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To my brother in the Lord, Kwang-rong:
I received your letter of the thirteenth. I returned to Wu-Yi from Jinhua on the fifteenth. I went first to the Ho home in North County of Wu-Yi and was stranded there for eight days by the rain and snow, so I did not come into the city until the day before yesterday. If the Lord allows, I might go to Hsuan-Ping to do some work and then from there go to Wenchow and Ping-Yang to see the brothers. If I do not go there, I will go to Ning-Po or Shanghai. Presently, I cannot go to Shanghai, so I will lose this opportunity to see Brother Nee according to God's decision. I have really wanted to see Brother Nee and have considered writing a letter for some time. For the past few months, I have been traveling alone and have given God many opportunities to work in me. (Unfortunately, rotten wood cannot be made into anything useful.) Satan has come to attack me through the power of darkness, but the power of the victorious One has been sufficient to uphold me and take me through the valleys and the depths. The Lord's grace and love are limitless, and their preciousness and practicality are made all the more real! Over the past few months, I have come to realize that it is very important to live a life of faith in God and to have a living knowledge of God. It is not enough to know that we are weak; we must also know the power of His resurrection. I really feel that the heavenly power is so necessary, and the spiritual supply so precious. But one must have a living knowledge of Christ, the Son of God, to meet these needs. A negative realization of oneself is not enough. May the Lord have mercy on me! I dare not say that the knowledge of the truth is useless, but one must have the experience of life to prove it. Otherwise, the truth may be real, but there is nothing to attest to it. Of course, knowledge of the truth is useful in showing the direction. The knowledge of the truth can be compared to light, but life is the experience of walking in the light. Therefore, we should hold life and knowledge on the same level (2 Pet. 3:18).
In my solitude I really sense the dearness of the Lord! His sympathy refreshes my tiredness. I feel that it is not hard to be one in heart, but very difficult to be one in feeling. One need only to obey to be one in heart, but to be one in feeling, one must also have inward knowledge. Therefore, I really feel that if I am going to allow Christ to live out of me, it is not enough to have just brotherly love. I must have the heart of a father or mother. I like reading the Epistles of Paul because this kind of real emotion is expressed in them. The Lord is dear, not because He died on the cross in obedience to God's command, but because of the love He expressed through the cross and the enlightening He gave us through it. Therefore, He not only died for His earthly ministry, but also gave grace because He sympathized with our poverty. This is what I have been thinking of recently. In recent months I have been practicing walking. Thank the Lord, fifty miles is not a fearful distance to me now. There was a time when I would gasp at the thought of walking ten miles. The Lord's commission often carries us to unexpected places. A slave should always be prepared, lest he give excuse before the battle. When I consider how useless I am, I really feel that I owe the Lord too much and that time is too short! Oh, I can only press forward! Please remember me in your prayer. It is already cold. I will not continue. Peace in the Lord!
Your brother in the Lord,Hsu Dah-weh
(This letter arrived in Shanghai on February 3. It was sent to Chungking and did not arrive until the middle of March — Editor.)
There is only a China Inland Mission here in Li-Shui. There are usually between three and four hundred people in the meetings. Brother David Hsu came from Hsuan-Ping on March 4 and was invited by the China Inland Mission to speak in their village meetings for nine days (in three places). On March 18 he left to labor in Wenchow and Ping-Yang. Thank the Lord for His grace. I testified a few times at the China Inland Mission. May the Lord gain something.
Your brother,Ma Di-sengMarch 21
In the past three weeks God has done a new work among our sisters and has revived many people. Many prodigal sons have come back to the Father's house! The Lord has gained something, so we must rejoice with Him! Two or three people began to pray in one accord, and then the Lord began to work. Presently, the power of revival grows daily. There are many small group prayer meetings. The Lord has manifested His work time and again in the sisters' meetings. Many sinners have been coming to the Tuesday sisters' meeting. On Wednesday evening eleven sisters and two brothers were baptized. There was a meeting in a hospital in which all the nurses, doctors, and other employees who had life prayed together (more than fifty people). Thank the Lord, it was more than we had asked or thought; many dumb ones opened their mouths. There will be another such meeting next Wednesday afternoon. We are still waiting for God's direction as to how to go on. A group of married sisters wants to meet together to learn how to pray and work with God. There is also a group of sisters that are teachers who have the same desire. It is even more precious to see a group of sisters who are maids clustering together as prayer-companions. The Lord has promised and given revelation to a small number that He will revive His church! May we always humble ourselves and bow down before Him, not interrupting Him in any way.
There is one other joyful thing to tell you. Miss Chai has been healed. The minute she was healed, she immediately stood up and walked. For seven years she has not been able to read the Bible or bend her knees in prayer. But last night she was able to do both. The Lord is showing us His authority and glory in all matters! There is nothing we can say but hallelujah! Thank the Lord, Sister Tso has made much progress. The Lord is using her in many ways. Thank and praise the Lord! When we pray in one accord, we are able to shake the heavens and the earth and defeat the demons. I received a letter from Brother Simon Meek and the responsible brothers in Manila in the Philippines asking me to work there for a time. I had a burden to do this when I was in Hong Kong. I wanted to return to Shanghai to make arrangements for my mother, who is old, before going. However, the environment constantly prevented me. (I could not get my passport processed.) I placed the matter in the Lord's hands and waited. The most marvelous thing happened when I had the least hope. There was a special opportunity, and I received my passport without going through any red tape. I am ready to go, but I still do not know when I will leave because my present work is not finished. I hope He returns soon!
Yun-chunMarch 18[Address omitted]
Dear Sister X in the Lord:
Peace to you! By the Lord's grace, I safely returned to Hong Kong on the eighteenth of this month. I went with the brothers this time and really gained the benefit. Thank God! I saw more than ten brothers and sisters in Ju Shiu Garden, Jung-Shan, whose freshness and "first love" truly charmed me. However, they have met with persecution and difficulties. Please remember them in prayer. Later, I returned to Macao where I passed out gospel tracts and preached the gospel outdoors. Brother Luan gave a message to the brothers and sisters. May God's kingdom grow in all localities. Brother Nee held a conference here from the twenty-fourth to the twenty-eighth of this month. He spoke on "What Kind of People Can Receive God's Reward?" They are "violent men" (Matt. 11:12), those who walk in the light of the "judgment seat of Christ" (2 Cor. 5:9-11; 1 Cor. 3:10-15; Rev. 1:15). Then he spoke on "The Importance of Light" (Matt. 6:21-23). If God wills, he will continue the conference beginning on March 1. All the co-workers in Hong Kong are well. Miss Huang Ro-chen and Miss Kuo Hai-jen have both come to Hong Kong to attend the conference. If God wills, I plan to return to Shanghai because my father has heart sickness. Peace in the Lord!
Your weak brother in the Lord,Stephen KuangFebruary 28
Peace in the Lord to X:
After sending the manuscripts for the thirteenth and fourteenth issues of The Christian to Shanghai, I did not prepare many more articles because I knew that it was inconvenient to print and mail the publication. I received the second issue of The Open Door a long time ago, and the third issue came a few days ago. I hope this letter gets to you quickly. (I received this letter on March 18 — Editor.) The brothers and sisters living in Chefoo are all at peace in the Lord's grace! Thank the Lord! It is very quiet in the city of Chefoo. Both the work and the meetings continue as usual. The table meeting is now held after the edification meeting on the Lord's Day afternoon. The Bible study will temporarily discontinue. Only a few of the brothers and sisters who left Chefoo for other places went to the surrounding countryside. Those who did are all safe! Brother Chao Bi-chen left Chefoo for a faraway place — he went to his ancestral home in Ping-Yin County (southwest of Tsinan). I received a letter from him a few days ago saying that he is well, but I do not have any recent news from him. I think that he is under the Lord's care! Please do not worry about anything! During the Chinese New Year, we had a week of special work. The brothers preached the gospel in the mornings and conducted edification meetings in the afternoons. Thank the Lord. Originally, I had intended to go to Wei-Hai on the seventh of this month for a few days because a brother in Wei-Hai had invited me to go. However, it is not appropriate for me to go there because the brother who was responsible for inviting me has gone elsewhere. Brother Ch'ang-en is still zealous for the gospel. Recently, he has been doing some business on the side with two brothers. May the Lord guide him! I am not very clear as to what I will do! Please do not forget to pray for me! May the Lord bless you according Joshua 1:3! Peace in the Lord! Greet Sister Wang and Sister Chang! My mother and wife also greet you!
Your little brother,Witness LeeFebruary 17
A few days ago I went to Tung County and stayed awhile. I hope the Lord will give me a clear leading for the future. Presently, I need to stay in Chefoo for a little longer. Please pray for me.
Your brother,Witness LeeMarch 15
Peace to our dear brother X in the Lord!
Since the beginning of the war, all the localities in the coastal region of Fukien have continued meeting with the exception of Amoy which has temporarily stopped meeting. The assembly in Kulangsu has increased in number, and the meeting hall can no longer hold all the people. The number of sisters in the assembly in Changchow has decreased because some families have dispersed to the inland regions. The assembly in Chuenchow has progressed because the believers there have faith. They are also expanding into the interior. Work was begun in Hwei-An, and an assembly was established. The assemblies in Shui-Tou and An-Hai are standing firm and have not stopped meeting. Thank and praise the Lord! All areas are being preserved safely by the Lord. Although a few of the believers in the assembly in Tung-An have moved to the interior, the meetings have not stopped, and they preach the gospel to the outsiders every week. Sometimes they engage in outdoor preaching, and sometimes they preach in the meeting hall. Brother Wang You-yi went to Pan-Ling, An-Hsi sometime ago to pioneer the work. Now there is an assembly there. Brother Han mainly travels in the region of Shui-Tou, An-Hai, Nan-An, and Chuenchow. He sometimes visits the brothers and sisters in Tung-An, Ding-Mei, Ho-Shan, Changchow, and Amoy. Brother Wang Deng-ming and Brother Chang Tung-yuan passed through An-Hsi and Chuangshan to work for one month. Then Brother Deng-ming returned to Tung-An, and Brother Tung-yuan continued working. Brother Keh Lien-min went to the region of Pu-Tien and Han-Jiang and worked for a time with Brother Chai Tse-chung. Then he returned to Tung-An and worked with Brother Han for awhile. Afterwards, he went to Pan-Ling and Juang-Shan, passing through Changchow on his way back to Tung-An. He ran into Brother Han who was bringing Brother Chen Bing-hsi to Tung-An to pray for Brother Wang Min-sheng's illness, and Brother Deng-ming had just returned to Tung-An, so they invited Brother Bing-hsi to hold a gospel conference in Tung-An for ten days. Apart from preaching the gospel, he did the work of healing sicknesses and casting out demons. Many people were healed by the Lord. Brother Han came this spring and held a message conference for seven days. Thank the Lord, He Himself does His good work!
