hsiao Yu-yin, Sister Chang Yi-hwa, and Brother Chang Ho-nien are all in Shih-Lu-Tou Ch'en Po Du, Ning-Po.
(The above are excerpts from Brother Ho Yueh-chiao's letter of January 26 — Editor.)
Brother Chu En-sheng passed through Shanghai. All the brothers and sisters are hiding out in the countryside around Chi-Hsien-Chiao. His store was robbed. Brother Chou Jin-tang has already come to Shanghai.
(The above is an excerpt from Brother Ho Yueh-chiao's letter of February 19 — Editor.)
"We received a letter from Tang Shou-ling last night and a letter from Brother Chou Hsing-yih this morning. We found out they are both living in Mo-Gan-Shan (250 Mo-Gan-Shan). The Sun family, the Yeh family, and the Yu family are all staying with them. The letter was given to friends and carried to us. It was very simple. They said, `Our homes are gone, but we are alive,' and, `May the Lord open the way.' The letter was dated January 30, but we did not receive it until yesterday, so we do not know how they are doing now. We cannot send mail or wire money to them. We can only pray for them on the one hand, and ask some of our Western friends to see whether they can go to Mo-Gan-Shan and bring them out on the other hand."
(The above is an excerpt of a letter from the three elders in Shanghai, Du Chung-chen, Wu You-an, and Lin Kwang-biao — Editor.)
(1) The meeting place of the church in Fu-Ching moved from Luke Hospital back to 65 Siao-Chiao Street, Fu-Ching on February 18. From now on, please send all publications to that address.
(2) Brother Chou Cheng-wen has moved from Anhwei to Szechuan. His mailing address is c/o Sheng Shien-tze, Jen-Ji Men's Hospital, Sheng-Chi, Ch'eng-tu, Szechuan.
(3) Brother and Sister Pan Hwei-sheng have arrived safely in Hankow from He-Fei. On the twentieth of this month, they will go south to Hong Kong and from there to Amoy.
The fourth issue of this publication was a half month late in coming out because the typesetting and printing workers took a vacation for the Chinese New Year. Beginning with the sixth issue, we hope that our paper will come out by the middle of each month.
Presently, this publication cannot publish articles concerning the principles of the work. Those who do not care for the news of work and the churches will find it boring. However, if we can take Christ's heart as our own, we will thank God and also pray much for the work and the brothers and sisters after reading this publication. I hope and pray to God that He would raise up many people who will pray powerfully in secret behind the work. They must be powerful before God in order to break down Satan's strongholds, overthrow every high thing that frustrates people from knowing God, and capture people's hearts so that they would all submit to Christ.
Some brothers have written letters saying that using the letter X to replace names and places is not so appropriate, so beginning with this issue, we will use the X less. Sometimes we will use the X to replace a person's name or a number so that we can avoid having man as our center and also avoid giving glory to man's will. Many brothers and sisters correspond with others with the intention of spiritual fellowship and the discussion of spiritual matters. However, we are afraid some people might gradually misunderstand and think that certain people have a special position or are higher than others, so we use X to replace the names of the people who receive the letters because love covers all things (it does not expose people's private matters). The writers of the letters have never had their names replaced with X because they are responsible for what they wrote. We thank God that all the localities and some individuals are mindful of the needs of the work and the saints, and we hope that all the saints would thank God for this. But we do not want a printed number to cause some to boast or to reveal who is rich and who is poor, thus turning the offerings into something that is not out of love or the leading of God. For this reason, we use X to replace any amount of money. The example given to us by the New Testament churches is also this way. According to Acts 4:37, Barnabas "possessed a field, sold it and brought the sum of money and placed it at the feet of the apostles." Second Corinthians 8:2 says that the churches in Macedonia in "the depth of their poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality." Philippians 4:16 says, "You sent both once and again to my need." The brothers who brought this to mind did not mention this matter, but I am just taking this opportunity to give an explanation. (Of course, those who send money had to write the amount or they would be unable to wire the money.)
When more than one letter comes from one locality with the same news, we often publish only one of them. We do not publish letters that are not very important. We may delete some portions of your writing. There are also some letters which are good, but the editors do not feel inwardly peaceful about them and decide not to print them. Perhaps this is prejudice, screening, or an inward hindrance. We dare not say what it is, but we can only do what keeps our hearts at peace. We ask your special forgiveness for this. May God give grace that this kind of deletion would not hurt, offend, or bury anyone.