Brother Keh will go to Ting-Mei to work, and Brother Han will go to the interior region of An-Hsi to work. Brother Chen Ke-san will leave Changchow and go to work in Lung-Yen. Brother Wang Deng-ming will soon go to Kulangsu to print gospel tracts, and then he will go to Shui-Tou, An-Hai, Shi-Shee, Chuenchow, Pu-Tien, and the region of Hwei-An to work. Brother Chen Bing-hsi is waiting for the Lord's will in Tingmei. The individual travels of the co-workers were started after they had prayed and understood the Lord's will. We hope you will pray much for us. May the Lord be with you. We will now give you the mailing addresses for all the co-workers: [Address omitted] (The church in Wu-Tu has already moved the meeting place to Brother Keh Shui-chuan's home in Wu-Lu County. He is the responsible brother and is Brother Lien-min's elder brother.)
Your brothers,Wang Deng-ming, Han Jin-hsiu, Keh Lien-minFebruary 16
Greetings to Sister X in Christ:
I am sure that the loving, merciful Father has given you and all the brothers His rich, unsearchable, marvelous, indescribable grace through the Spirit of Christ. May He abundantly give you even more in the future so that all the glory might be to Him! Amen. After meeting in Han-Jiang for a few days, I moved to another house. God had prepared a comfortable place for me to give hospitality to a few sisters so they could get to know the life of prayer and fellowship. Sister Chen Wan-ching wants to come to western Fukien. May God fulfill her desire according to His best choice. Everything goes on as usual with me. Thank the Father God for His abounding grace. May God quickly accomplish His purpose through the work of faithful workers and the hastening of the saints' prayer. Amen! May the Father's kingdom come! Amen. Peace in the Lord!
Your little sister in the Lord,Bao Hsu-minFebruary 22
Dear Sister X in the Lord:
I received your letter. Thank you! I will go to Sien-You County with Sister Wang Yu-ju on the eighteenth of this month. On the twenty-first, the Lord willing, we will begin a sisters' conference that will last a few days. Afterward, Sister Wang will go someplace else, and I will be able to stay there for a time. According to my recent observation and the condition of the need, it seems that only a few days of meetings would short-change the sisters too much. If there were more time, it might give God the opportunity to move His arm in this kind of work. I was in Han-Jiang for more than a month and met with the sisters before God many times. There was much blessing on this work. If possible, I would like to do the same thing in Sien-You. Personally, I have had a particular experience recently: I can work, but I cannot rest. If I stop working, it seems that some weakness or illness will come! When I force myself to go on as usual, even if it seems painful, there is no problem. I personally feel that (1) the days are short, and the Lord's coming is near, so we must hurry to repay our debt every day. When we are finished, we can go. (2) Since life overcomes death, and there is Romans 8:11, we would offend our gracious Lord if we did not try to experience it. (3) Since the past is gone, the future will soon be gone too. I do not know whether or not this is right. Is there any danger? Please pray for this and give me some instructions. Peace and health in the Lord!
Your sister in the Lord,Bao Hsu-minMarch 13[Address omitted]
Greetings to Brother X who is greatly cared for by the Lord:
Since we parted, I have been remembering you in prayer, hoping to receive instructions from you soon. May the Lord be glorified in you and may He manifest His greater power through you. Amen. I went with Brother Chai to the conference in Sien-You, and we were blessed by the Lord. There is already the testimony of a local church in Sien-You with more than fifty brothers and sisters serving the Lord in one accord. They have all grown. I really thank and praise the Lord! Glory to Him forever and ever! Amen. Over the Chinese New Year, the brothers in Han-Jiang rented another hall on Lin Street to preach the gospel. I was there helping them. We were led by the Lord to do this for a month. The Holy Spirit worked among us, and sinners bent their knees and called on the Lord's name daily. Thank and praise the Lord! Glory to Him forever and ever! Amen. Brother Ke-san is in Changchow, and Brother Tse-chung is in Chuenchow. The meeting hall in Fu-Ching has moved out of Luke Hospital and back to its old address (65 Shan-Chiao Street, Fu-Ching). The coastal region of Fukien has been preserved in peace by the Lord. Please do not worry. May the Lord cause me to live a godly, proper life during these times of peace so that I do not make allowance for the lusts of the flesh. Amen. I will tell you the rest later. I hope you help us with your prayer. May the Lord grant you overcoming power (2 Cor. 12:9)!
Your brother,Jai-sengTwenty-third day of the first month[Address omitted]
Peace in the Lord to my eldest brother, Jai-seng:
I received your card. I really thank and praise the Lord. When I see His doings, I know that the day of His coming is near. Hallelujah! The day we are hoping for will soon come. I hope we both will be faithful. The region of Han-Jiang has been blessed by the Lord. He has been saving sinners. May all the glory and praise be to our Lord Jesus Christ! All the brothers and sisters in Sien-You are rising up for the gospel. They are more willing to be responsible than they were before. The number of saved ones is still being blessed by the Lord daily. Most of them are elderly ones, rickshaw pullers, or illiterate country folk. There are barely enough seats in our gospel meetings every Lord's Day. From this we see that God is really not a respecter of persons! We have already made new chairs and have used them for two Lord's Days. We can seat one hundred twenty people, but we still have to add a few small chairs. Sien-You still needs a worker to come preach the gospel. Peace to you. Please greet all the brothers and sisters for me.
Your brother,Kwang-yaoFebruary 12[Address omitted]
Greetings:
I returned to the interior to work on February 2 with a few brothers and sisters. Thank the Lord that He was working with us. The result was that people were saved and edified. We were able to do a little, but if we had not had the Lord's presence, we would not have even been able to do that much! After we finished working in the first place, we were going to continue on according to our planned route, but it was as if we were "forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia....They tried to go into Bithynia, yet the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them." Therefore, we were forced to return to Swatow. We are waiting for His leading concerning the future. May the Lord enable us to hear the Macedonian call. When the brothers were working in the interior, the political situation here was very tense. Thank the Lord, everything has eased off now. The brothers and sisters are all safe. I am reporting this to comfort you. My health has improved much recently. The Lord's grace is sufficient for us. This promise is a boundless treasure!
JamesFebruary 19[Address omitted]
Thank the Lord, on the ninth of this month, Brothers Kaung, Luan, Chen, and Ho (Nai-yee) arrived safely in Ju-Hsiu Garden. They left Chungshan for Macao the day before yesterday. The brothers preached the gospel for a few days and edified the brothers and sisters. Even though it rained steadily for a few days, God's blessing was full. I never imagined that God would care for His children in this way and would grant us such help. By God's grace I was able to secure Mr. Luan's advice this time. He said that we have received enough help from X. I said that every person is different. He exhorted me to lead the newly saved ones into the knowledge of the resurrected Christ in life. This way they could be led by the Holy Spirit, even if they did not have much knowledge. He said that the three most precious words in his life are: (1) God's will is my life; (2) God's glory is my joy; (3) God's arm is my strength. I do not know how much praise and thanks I should render to God for all the grace He has given me.
Your little sister,Ro-chenFebruary 16
Brother Yueh-chiao:
The work in Ch'ang-Teh has been blessed much by the Lord recently. We see the Lord's own hand helping us in everything. Every evening nine people pray together in one accord. In my work over the years, I have never seen such prayer meetings. The Lord is really among us. We believe the Lord is going to do greater things than this. There are about twenty people in every Lord's Day meeting. Eight or nine break the bread together. We feel that the condition of every meeting is very good. We should really thank the Lord for this. We see that the door in western Hunan has been opened. According to Brother Chang's letter, the believers in Yuan-Jiang have already seen the light of the truth of the church. Yi-Yang also has some of God's faithful children standing firmly for the Lord's truth. I ask the Lord to give me the power and physical strength of an apostle to visit all the larger cities in the province of Hunan in this year. It is true that when man reaches his end, God begins. I really see that I am empty and useless. If God did not put the resurrection power in humble, useless vessels, we could never see His glory. I ask again and again that the brothers and sisters pray for me much. The brothers have formed a partnership to open a teahouse. All the pots and cups have John 4:13-14 on them: "Everyone who drinks of this water shall thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall by no means thirst forever." We ask God to give us many opportunities to preach the gospel. Please do not forget to pray for the Living Water Teahouse. Peace in the Lord! Greet all the brothers and sisters in Shanghai. Please greet Brother Chang Kwang-rong, Sister Miao, and Sister Tso for me. How have Brother Ho Deh-gen and Brother Lin Dao-tze been? I remember them often.
Your brother,Han Fu-shengFebruary 7
Brother Tsi-yi:
The Living Water Teahouse was opened on March 2. We began to preach the gospel on the fourth. Today is the fourth day of the meetings. Many people come to hear the gospel. It rained last night and snowed in the morning, so the meeting was somewhat affected. Please pray for us much. The business side of the Living Water Teahouse is not bad. More than one hundred people come there to drink tea every day. Sometimes there are more than two hundred. However, we must sell dim sum before we can break even. We have not found anyone to make the dim sum, so for now we are only selling tea.
Your brother,Fu-sheng[Address omitted]
Miss Ruth Lee:
Ten years have flown by since we parted in Nanking. I have been so busy with my business and personal affairs that I have not been able to send you any news. I am very sorry! Yesterday, I received the second issue of The Open Door and received much benefit from reading it. I was also very happy to find how those who walk together with us in the way were doing. It comforted me very much. I was very happy to find that those in the way were willing to come thousands of miles to work for the Lord in Yunnan. The standard of living here is much lower. It only costs two dollars for a person to eat for a month. Even with miscellaneous expenses, a person does not need to spend more than four dollars a month. Even if a couple has three or four children, their monthly expenses would not be more than twenty dollars (two hundred old Yunnan dollars). They would be living very comfortably. If any in the way have the Lord's leading and want to come here to preach the gospel, I would welcome them very much and would be willing to do my best to help them. I have not had the opportunity to write directly to the workers in K'un-ming and in southern Yunnan. I only have their news from The Open Door. In the future please send me a copy of anything you publish. Peace to you in body and spirit!
The little slave in the Lord,Chiang Shun-chingFebruary 16[Address omitted]
(When Mr. Chiang was in Nanking, he often came to Mr. Kao Shi-ju's house and prayed with us. I really thank the Lord that I received this letter today! I hope the brothers and sisters who have been called to work in the interior of Yunnan will contact Mr. Chiang directly. It would be a great benefit to have Mr. Chiang as a guide — Editor.)
Brother Pu-yueh:
I received your card and was greatly comforted! After the Bible study in Lin-Jin, the Holy Spirit stirred up a love for the truth in people. Then I went to the Hong-Dong Missionary School for three days. Although I was only there a short time, the Lord's word gave people a desiring heart. Praise the Lord! I am now preparing to live in Houma. Mr. Ma Bu-ching is also preparing to come. I want to spend a month by myself to pray and study the Bible. May the Lord preserve the quietness of my heart, spirit, and environment. The outward situation is very tense, but praise the Lord for giving us peace. I can still sit calmly to write to the brothers. Missionary Rung and Miss Chui-lan have returned. Presently, Missionary Rung is in Hong-Dong and Miss Chui-lan is in Hou-Ma. Perhaps they will both go to Wen-Hsi to work with Feng-mei, or they might come to live in Chu-Wo. If you have time, please let us know where you are before communication is hindered so that we can pray for you. With regard to the work in Honan, I feel in my heart and spirit a desire for deeper fellowship with the Lord and deeper light. Please pray for me! May the Lord bless you with peace.
Remembering you,Yang Shao-tangFebruary 26[Address omitted]
Dear Brother Yu-chih in the Lord:
Since coming to the region of Lung-Nan and Tien-Shui in Kansu province, I have been meeting in the churches around here. There are more than ten churches, so I will not be able to go through them all until the end of the year. The Lord is working in every place. Unfortunately, I am a useless servant. I am dry in my spirit and lack love. However, what the Lord has given the brothers and sisters is precious and lovely. Most of the churches belong to the Independent denomination. The brothers are very poor. In some places there are many people, but they do not even have a meeting hall. When it is time for a meeting, they sit in the courtyard outdoors. They do not have chairs, so they put a few boards together to make benches. A few days ago, we were having the table meeting in one place when it suddenly started snowing. Three and four-year-old children and seventy and eighty-year-old grandfathers knelt on the ground together with us to break the bread and eat the Lord's supper in the snow and freezing cold. When I saw this, I could not stop my tears from rolling. May the Lord enlarge my heart to suffer for Him, and may I be more willing to travel for Him in poor regions, accommodate humble people, and remember the poor! How precious these ones are! Peace in the Lord! Please greet the brothers and sisters in the Lord for me.
Your spiritual brother,Chai-juTwenty-second day after the Chinese New Year[Address omitted]
Thank God for His grace. He brought us safely to Ch'eng-tu through the brothers' and sisters' prayers. I was on a bus for two days. Humanly speaking, I should have been dizzy with a backache, but God gave us exceptional peace. It was more than we could understand. After two days on the road, it was as if I did not feel anything. I was not tired, and my back did not hurt. I feel more and more that I am unworthy because God's grace treats me so well. The more I see my own corruption, the more I feel the greatness of God's grace! Indeed, when the prodigal son returned, he did not do anything but enjoy grace. I saw Brother Chao, Mrs. Chao, Mrs. Shen, and the rest. We were all rejoicing. I really hope to be edified and helped by the brothers and sisters here in Ch'eng-tu.
Yu-chihMarch 4
We arrived in Ch'eng-tu yesterday at 3:20 p.m. Even though the seats on the bus had no backs, the Lord's grace was sufficient. He constantly graces people like us. He really is a marvelous Lord! Today Brother Chao Rue-tze said that not long after he came to Ch'eng-tu, he thought of preaching the gospel in a teahouse because the teahouses here can seat one to two hundred people. I mentioned that X was preparing to print a general gospel tract in Chungking. We hope it can come out soon. Brother Wang Yung-gui, who is studying medicine at Chi-Loo University, once passed out gospel tracts at many teahouses. Brother Tseng has also preached the gospel in those places when he was in the countryside. I have also heard that there are Westerners working among the natives in Sung-Pan (not far from Ch'eng-tu, where some tribesmen live), and they have learned to speak their language. Praise and thank the Lord! Although I cannot do anything, the very news of the Lord's work fills me with joy and praise! Mrs. Shen mentioned that there is a group of professors' wives at West China University, who have a meeting every Tuesday. They have invited me to go next Tuesday to give a testimony to them. May we decrease and the Lord increase!
Peace WangMarch 4
Thank the Lord, He has opened the door for the work. Both the Dong-Gwan Gospel Hall and the China Inland Mission have invited Brother Yu-zhi to preach. Hwa-Ying Girls' Secondary School, Jen Chi Women's Hospital, and the Baptist Women's Missionary School have given me time to go preach the gospel. I had three meetings with the sisters after I came here and studied a little with them about knowing the ways of God. The meetings have manifested God's presence and blessing. Next week I will begin to have a women's gospel meeting in senior Mrs. Duan's (of West China University) daughter's house (her last name is Tsou). Most of the people will be female students from West China University plus some of the professors' wives.
PeaceMarch 10
The gospel meetings in the Tsou home ended on the evening of the eighteenth. The audience was very good, but I do not know how they received it inwardly. Tonight we will begin some meetings in Mrs. Shen's house in order to read something such as Bible Studies for Beginners with the new believers. We will probably finish on the twenty-sixth. The China Inland Mission has asked me to testify next week. I have heard that their Western pastor, X, is a good brother. Brother Yu-zhi went and preached there once. Many of their sisters come here to hear the messages. Sister Liao En-rong, Pi Yung-chin, and Liu Shu-chin are all in Ch'eng-tu. They came last night to the table meeting. Several parochial girls' high schools and the Hsieh-Ho Women's Teachers' School have all given me some time to preach. Today I am going to Hwa-Mei Girls' School (under the Methodist Church). I have been to the Hwa-Ying Girls' School (under the Episcopalian Church) five times. Thank the Lord for opening the door! May what comes out of my mouth not cause His gospel to suffer! I need new grace and strength! I need His overshadowing as well as His restriction! I need Him to constantly save me from myself in the work!
PeaceMarch 21
If I delay going to Kuei-yang, perhaps I should still go to Tsi-Liu-Jing and stay for awhile. I will have to delay going to Ji-Jung and Nei-Jiang. Brother Yu-zhi will preach the gospel at Hsia-Dong-Da Street in Ch'eng-tu every evening at seven o'clock from March 30 to April 2. This week we must also go to the First Prison in Szechuan to preach the gospel to the men and women convicts. The Methodist Church has invited me to testify on April 3. May the Lord give grace.
PeaceMarch 28
Sister X in the Lord:
Your letter arrived in twenty-four days. One can come here by boat directly from Hong Kong, Amoy, Swatow, Canton, or anywhere in the coastal region. If you take a ship from Hong Kong, the fast ones only take four days and nights to get to Singapore. The slow ones take a day longer. From Singapore to Cebu takes another three days and nights by boat. At the end of the year, the trip from Singapore to Cebu can be very stormy. I know that it is the Lord's will that I should give up teaching and serve God full-time. The people here all desire salvation. Although many are called X, they unfortunately do not know the slightest thing about salvation. There are two church districts here, Cebu and Shi-Li Street, with a total of forty-eight chapels. One chapel covers a great area. Sometimes one must walk half an hour between houses. Most people take the steamboat to go to church, but they still must walk a great distance. The mountain roads are difficult to travel. When it rains, one almost always has to take off his shoes before he can negotiate the mountain roads. If it were not for the Lord, no one would want to travel through them. Thank the Lord, I have already been to eleven places. If the Lord is willing, I plan to visit them all. My elder sister likes to come with me, but she does not have anyone at home to take care of things for her. She plans to hire someone to keep house for her. There is a new sister from Shing-Hwa who also feels the Lord's leading to go with us. We started last week with our luggage, but I was sick, and it seemed that we should not go. My sister was caught up with some things and had to go back. We plan to go to Hsia-Po this time. There is a sister there from Foochow. Her last name is Lin. If the Lord is willing, we will go to her house. She is a friend of my brother-in-law. I have heard that Sister Ding has come south. There are already five or six brothers and sisters who have come from China. I believe that the Lord has already opened the door here, but there cannot be any meeting other than gospel meetings. Please help us with your prayer for all these matters. Sister Fang Chiung-ying wants to come. Unfortunately, she cannot get a visa. I do not have a copy of the first issue of The Open Door. May the Lord give grace to you and to all the brothers and sisters who are working for Him in the coastal regions, the central region, and the western regions. I believe the feeling is true everywhere that the harvest is great and the workers few. May the Lord send people out! We must pray that the Lord will give me a co-worker who can speak the Foochow and Malayan dialect and can teach the people to sing hymns. Peace in the Lord. Greet Sister Wang and Sister Chang for me.
Your sister,Yu-meiJanuary 7[Address omitted]
When I took the manuscripts for the fifth issue to the Spiritual Book Publisher to be typeset and printed, the first thing they told me was that there was a lack of paper, and the price had risen dramatically. At that time a roll cost twenty-three dollars, and people were still buying it frantically. I was troubled about the problem, but I also thought that the Lord would be responsible for His own work, so I decided not to buy the paper in advance. I just prayed earnestly and waited until the manuscripts were typeset and the paper was needed. Praise the Lord! The typesetting was finished today, and fifty rolls of paper had been sent to Hankow, so the price had fallen. It is now fourteen dollars a roll. Ordinary businessmen might think that this is very common in the marketplace, but we cannot help but praise the Lord because it is His doing! God led us through a special conference during the past week. This week there is a sisters' conference which is also of God's grace.
Lan Tsi-yiMarch 16
God is now leading me to watch His working day by day. He is the Lord of works. I am resting in everything. I only need to stand aside to watch His glory and works.
Lan Tsi-yiMarch 24
Thank and praise the blessed God! His faithfulness, love, and mercy enable me to live joyously during these days. Indeed, He is the only precious One. The Giver is much greater than all the gifts. His forgiveness is more abundant than our experience of holiness. He Himself is superior to His grace and love. It is very good for us to enjoy His grace and love, but it is so much better to personally enjoy Him. I want to completely and absolutely enjoy Him. The reality of my present condition is actually the opposite of what you expected because I have not progressed. On the contrary, I fail daily. What He gives me is like a spring breeze, but my experience is like the fallen leaves and dry, dead branches of the middle of winter! I do not know whether this is a suffering or a joy. You must know it. Are there not many old things in me? Therefore, the wise God continues to trim me. If I look back on my experience, I will be dragged into a den of tears! Thankfully, He attracts me with nothing but Himself and upholds me.