Before putting out this publication, I seemed to have two concerns: (1) Some people are still not clear about the Lord's calling, and others cannot give a testimony for them, but they consider themselves apostles after they have done a little work. Those who do not know these ones may see them as apostles; this will not edify people and is not beneficial to the entire church. (2) Some people are used by the Lord, but because their flesh has not been dealt with, they have too much fleshly activity. Mr. Nee has now given us the light concerning the local churches. A local church can prove those who call themselves apostles but are not. Thus, my first concern is no longer a problem. With regard to my second concern, I hope that the co-workers in every place and in all the local churches will do their best to send news to us for the sake of God's glory, mutual fellowship, and prayer. I also hope that the motive behind every letter is pure and that the reports are not exaggerated. Some apostles can be like Paul and do not need the recommendation of men. However, some apostles still need to be tested. They need the introduction of the co-workers who are ahead of them. Therefore, we ask the faithful co-workers to help us in both the positive and negative aspects of this matter so that we may publish the news with care.
Recently a co-worker (brother) sent a letter saying that one locality only knows that we preach baptism and leaving the denominations. They did not seem to have heard any of the other truths. I do not know whether someone has really preached this way or whether this is the misunderstanding of some dissatisfied ones. However, we must be careful, so I will quote some of Mr. Nee's words from the first issue, "Finally, a word of reminder: Our urgent need is the preaching of the gospel and the establishing of the local churches. We are not here to exhort others to leave the denominations. Those who pay attention only to the question of denominationalism...are not our co-workers and are not qualified to be our co-workers."
It is very difficult to mail letters. Some places have not even received the second issue. Beginning with the third issue, we have been using the quickest method to send one or two copies to each locality. We send the rest by surface mail. Therefore, we hope that when the churches in each locality receive this publication, they would immediately report the important points of all the news to the brothers and sisters so that they will not worry and will know what to pray for.
If there is any news that cannot be made public, please note it in your letters. If any letter must be given directly to Mr. Nee, please state this in the letter. Many letters come to Hankow addressed to Mr. Nee, but they contain news of the work or the churches. Some of the news has a time limit, but Mr. Nee travels constantly because of the work and is planning to go abroad; if we do not need to forward it to him, we can just publish it in this publication. (If letters for Mr. Nee are sent to the P. O. Box in Hankow, we ask Brother Lan to open and read them and then give them to the editors of this publication. This is the agreement we made with Mr. Nee.)
Finally, a brother in Hankow who proofreads sent us a letter saying that there were still many mistakes after the second proofing of the fourth issue, but that the printer had printed it before it could be proofed a third time. There were many mistakes in the fourth issue in both words and punctuation. We want to apologize to our readers for these mistakes!
Ruth LeeMarch 5, 1938, in Chungking
(1) The co-workers and many brothers and sisters are really concerned about the news of the churches and individual brothers and sisters from the war zone and the areas neighboring it! Therefore, we hope you will do your best to send the news to us. Because the postal service is often blocked, we think it would be best if you could send your letters by express mail or air mail.
(2) Put a date on your letters. Without a date, we do not know when the news happened. Sometimes we cannot read the postmark.
(3) Write the address clearly and completely. If you are in a different province, write the province.
(4) When a mailing address changes, notify us immediately (if possible), so that we will still know where you are and not mail things to the wrong place.
(5) We edit this publication wherever we are, and we print and publish it in Hankow. Whoever wants this publication should subscribe to it by writing directly to Hankow. News of the work and the churches should also be sent directly to the Gospel Book Room, P. O. Box 84, Hankow.
(6) Please pray much for this publication.
(1) This publication is temporarily being published in Hankow. Therefore, any news of the work and the churches, subscription order forms, and requests for information should all be sent directly to the Gospel Book Room, P. O. Box 84, Hankow.
(2) There is a branch store of the Gospel Book Room in Hankow. Any locality near Hankow that wants to buy publications from our book room can buy them directly from Hankow. Those who live in Hankow should come to Gospel Court, Hsiao Tung 1 Alley. If Hankow does not have a certain book, Shanghai will send it by mail. However, we ask you to forgive us for the time it takes to mail.
(3) If anyone wants gospel tracts or wants us to print gospel tracts, please contact the Shanghai Gospel Book Room directly, P. O. Box 323, Shanghai. If anyone wants to request the brothers in Hankow to contact Shanghai, please write to them at Gospel Court, Hsiao Tung 1 Alley and ask the Hankow brothers to do it.
(4) Because the mail is often delayed (printed materials are even slower), one or two copies of this publication will be sent by the fastest method to all the localities. We will then send a large number to the responsible brothers of each locality and ask them to distribute the publication to each brother and sister. Then we will send them according to our subscription list. Therefore, if the brothers and sisters in each locality have not sent in a subscription form yet, please get your copy from the responsible brothers in your locality.
(5) All the letters for The Christian that are received in Hankow will be forwarded to the Shanghai Gospel Book Room to be recorded and answered. We hope that soon the mail will not be so much trouble and that the publication can be resumed.