We cannot say that we will never be wrong. We should also be careful for the sake of others. My past experience and today's light show me that my errors have been more than my obedience. I am afraid that our living unwittingly becomes a stumbling block to others! I really have nothing that is better than others. I do not submit more than others. Everything that I have comes from bathing in grace. There are still many areas where I need the Lord's forgiveness, mercy, grace, enlightenment, instruction, and perfecting. For this reason, I need the cross and the deeper work of the Holy Spirit in my attitude toward others. Only when I have new light will my experience become more real. Then I will be acceptable before the Lord. The flesh is hasty and lacks love! I need to wait and pray. The Lord needs to give us a proper attitude to receive others' opinions. I am afraid that it is easier for those who have received the light of the truth to fall into coldness and unkindness. I was this way before, so I hope you will be careful in this matter! The Lord gave a good testimony concerning the truth before Pilate. No one could find any fault in Him — hardness or impoliteness — with which to condemn Him. May we live Him out.
(The preceding two portions are excerpts from a letter written by a certain sister to a sister in K'un-ming — Editor.)
Four years ago, I publicly answered a letter from Brother Wang Kai-sen about a group of brothers being called the "Open Brethren" and whether or not they were a denomination. Not long ago when I was in Southeast Asia, a brother (an Englishman) in Tai-Ping wanted to prove that these brothers were not a denomination. After listening to him, I still believe that much of what I wrote before is correct. There is one point that he mentioned, however, that certainly is true. He pointed out that the phrase Christian Missions in Many Lands does not represent a mission board, because "missions" is plural. Furthermore, the word "in" is used instead of the word "of." Although I have seen people who consider this group an organization and abbreviate it as C.M.M.L., I believe my brother's word. Therefore, I am making a statement concerning this matter so that all the brothers will know the truth. We know that the churches in the Bible are local, so we cannot say and we have no need to say who is and who is not a denomination. All we have to ask is whether a church is a church in the locality. We cannot say whether the Brethren in a certain place are a denomination or not. We should determine this by the condition in that locality. May God give us grace, and I ask the brothers to forgive my inaccuracy. (Please read The Normal Christian Church Life when it is published.)
Watchman NeeMarch 5, 1938in Hong Kong
Praise and thank God that although the ages pass away and environments change, His works are eternal. The truth He ordains cannot be worn away by time. The gifts He has given in Christ are new in every age. Therefore, in every age He raises up witnesses who are according to His heart to testify of His Son Jesus Christ. We must thank and praise God for this!
Many witnesses and specific testimonies are needed in all the churches today, but the most urgent testimony is a scripturally-based ascertaining of God's work, the church's organization, the principles of the apostles' work, and the establishment of the local churches. The main goal of this book is to meet this need and to resolve many difficult questions concerning the various aspects of the local churches.
The title of the book is Rethinking Our Work (The Normal Christian Church Life); it was written by Brother Watchman Nee. Its value is priceless, and its nature is special. It is based purely on the special revelation of God and the special light of the Holy Spirit. In my opinion this book can be called a constitution among the churches of God today. It is the outline of the organization of the local churches and a bright light to the apostles who go out for their work. It is a guiding star for Christian unity. My crude phrases cannot give a good introduction to the highlights of the book. I only hope that the readers will read it from cover to cover several times to obtain all the truth and blessings in this book.
There are ten chapters in this book. Every section of every chapter is based on scriptural facts and proofs. It explains the New Testament work during the apostolic age and the principles for establishing churches. It also provides detailed answers to many important questions about the work and the church. The nature of this book is particular, and its messages are important. We who serve the Lord full-time must read it. The elders who bear responsibility in each locality must also read it. Even more all the children of the Father should have a copy, and they should read and consider it again and again.
May all the brothers who read this book gain the light of the Holy Spirit, and may they realize that God's goal is not just for Christ to be the individual Christ but the corporate Christ. The center of all of God's work is Christ. He is the Lord of all, and He is worthy to be praised eternally. The readers should also know that God is still the rewarder of those who seek Him with all their heart. For this reason, I hope that all the brothers would not only receive the light of the truth but also become channels of life in the church today to the glory of God the Father until the Lord Christ returns. This is my earnest hope. Amen.
Philip Luan,January 8, 1938, Hong Kong
Chapter 1 The Ministry and the MinistersChapter 2 The ApostlesChapter 3 The Setting Apart and Movements of the ApostlesChapter 4 The Elders Appointed by the ApostlesChapter 5 The Churches Founded by the ApostlesChapter 6 The Basis of Oneness and DivisionChapter 7 The Work and the ChurchesChapter 8 Among the WorkersChapter 9 The Question of MoneyChapter 10 The Organization of Local Churches
Greetings to the brothers and sisters in the Lord:
The brothers and sisters from the assembly in Hangchow have mostly scattered into all regions. Brother Si Meng-yu, Brother Chang Ming-jing, and I have moved from Li-Shui, Chekiang to Ji-An, Kiangsi. There are seven or eight brothers with the sisters in their families, so we can still meet and have the table. Brother Ma Ti-sheng and Brother Chen Yi-liang are in Li-Shui. Brother Ruan Chi-yu and Brother Lee Kwei-sien are in Hangchow. The region of Chou-Jia-Pu was burned to the ground. The brothers and sisters there need our petitions. Please send us a letter telling us about the brothers who are living in Nan-ch'ang and Ch'ang-sha. (Brother Yu Nan-geng is in Nan-ch'ang; see Issue No. 5 of this publication. In Ch'ang-sha, you can go to the Faith Orphanage, 12 Huo Yao Chu Street to find Brother Liu Ai-wu — Editor.) Please send us three copies of The Open Door.
Your brother,Chiu Chung-manMarch 17[Address omitted]
Most of the brothers and sisters in Soochow left the city when the war began on August 13. Just a small number remained in the city. On November 9 and 11 of last year, it seemed as if there was a continuous air raid alarm from morning to night. Thank the Lord, the bombs did not come near us. The brothers and sisters who were in the city took a boat and left for another place on the fifteenth of November. In our group there were Brother Jin Fang-lien and his family, Brother Chin Yao-ching and his family, Brother Lu Tze-shing and his family, and Sister Wei Siang-yun, for a total of about thirty people. We were divided into two boats that were going to Wusih together. We met with great danger along the way. Brother Jin's boat was destroyed by a bomb, but thank the Lord, the lives of his whole family were preserved. After this we separated. Brother Jin and the others traveled for fifty days and arrived safely in Shanghai on January 10. We continued ahead and have been living in the countryside around Wusih for three months. Thank the Lord for His grace. Brother Chin Yao-ching and his entire family have now returned to Soochow. Brother Lu Tze-shing and Sister Wei Siang-yun arrived safely in Shanghai on February 18. As I look back on the past months, I have to thank the Lord for His great grace in enabling us to safely pass through all kinds of hardships and dangers on the road, both in our environment and in our living. We only have news from the brothers and sisters who left before November 11. After November 11, with the exception of Mrs. Chui and Mrs. Chai, whose families had safely arrived in Shanghai, we have not heard anything from the rest. We heard that Brother Shen Guan-min and his family are in Lan-Si, Chekiang, and that they met up with bandits. (This is Brother Lu Tze-shing's oral testimony after arriving in Shanghai. We thank God for it, but we also hope to hear news from the rest of the brothers and sisters — Editor.)
"Sister Wu Jen-han's mailing address is [omitted]. When she left, she carried only one Bible with her. Sister Chao Jing-tze arrived in Shanghai on March 11. Her twelve year-old child, sister, and brother-in-law, Hsu Lien-hwei, and their five sons came with her. A sister has taken her to the Red Cross Nursing School to get a job washing clothes and taking inventory. The rest are living in the meeting hall temporarily. Sister Jin Bao-jieh has arrived in Shanghai. Brother Chang Hwei-zhi left Shanghai on March 23 and arrived in Hankow by way of Hong Kong and Canton. His mother (Mrs. Chang An-wei) has come from Lan-Si to Shanghai. She lives at 8 Ping-Ji Lane." (The preceding is an excerpt from Brother Ho Yueh-chiao's letters dated between February 25 and March 22 — Editor.)
"Sister Huang Bao-ji will probably find a job in Shanghai. She is now helping out in the laboratory of a nearby refugee hospital." (From Sister Chen Jing's letter of February 17 — Editor.) [Address omitted]
"In Jia-Shan, the people are still very nervous. They are still fleeing from danger. I returned to Jia-Shan yesterday. If there are any letters, please send them c/o Wei Gan-chun, Food Service Department, Yung-An Company, Nanking Road, Shanghai." (From Brother Wei Jing-dao's letter of February 20 — Editor.)
On March 13, Hankow received a letter from Sister Shao Ai-yu saying that she was safe in Gao-Yu. We still do not have any news of Sister Shao Heng. [Address omitted]
"Although I serve in the post office and have moved with my job on and off, I arrived in Li-Shui on January 1. My family moved here on February 26 from Ju-Jih. Brothers Lee Kwei-sien, Ruan Chi-yu, Hsu Yung-ming, and Chai En-lai and their wives and Mrs. Chang Jing-hai are all in Hangchow. Brother Chen Fang is in Jin-Shiang, Ping-Yang." (From Brother Ma Di-sheng's letter of March 31 from Li-Shui — Editor.)
Brother Shan Kai-fen's letter of March 11 says that Brother Huang Jai-ching and his mother moved from Hangchow in November of last year and have been living in Brother Yen Buo-yin's home in Si-Shing since then. Brother Huang takes some responsibility for preaching messages in the assembly in Si-Shing. (His mailing address is [omitted].) Brother Hsu Jen-rong moved from Hangchow to Chou-Jia-Pu last year. His wife had a nineteen-day-old baby at the time, and they had to flee into the mountains on very steep roads. It was a great suffering to them, but the Lord's grace cared for them in every aspect. Although they have nothing, neither do they lack anything. The entire family arrived in Shao-Shing in the middle of February, and they are now living in Dan-Ju-Wu. Praise the Lord's grace unceasingly! [Address omitted]
Greetings in the Lord to Brother X:
Thank God for keeping us safe in Him. There are daily prayer meetings in the river regions in the brothers' homes. The numbers in the meetings are growing. The work of the Holy Spirit continues to revive us. There are some who were drawn by the world in the past but have now returned to the Lord. The Lord is our only support.
There are six local churches in Nan-Sha: Wan-An-Chiao, Si-Shing, Ji-Shan-Chiao, Jia-Zao, Tou-Peng, and Hsin-Wan-Di. Altogether there are more than one thousand people in the meetings. More than four hundred partake of the table.
Although there was bombing in Hsiao-Shan, God preserved His own children from harm. Yen Bai-yin's father-in-law was able to bring out two Gentile children, even though he is more than seventy years old. One sister had five buildings in town which were left standing. We praise Him! The God of Abraham is our God! He is our God today! He is the God who is coming soon! We must sing hallelujah. We will sing hallelujah forever. Amen. Peace in the Lord!
Your little brother in the Lord,Kao Chi-luh[Address omitted]
We received God's promise to have a conference for two days on February 3-4. We invited Brother Kao Guang-lan, Brother Hsu Ren-hai, and Brother Chen Jung-you of Wan-An-Chiao to come bear the responsibility for the messages. More than sixty brothers and sisters came to the meetings. We received God's blessing, and the result was good. We would like to subscribe to receive four copies of The Open Door. If possible, please start our subscription with the next issue. The names on the subscriptions should be: Nee Ren-goan, Wang Ai-yi, Chen Bao-chu, Ong Shan-fu. Please remember us in prayer. The address of our meeting hall is Chen Bao-chu House Annex, Ying-Hsia-Wei, Sin-Sha-Di, Kan-Shan, Chekiang. Peace in the Lord!
Your little brothers in the Lord,Nee Ren-goan, Wang Ai-yi[Address omitted]
I recently received the second issue of The Open Door. Thank the Lord for His abundant grace. Please continue to send it in the future. All the brothers in Tai-Shun receive their mail in care of Foo-Cheng-Hsing, Foo-Ding. Please send it with their names on it. There are more than twenty churches in our county. The largest locality has between eighty and ninety people, and the smallest only two or three. The rest have around twenty or thirty. They are very cold spiritually. Thankfully, the workers from the region of Ping-Yang in our province sometimes come to care for and cultivate us.
Your brother,Chang Meng-jiuThird day of the Chinese New Year[Address omitted]
Yesterday I received a copy of the third issue of The Open Door. Thank God for His grace! I often remember the brothers and sisters in the Lord who are suffering from the war. May the Lord reveal the last three phrases of John 16:33 in our heart continually. May the Lord also come in glory to rapture those of us who are waiting for Him. May the Lord give us grace and strengthen us to glorify the Father during our sojourn here on earth. Please greet Brother Yu-zhi and Brother Stephen, whom I met in Shanghai. Please greet all the brothers and sisters. We are all members together of Christ, even though we have never met. Please greet senior Mrs. Nee. I keep the words that she spoke to me in the Shanghai Gospel Book Room in my heart. Where is Mr. Shan Kai-fen? (Please read the news in this issue to find out — Editor.) Praise and thank the Lord that even though we come together and separate often, we will meet before Him with rejoicing forever in that day, never to depart! Peace in the Lord!
Your weak brother in the Lord,Nee Teh-sienFebruary 15, 1938[Address omitted]
Peace in the Lord to my dear Brother Tsi-yi:
The situation in Wenchow has quieted down recently. Some of the brothers and sisters have already moved from the countryside back to the city. The meetings in the city continue as usual. I moved back to the city from the countryside yesterday. My health still has not fully recovered. Please do not forget to pray for me. What is your present situation? Are the brothers and sisters safe and well? Peace in the Lord.
Your brother,Pan Huo-lingMarch 16[Address omitted]
Although we do not write often, in my spirit I feel that our fellowship before God is like one family around the same father. Shu County, Anhwei, has not been affected. The trains continue on schedule. If the environment permits, I will go to Kweilin to work for three months. Sisters Jiao Wei-jen and Chang Jing-shan are still living in Hwai-Yuen. The people in the church there are all safe. I believe you are praying for us just as we are praying for you. Greetings to all the brothers and sisters.
Your servant in the Lord,Cheng Ji-gueiFebruary 26
(According to a letter from a brother in Hankow, Mr. Cheng Ji-guei has passed through Hankow and gone on to Kweilin. His family is staying temporarily in Ch'ang-sha. We were very worried about Sisters Jiao and Chang. Thank the Lord for this letter — Editor.)
We are wiring X dollars collected from the Lord's Day offering. Please accept it and distribute it to the work in the remote regions or to the brothers and sisters in need because of the war. The Lord willing, Miss Bao Hsu-min will come to Sien-You in the middle of this month to edify the sisters. Please pray for this. We have heard that Brother Nee went to England. Will The Open Door continue to be published? We are concerned about this! (Brother Nee left for Singapore on March 5. He will pass through India on his way to England in a little more than a month. The Open Door will continue to be published every month — Editor.)
From the church in Sien-YouYour little child in the Lord,Tseng Kuang-yuMarch 8
Greetings to my brother in the Lord, Mr. X:
It has been more than a month since we parted in Shanghai. I hope that by the presence of the Lord's grace, your body and spirit have been blessed with peace. I received the Local Newsletter and The Open Door. Through them I learned about the travels of the brothers and sisters and the news of the work in all the localities. Thank you. May the Lord bless this publication work which enables those in Christ to have fellowship and to love one another in a practical way. Through such a publication, there can be the mutual exhortation, comforting, and care, as well as the promotion of the gospel in one accord to the glory of the Lord's name, amen! After leaving Shanghai on January 14, I arrived in Fukien on the sixteenth. I stayed in Foochow for one week and returned to Han-Jiang on the twenty-fourth. I was cared for by the Lord's grace and arrived home safely. I am writing so you will know and not worry. I am now at home without a job. Please pray much for my future. May the Lord's grace be with you. Greet all the brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Your little brother in the Lord,Fang Jia-jeMarch 2[Address omitted]
Please receive X dollars from the offering box in our locality from the past two Lord's Days, c/o Brother Yueh-chiao of Shanghai. It is not a large amount, but it comes from the sincerity of our hearts. Please use it to supply the brothers and sisters in need.
Your little brothers in the church in Feng-Ting,Chen Tuo-sien, Chen Bing-chiaFebruary 28
After returning to Fukien, I taught for awhile at a girls' school, but I quit because I wanted to live for the Word which I believed. May the Lord cultivate me so that my suffering life will grow. I want to be faithful in this way and follow Him to the end! Where is Brother Tang Shou-ling? (Please read the fifth issue of this publication for the news from Brother Tang — Editor.)
Your little sister in the Lord,Chou Gi-chenMarch 1[Address omitted]
Dear X in the Lord:
I received and read The Open Door and learned about the hardships of the brothers and sisters in each locality and how God preserved them. The Lord is worthy to be praised, amen! I deeply believe that God's children will know His love, faithfulness, and power better because of what they have suffered. I also believe that God wants His children to serve Him better and to preach the gospel of grace in every place. At the end of last November, God gave me a word when I left Tsen-Jiang: "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" (2 Cor. 9:15). God led me and my family according to His promise safely out of Tsen-Jiang through Jiu-Jiang and Hankow to Yuan-Jiang. In Yuan-Jiang, I found out that Mr. Chen Kai-yuan (formerly of Shanghai University) was the principal of the Yi-Yang Lutheran High School (a distance of ninety miles from Yuan-Jiang). I made a special visit to him and asked him to find me a job. The next day I received a word from God, saying, "Jehovah will complete that which concerns me" (Psa. 138:8). A few days later I received an answering letter from him inviting me to teach two classes of English in the junior high section. (I am now concurrently teaching another class in a girls' secondary school.) I came to Yi-Yang on February 17 of this year. Thank God for giving me an opportunity to testify in the school. Many of the teachers and students in this school desire the truth and like to listen to the Word. There are already several sisters in Yi-Yang (Mrs. Chiu and the rest) who were under the care of Brother Yu Cheng-hwa. They have prayed earnestly before God for the work in Yi-Yang and have asked Him to send workers. When they got the news that I had come to Yi-Yang, their hearts were filled with praise to the Lord because they thought He had heard their prayers. However, I really feel weak. I am not worthy to be His worker, so please do not forget me in your prayers. Pray that I would be a holy vessel, able to glorify His holy name, amen. There are more than ten brothers and sisters here. There is a prayer meeting every Lord's Day afternoon. After that meeting we study the Bible. We use Bible Studies for Beginners as our text. I hope that through the grace of God, I will lead sinners to the Lord, edify the brothers and sisters, and grow in life myself, despite my weakness. Every Saturday afternoon we take turns preaching the gospel in the brothers' and sisters' homes. The number of those who desire the Word is gradually increasing. Praise the Lord! May God continue to bless His work and cause all the work to be according to His heart's desire. Please do pray for us. The address of our meetings is 5 O-Yang-Chih, Er-Pao, Yi-Yang. Peace in the Lord! Please greet all the co-workers.
Your little brother in the Lord,Zhang Gung-jihMarch 13[Address omitted]
Greetings to all my dear brothers and sisters in the Lord:
May you have peace! May we through grace run the race that is set before us in Christ. May the Lord grant us the grace to follow Him faithfully without flinching. The meetings here continue as usual. There was a ten-day conference beginning on March 7. Although this conference suffered the attacks of the powers of darkness, it still went on peacefully, thank the Lord. The Lord prepared everything for us, and He satisfied and comforted those who looked to Him. He also made us realize what poor failures we ourselves are. May the Lord deal with us more deeply so that His church may be revived. A nightly Bible study began on March 28. Sister Ruth Lee is still responsible for it. We are studying Genesis 25. We hope that through the earnest petitions of many brothers and sisters, Satan's frustrations will be foiled, and we will all have a receptive and submissive heart that seeks for something more than knowledge.
We really feel the importance and necessity of prayer. May we all pray earnestly for one another so that we would stand firm in this raging storm and glorify the Lord's name. Sister Lee and Sister Chang and the other brothers and sisters are all well. Brother Chang Yu-zhi and Sister Peace Wang are working very well in Ch'eng-tu. If the Lord allows, they will return to Chungking next month. Sisters Lee and Chang have said that they will go to Ch'eng-tu next month. Sister Han Feng-yi arrived in Chungking from Hankow on the sixth of this month. She left by bus on the fifteenth for the Kuei-yang Medical School to continue her studies. We have already received a letter from her saying that she arrived safely in Kuei-yang. Sister Wei Cheung-sien also came to Chungking and left for Kuei-yang on March 28. We hope you will pray for her. Brother Yuan How-tsai came to Chungking from Hankow on the twenty-fourth because his sister died. He returned to Hankow on April 1 with his elderly mother. Brother Liu Yi-peng went to Ch'eng-tu on business and will return to Chungking shortly. Finally, please do not forget to pray for the assembly here. May we testify for the Lord and glorify His name. May the Lord be with you forever and ever!
Your weak members in the Lord,Lee Yun-sien, Liu Kwo-hwaMarch 27[Address omitted]
The churches here have been deeply blessed by God. His work is proceeding on as usual. The brothers and sisters have all been protected by God. Thank the Lord, I was sent out by the Lord to Bao-Tou. If God opens the way, I am willing to come see you shortly. May the Father bless His own work. We petition, pray, thank, praise, and give glory to our Lord and Father for each other. Greetings to all the brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Lee Jin-biaoFebruary 8[Address omitted]
Greetings to my brother in the Lord, Mr. X:
Thank God. By reading The Open Door, we can learn the news about the brothers and sisters in every place and about the apostles, and we also see God's marvelous leading of His children and His multifaceted care through miracles of love. Hallelujah! There is a group of brothers and sisters in Sian that have the same burden concerning the need for a meeting. There were some difficulties at first in finding a place, but God worked them all out for us. There was a meeting of the brothers and sisters last Lord's Day (February 20) at 4 Chao- Jia Lane, Dong-Kwan — that is Sister Lee Kwei-rong's home. More than ten people attended. Most have come here because of the war. We will begin to have the table to remember the Lord this next Lord's Day. We do not have a gospel meeting yet. May the Lord give us grace for everything. May the Lord's name be glorified. Please pray for us. Peace in the Lord!
Your sister in the Lord,Yuan Hai-lianFebruary 22[Address omitted]
Greetings to X:
Although we have never met, we are born of one Spirit in the Lord. I have been saved for six years, but spiritually I am just a six-year-old child and am still quite ignorant of the Lord's purpose. Every time I pray, I believe that God is protecting Brother Hsu Jung-jieh, Brother Tang Shou-ling, and Brother Chao Rue-tze and his wife. However, I still worry about them. While I was worrying and hoping, I suddenly received a copy of The Open Door. When I read it, I found that the first news was of Brother Hsu and then of Brothers Tang and Chao. I also learned about the situation of the other brothers and sisters in the work. I must joyfully give thanks and praise to the Lord, and I must thank you. However, I cannot stop worrying about Brother Tang. May the Lord protect and lead him, amen. Perhaps I will go to Ch'eng-tu, Chinghai, or Tibet. I will see how the Lord leads. Please pray much for me so that I would follow you to glorify His name. Please pray for my family also (my mother, my wife, Ling-wei, and my children, Ching-sin, Yueh-ling, Jieh-sin, and Hsu-sin) because they are all still in the war zone (Fen-Cheng, Shansi). May God protect them. I will tell you the rest later. I greet you with peace. Greetings to the brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Your little brother in the Lord,Chang Kuang-taiMarch 5[Address omitted]
Peace to my dearest brother in the Lord, X:
I received your letter and learned everything. In my heart, I do not want to live in Hong Kong. But since the Lord has loved me so much, in these last days, I should love Him and take up my own cross to preach the gospel. I do not understand Cantonese or English, so I would not be able to testify for Him. I would be willing to go to Hunan or Szechuan for the following reasons. First, I would have the opportunity to do some holy work. Second, both male and female students can study in schools set up by the Lord. Third, I can follow the example of the apostle Paul's work. If the Lord prepares a brother in the Lord as a partner with me in business, we could set up a milk processing plant or some other business. If the Lord does not allow me to do business, I am also willing to preach the gospel for a living. I believe that God is trustworthy. Property and money cannot be relied on in this evil world. I have given everything to Christ and will follow His leading. My father sent a letter from Ning-Po asking me to return to manage the family business and property. According to the flesh, I would be well off in clothing, food, and lodging, but I really do not want to enjoy the pleasures of sin in Egypt. I would rather lead a life of suffering in the wilderness together with the Lord. I hope that you will pray for me. Wherever the Lord allows me to go, I would ask you to please send me a letter with clear directions. There has been no communication for the past two months in eastern Shantung, so I do not know anything. It takes twenty days for a letter to get here from Chefoo. May the Lord's grace be with your wife and children, amen.
Your little brother in the Lord,Tsou Shing-WuFebruary 27[Address omitted]
(Brother Tsou: Where do you want to go in Hunan or Szechuan? You could read the addresses listed for the work and the churches in Hunan and Szechuan. If you want to go to a place where there are brothers and sisters, you could write to them directly yourself and ask them how to get there. You could also find out their general condition — Editor.)
Sister X:
I am at home living in grace in all things. The Lord heard our prayers in the past. I believe that the Lord will also continue to grace me unceasingly. I received a letter from Sister Cheng last month and learned about the condition of the assembly in Shanghai. It is too bad that the mail service is so inconvenient; it has prevented me from receiving more of the Local Newsletters. How discouraging it is to be kept away from the knowledge of the brothers' and sisters' situations! I hope that the Lord will give me another chance to enjoy meeting with you before the Lord. I feel really dry and long for the sisters' meetings. Praise the Lord. His presence is with me. Have Mr. and Mrs. Luan already arrived in Chungking? Are Mr. and Mrs. Yuan doing well? How has Mr. Chang Yu-zhi's health been? Greet Miss Chang for me.
Your sister,Yu Fang-rueFebruary 26[Address omitted]
(Mr. and Mrs. Luan are still in Hong Kong. Mr. Yuan is in Hankow. Mrs. Yuan is still in Chungking. She will return to Hankow during summer vacation. Brother Yu-zhi's health is much better — Editor.)
Greetings to my dear brothers in the Lord,
I was overjoyed to receive one copy of the second issue of The Open Door at the end of December last year. It helped me spiritually and also gave me much urgently needed news. Thank the Lord! In this time of war, there is more of a need for putting out this kind of publication. Through it God's children can communicate with each other, instead of worrying about one another. Brother Yu told me something about the situation of the brothers and sisters in Tsinan, but I did not know where they had gone and wanted to find out something about them by any means. Thank the Lord. This publication completely dispelled the worry from my heart. I know that they are all safe. My sister, Ms. Wen You-sin, and I have not left Tai-An yet. We are all safe because we work for the Methodist Church. We are believers, and we obey the authorities; therefore, we do not worry; rather, we have peace in our heart to rely on the Lord and remain here. All the denominations have set up refugee centers for women and children. They have met the need of many believers and refugees. I am very busy working for a women and children's center. Please do not worry about me. I greet you with peace in the Lord! I have not had any news about Brother Shao Teh-sen of Canton and Mr. and Mrs. Pan Hwei-sheng of Nanking. Please print something about them in The Open Door. Sister Liu Shu-yuan is safe in Gao-Mi. She is recovering from her illness. Where are Brother Lee Tze-jung and Brother Witness Lee of Chefoo? Please print their news.
Your weak brother in the Lord,Liang Chian-buoFebruary 6[Address omitted]
(Brother Witness Lee is in Chefoo. Brother Lee Tze-jung is in Tsingtao. Mr. and Mrs. Pan have already returned to Amoy. Brother Shao Teh-sen is at the Hwei-Ai Hospital, Lien-Chow, Canton — Editor.)
Dear Brother X in the Lord:
You must be worrying about us. Thank God that we can love each other in the Lord. We are still safe. Furthermore, all of Tsinan is peaceful. We do not lack any necessities, but there is some inflation. It costs about five dollars for a sack of flour, but God has not allowed us to lack physically. We do feel very dry spiritually, however. This is because there are too few meetings. It is not convenient to meet at night, and we must work during the day. Our gospel meeting on the Lord's Day is not so good because we dare not open the gate and invite many people to come listen. We have the table meeting in the afternoon to remember the Lord. Everyone is very discouraged because the work is not prospering. When we were in this kind of situation in the past, we could get the help from workers or brothers and sisters from outside, but now all fellowship with the outside has stopped except through letters and prayers. Please pray much for us and the Lord's work. Perhaps God wants us to learn a lesson during this time that we have not had the opportunity to learn before. May the Lord lead us with the Holy Spirit and grant us a view of His will.
We see so many living dead people here. Almost everyone is dead. Then we think of the Lord's marvelous grace and His death and resurrection for men. The two things are such a contrast. We are compelled to inquire of the Lord concerning the way to begin the gospel work here. Should we be bold or should we go slowly? Should we do it little by little in the meetings or shout it out loudly outside? May the Lord give us a heart of wisdom and power. Please pray for this matter. Even the brothers and sisters feel dry because there is no one to rise up to teach and shepherd. We can only rise up ourselves and strive along with God (there are not many who will strive). Perhaps this is a blessing. (If you strive with God, this striving will certainly produce positive results. If a few are willing to strive before God and continue to pray, revival will be waiting at the corner — Editor.) I see so many who are dry; some have even fallen. (Water from a waterbag is exhausted quickly. But if God opens our eyes, we will see the springs. Gen. 21:15-19; Judg. 15:18-19 — Editor.) We can only ask God to care for those whom He has redeemed with His life. Please pray for us. We have had news from Tsingtao, Peking, and Tientsin but have heard nothing from the brothers and sisters in Tsou County. Do you have any news of Brother Liu Tien-min, Brother Chen Buo-heng, and Brother Sun Shi-bih? (We have not received any news from them for several months. We hope someone who knows about them will tell us — Editor.) O Lord, may You come quickly! Peace to you in the Lord. Greet all the brothers and sisters.
Your brothers representing the church in Tsinan,Chen Shi-chen, Ren Yi-cheng, Yu Jia-chi
I received a letter from Brother Sung Jing-sheng of Kuang- Rao. He said, "It is very peaceful here now. The brothers and sisters are all safe. There are still some who fled to the countryside who have not returned, but all are safe. Mr. Nieh of Mao-Wang Village (Brother Dao-hung) and the brothers and sisters there are all well. That village was not bothered one bit. We really thank the Lord!" Brother Lee Sheh-sin (Lee Tze-jung) and his whole family are in Tsingtao. They are not far from the meeting hall and are safe. Brother Chang Tze-jieh often goes to elderly Brother Wang's house to visit him. Sister Wang's two brothers are also in Tsingtao.
Nai Tsing-sinMarch 1[Address omitted]
Peace in the Lord to X:
I received your letter of February 26. With regard to your inquiry as to whether The Dynamics of Service could be published in The Open Door instead, of course, there is no problem. With regard to your request that I write a little, I dare not promise you anything. I can only say that if the Lord gives me a burden, I will not refuse. Have Sister Wang and Brother Yu-zhi gone to Ch'eng-tu? May the Lord bless you all and your work in the outlying regions! We are all safe by the Lord's grace. Thank the Lord. The brothers and sisters are all well. They have been affected slightly in their jobs, but they can still get by. Thank the Lord. Peace in the Lord!
Your brother,Witness LeeMarch 15[Address omitted]
With regard to the sisters in Chefoo, Sister Jin-gui often accompanies me. On Saturdays, Mrs. Hsu Kuang-yueh comes with us to the Sin-Sheng Factory. Mrs. Luan meets there and teaches the sisters to read some easy lessons (they have just learned to read). In addition to the Sin-Sheng Factory, Sin- Feng also wants us to come visit those who have believed or want to believe. Teh-Tai and Hung-Yuan also want us to go. All of these places are asking us to go once a week, and we have been to all of them already. The families are also much more strengthened. There are more seeking ones now than before.
Hsiu-fen[Address omitted]
Thank the Lord, our brothers and sisters have been preserved by the Lord in safety. The meetings and the work have not been hindered. The Lord really heard our prayers. After Brother Witness returned to Chefoo from Hankow, there were three weeks of Bible studies. Thank the Lord, we really saw the Lord's blessing and presence. Many of the brothers and sisters in Chefoo were edified. On the Chinese New Year, we had a special edification conference for the believers. It lasted for a week. We saw the Lord's presence in this conference. The attendance in every meeting exceeded three hundred. The condition of the assembly in Chefoo has been very good recently. May the Lord lead us to live in His light.
Chao Jing-hwaiFebruary 7[Address omitted]
Peace to my dear brother in the Lord!
The church in our locality plans to hold a revival conference from April 27 to May 1. The brothers and sisters in the church also have been led by the Lord in one accord to write a letter to you. We hope that Mr. Watchman Nee or Mr. Witness Lee would be willing to suffer the hardship and be sent by the Lord to Mi-Yang to help us. If they are unable to come, we would like any other spiritual servant or handmaid who is much used by the Lord to come. (But we do not know their names.) This letter will at least let you know about the church in Mi-Yang and its needs. Perhaps you will be led to sympathize with us and pray for us. If it is the Lord's will for one of His servants to come but the time we have set is not convenient, we can change our schedule to one week earlier or one week later. If the conference is blessed by the Lord and there is a feeling that it is too short, we can lengthen it according to His will. If you have not come to Honan before, you can take a train to Chu-Ma-Dien. You can stay at the Assembly of God on Gung-Ho Street east of the train tracks and come on to Mi-Yang early the next day. We are waiting for your reply.
The Lord's little servant,Liu Ming-chengMarch 22[Address omitted]
(Mr. Watchman Nee is abroad. We will forward your letter to Mr. Witness Lee and ask him to answer it directly — Editor.)
The work here has been blessed by God very much. Last Lord's Day (March 6) five brothers and eleven sisters were baptized. Many of their testimonies proved God's marvelous works and salvation. We can only thank Him and give all the glory to Him. This week (March 7-12) there will be a gospel meeting every afternoon at two o'clock. (Sister Rachel Lee will be responsible for it.) There will be a sisters' edification meeting every evening at seven o'clock. (This is the first of its kind in K'un-ming. Sister Yu Su-jeng will be responsible for it.) May the Lord do a more thorough work. There is some joyful news. Brother Yin Tzu-lan and his wife will soon come to Mong-Tze, Yunnan from Hong Kong. Mong-Tze is a large city in Yunnan. It has good communication, and the climate is good. It is just a little warmer than K'un-ming. May God use our brother to raise up His testimony there. Thank God for opening a way for our sister Wang Ju-ching. She is already head nurse at the Tung-Ren Hospital here. The old meeting hall is next door to the Tung-Ren Hospital, and the doctors and nurses there sometimes come to hear the word. Sister Wang is there, so we hope that she will be able to lead them to know the Lord. Sister Chang Jing-shia is often asked by patients to be their home nurse (because doctors recommend her). Brother Chang Jing-yuan has not yet found a suitable job. I have heard that he has a burden to go out to the neighboring towns with Brother Chen Hsi-wen to do the work of passing out tracts and preaching the gospel. Sister Chu Teh-hua does not have a job yet, either. May the Lord open a way for her soon. Brother Chou Kang-yao and his wife are really laboring in one accord for the furtherance of the gospel. Brother Chou has preached individually to many air cadets, and several of them have been saved. Brother Weigh will probably take a trip to Shi-Ping in the near future. Sister Yu may go with Brother Weigh to that region of Yunnan (Mong-Tze, Shi-Ping, and Lin-An) to work. Please pray for this.
Your little brother in the Lord,Huang TsungMarch 14[Address omitted]
Dear Sister Ruth in the Lord:
Thank the Lord for His great grace. He knew that Kuei-yang lacked workers to preach the Lord's salvation, and He answered our prayer. He moved some of you and placed this thought into your hearts. I pray that the Lord would impart some spiritual gifts to you so that you might bring them to us. May the Lord use you to bear much good fruit to the glory of His name. When you leave Jun-Yi Station on your way here, send a telegram or ask the people in the Gospel Chapel to telephone us. Christian greetings to you. Greetings to Sister Wang, Sister Chang, and Brother Chang.
Your sister in the Lord,Chen Hsu-kuangMarch 11[Address omitted]
Greetings to my dear X in the Lord!
We are together with you and all the brothers from all localities in Hankow in spirit, even though we are separated physically. Foochow has already been bombed three times, but the Lord has preserved and protected us. Our almighty Lord is certainly able to care for the brothers and sisters during this war. We are believers in the Lord, and our hope of glory is much closer under this kind of situation. The Lord is already at the door, hallelujah! We remember the brothers and sisters in difficulties in the Lord. We also remember the Lord's work. We are hereby respectfully forwarding X dollars. Please take the time to distribute it for us. Thank you. Please do not forget to pray for the work in the region of Lien-Jiang, Fukien. May the Lord revive His church and save sinners. Glory to the Lord's name, amen! Whenever it is convenient, please instruct us and send us the word which you put out there. I cannot write all that I want to say. When we meet face to face we can further our communication. May the Lord's grace overflow to you! Greet all the brothers and sisters in the Lord for me! Revelation 22:20; 2 Peter 1:2, 11, 5-7.
Your weak sister in the Lord,Chen Shu-yingMarch 17, 1938[Address omitted]
We remitted X dollars through the postal service today. X dollars are for The Open Door, and X dollars are for the brothers and sisters who are in difficulties. This money came from the offering box. Please use it according to the wishes of the offerers and distribute it for them. Thank you! The meetings here continue as usual. There is a message meeting on the Lord's Day morning at half past nine. The Lord's table meeting is at three o'clock in the afternoon. (We used to preach the gospel, but we have stopped for awhile.) There is a sisters' meeting at seven o'clock on Tuesdays. Thursday evening is still the prayer meeting. Most of the brothers and sisters who left Swatow have returned. Only a few are still living in the countryside. We went into the interior to work three times. Thank God, He was with us. We hope to go work there many times in the future. We are now waiting and praying for the Lord's leading. Please pray for this matter much. Brother Chen Wen-kuang sent a letter recently saying that since he returned to Fukien, his health has begun to improve and his voice has returned somewhat. We really thank and praise our Lord who hears our prayer!
Mrs. Liu has been very sad since the death of Brother Liang-wei because of their relationship. She is somewhat comforted because he was so peaceful when he died. The shipping business has been blessed by the Lord. Sister Lin Lee Tsuo-yu plans to go to Singapore. She is still living in Sister Chai Lan-jen's An Chuan Birth Clinic on Sin-Shing Street. Has The Christian been published recently? (We are preparing to print it — Editor.) If you publish anything, please send us some copies.
Your brothers in the Lord,Chen Fang-ching, Chai Gi-chen, Hsie Tse-shun[Address omitted]
Sister Phoebe:
Most of the brothers and sisters have left Canton for other places. Some have gone to Hong Kong. Some have gone to the countryside. There are a little more than ten people left here. We have stopped all meetings except for the table meeting on the Lord's Day because of the difficulty in transportation. In the past few weeks the brothers and sisters all agreed to resume the Thursday prayer meeting. Even though there are not many people, we are very much in one accord. We used to borrow a brother's house for all the meetings. Last Thursday Brother Shuan suggested that we borrow another house for preaching the gospel and for meetings. We are still praying. If the Lord is willing, He will do it. Please greet Sister Lee and the sisters living with her. Peace in the Lord!
Your sister, Du Ai-jenMarch 22
Dear Sister Ro-chen in the Lord:
There have not been many patients in the hospital recently because of the turmoil. I am not busy at work. I have received God's grace and am physically stronger every day. Thank you for your prayers in love. I often remember you before the Lord. I believe the Lord hears prayer and will give you grace. Peace in the Lord!
Your sister, Liang-yiFebruary 19[Address omitted]
Since the start of the war, we feel we must love the brothers and sisters with the Lord's love. Although our strength is limited, we will not fail God's word on brotherly love if we do our best. We cannot shut our eyes or excuse ourselves from the distress of our brothers and sisters. If we do this, how can we glorify God? I am wiring a small amount of money. Please accept it for the use of the brothers and sisters in need. Our locality has been blessed by the Lord, but we are really lonely. Please pray for us and for the church. Greet the brothers and sisters in Hankow and in all the localities for me.
Your brother,Yun Fung-zhan[Address omitted]
I received letters from Brothers Yu Dao-shen and Chu Loh-yuan from Chui-Jia-Juang, Lin-Zi, Shantung. They said, "The meetings in Lin-Zi continue as usual" (March 3).
Brother Chou You-sheng has found a job in the Hankow Central Savings Association. He was recommended by Brother Timothy Chou (March 11).
Sister Shang Yee-rong is clear about the Lord's calling and has decided to remain in Hankow. There are now twenty people living in the Gospel Court. All are in the Lord's grace and are getting along fine. Mr. and Mrs. Chang Jing-yu have left Hankow for Szechuan (March 15).
Two sisters arrived from Nan-Shu-Jou today. One is Miss Yuan Jing-hwa. The other is Sister Wang who wants to go to Siang-Ya Hospital in Ch'ang-sha. Sister Yuan will probably not go any place else. She will settle in Hankow. There are flights on the Hankow-Ch'eng-tu route every day. One can arrive in one day and make a complete trip in two. There is a flight to K'un-ming every three days. The round trip can be made in six days. There is no airport in Kweichow, so the trip must be made through Chungking. It takes more time. The Hankow-Yunnan airline flies every Wednesday and Saturday from Hankow and every Monday and Thursday from K'un-ming (March 18).
Yesterday afternoon at 2:20, Sister Wu Deh-shin and her elderly mother, Sister Kao, Brother and Sister Pan Hwei-sheng, and Brother Wang Ching-shan were in a group of nine people who took the Hankow-Canton train to Hong Kong. From Hong Kong Sister Wu will return to Tientsin. Brother Wang Ching-shan will go from Tientsin back to Tsinan. Brother and Sister Pan will return to Hwei-An County in Amoy which is their ancestral home. Sister Kao will return to Foochow (March 24).
Yesterday morning Brother Chu An-kuang brought seven students of the Yih County Agriculture Reform College from Yan-Cheng to Hankow. We have provided them temporary lodging at the orphanage. Each person has to pay X dollars a month for room and board. Brother Tsung Kung and his family of seven have also moved into the orphanage. They pay the orphanage X dollars in room and board every month. We really need to pray for their future and ask the Lord to open a way for them. Sister Liu Su-fang's illness has been healed by God, and she has already returned to Hankow (March 28).
(The preceding portions are all excerpts from Brother Lan Tsi-yi's letters — Editor.)
Brother Nee went to Southeast Asia on March 5. From there he will go to England. Brother Chao Shih-guang and Brother John Wang are both leading the meetings in Hong Kong. Praise the Lord! I have received much help from them (March 15).
Mrs. Sun Zhu Ming-seng returned to Canton last Tuesday. Sister Chen Bi-kun accompanied her. Sister Chen returned to Hong Kong yesterday. She will go to work in Yunnan at the end of the month. My health is improving, but I have not finished my studies for this semester. Please pray for me (March 20).
(The preceding portions are excerpts from Brother Philip Luan's letters.)
Brother Wang Lien-jun is in Hong Kong now. Mr. Chao Tze-wei was sick. Senior Mrs. Nee went to pray for him, and his sickness was cured. He was also saved. Miss Hu and Miss Dai and two other overseas missionaries are living with Mrs. Lin An-teh at 12 Granville Road, Floor 3, Kowloon. They really care about the work in Chung-Shan and pray for me often. Mrs. Lin An-teh greets Miss Chang. (This is an excerpt from Sister Huang Ro-chen's letter of March 7.)
I came from Chung-Shan to Hong Kong on the twenty-sixth of last month. Sister Huang came one day before me. I received much help in Hong Kong through listening to Mr. Nee's preaching. Sister Huang and I are staying in Mrs. Nee's house. We have received much care and help from the brothers and sisters. This is the Lord's grace. Thank and praise Him! We can probably return to Chung-Shan the day after tomorrow. We will stay in Chung-Shan for a few days before taking a trip to Canton. (This is an excerpt from Sister Kuo Hai-jen's March 7 letter.)
My lungs have had the proper pressure since I received the shots from the air needles. However, a special condition arose in my right lung, and it became hard, so the doctors stopped the shots. I have a bronchial infection, and my coughing continues, which hurts my lungs. The doctors operated on my lungs (they wanted to remove the nerves). My nerves were removed on December 8. That night I could not stop spitting up blood. Fortunately, I was not in any danger, thank the Lord. I have been very well since entering the hospital. The only difficulty is that I do not speak the language, so many things are inconvenient. I have really lost all hope in medicine. I only hope in my Lord. I confess that God's will is never wrong. The ability to run around is the Lord's grace. Being able to lie down is also the Lord's grace. We are all living in His grace. May the Lord increase my heart of submission. Please pray more for me that I would not just be wasting time lying down but could obtain that which the Lord wants me to obtain and learn what the Lord wants me to learn. I want to submit to His discipline and overcome all sufferings. (This is an excerpt from Sister Ma Min-jen's letter of March 28. Sister Ma's mailing address is [omitted].)
Dear Sister X in the Lord:
We are in my elder brother's home. We want to rent our own house, but my brother will not allow us. He not only obliged us to stay in his house but also says that it is God's arrangement and that I must obey. May the Father accomplish His will in this house. I have completely placed the future in the Lord's hands. My brother recently suggested that we have a home prayer meeting. I really thank the Lord. There is now a prayer meeting every Friday evening in my brother's home. We have had it twice already. Please remember this in your prayers. My brother believes in God and in His love. He believes that God hears prayer, but he has not yet seen the relationship of the blood to himself. He really needs the work of the Holy Spirit. It would be best for the assembly here if you and Sister Miao Yun-chun could come among the sisters. It would really be beneficial to the believers if Brother Witness Lee could make a trip here. We are praying for this. Sister Chai Teh-an will go to Singapore soon because the brothers and sisters there sent a telegram inviting her. She also felt that she should go. Thus, Manila is losing a worker and sister who really knows the work of the cross. I am really sad in my human emotion because I am losing a sister who is in one accord, but I can only say "amen" to God's will.
I have obtained one copy of the second issue of The Open Door; through it I have learned about the work in each place. The believers today are scattered in many places. I really feel that this type of publication is very precious. May the Father give His children the burden and strength to pray. Since the power of darkness is so fierce and the believers are tempted on all sides in their pilgrimage through this world, we really feel that praying for one another is so important. Peace in the Lord. En-hung and my two daughters send their greetings. Greet Sister Wang, Sister Chang, and Mrs. Yuan in the Lord.
Your sister in the Lord,Lin Hsue Yun-changFebruary 4[Address omitted]
Greetings to X in the Lord:
I read this month's issue of The Open Door and realized that the brothers and sisters in the Lord wanted to know where my younger brother, Tang Shing (Brother Tang Shou-ling) is. Thank the God who loves us. Through believing in His name, we have been given authority to be the children of God. This is why all the brothers and sisters in the Lord care about my brother as if he were their own flesh brother. Last night after dinner, I received a copy of the Weekly Newsletter of the Chinese Methodist Church from my cousin. In it I learned that my brother and his family are all at 228 Mo-Gan-Shan. Mr. Sun Wen-yuan and his family are at No. 254 of the same place. Praise the Lord. He is trustworthy. He really is our keeper, as it says in Psalm 121. When I did not know where my brother was for several months, Proverbs 14:26 really comforted my heart: "In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge." Every time I was discouraged and worried about my brother, the Lord comforted me with that verse. Hallelujah! His Word is faithful! Even though the post office in Mo-Gan-Shan is not reachable, there are no barriers of time and space in the fellowship of the Lord. I believe that what the Lord has arranged for us is more perfect than anything we could dream of. I also believe that soon the brothers and sisters near Mo-Gan-Shan will be able to visit and comfort my brother. Please pray for them much so that they would love the Lord faithfully and glorify His holy name. Please pray for me so that my faith would increase and so that I would not cause the Lord to sadly say, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" Peace in the Lord.
Your sister in the Lord,Ma Tang Mei-jenMarch 29
(This letter is from Brother Tang Shou-ling's elder sister. She used to live in Shansi and is now in Ch'ang-sha. We were not only comforted by this letter but were also helped.)
X in the Lord:
Both transportation and the post office have been blocked, so the brothers and sisters in Pu-Dong do not have any exchange of news with the brothers and sisters in Shanghai or the other localities. We were cared for by the Lord and safely arrived in Shanghai. We found out that the brothers and sisters in the Lord were worried about us. This inspired us to thank the Lord's love for its length, breadth, height, and depth. The brothers and sisters in Nan-Chiao and Chi- Hsien-Chiao all suffered the loss of property in this war, but their bodies and spirits were preserved by the Lord without harm. God heard the prayers of the brothers and sisters. Our hearts are full of thanks for the Lord's boundless grace! We are remitting X dollars donated by Brother Yang. X dollars of it are for printing The Open Door. X dollars are to be given to the brothers and sisters who are in difficulty because of the war. Peace in the Lord. Greet all the brothers and sisters in the Lord. Please pray for Brother Chuang Shu-lian's and Brother Chuang Jeng-yi's families because all are not saved.
Your little brothers in the Lord,Chu En-sheng, Chuang Jeng-yiMarch 19
(This letter was mailed from Shanghai to Hankow.)
Time is of the essence for news. The post office's handling of printed material is very slow. In this publication: (1) We will not have a definite number of pages. We will do our best to put all the news into it that we receive while we are in the editing process. We hope that our readers will pray much for the work of God, the workers, and for the churches in all the localities. (2) Sometimes we will not print the column on the travels of the co-workers. Please find out where they are by reading the news of the work and the news of the churches.
Beginning with the next issue, we will begin publishing the translation of The Dynamics of Service. (It concerns the principles of the work. We will print one of the ten chapters in each issue.) This is a special announcement.
Some localities have sent offerings. Some of these offerings are for the work, and some are for the brothers and sisters who are in need because of the war. Brother Lan Tsi-yi and Sister Ruth Lee have received them and distributed them according to the needs of each locality (as far as we know them). We can only thank God and ask Him to care for the ones who care for others. May God bless those who receive the gifts.
Some brothers and their families are still in the war zone, like the Tang, Chou, Sun, Yu, and Yeh families who are still at Mo-Gan-Shan. Brother Ruan Chi-yu and a few other families (see the letters in this issue) are still in the city of Hangchow. We have not heard anything from the co-workers and the churches in northern Kiangsu for a long time. Some localities can receive mail but not wires of money. We need to pray for all these matters.
We received a letter from Brother Watchman Nee after he arrived in Singapore. He is feeling well after having a tooth extracted. We hope you will pray for him.
Ruth LeeMarch 30, 1938, in Chungking
(1) Please put the date on your letters. (If there is no date, we do not know when your news took place.)
(2) Write the address clearly and in detail. Please remember to put in the province. If you are sending us someone else's letter which was written to you and you have removed the envelope from the original letter, please write the sender's address on the letter. Whenever a subscriber changes residence, please send us a letter immediately, if possible, to inform us so that we do not waste postage or fail to reach you.
(3) If you can send things by airmail, do so.
(4) Please pray for all aspects of this publication.
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 go 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 in the mail.
(1) This publication is temporarily being published in Hankow. Therefore, news of the work and the churches, subscription order forms, and requests for information should be sent directly to the Gospel Book Room, P. O. Box 84, Hankow.
(2) Because the mail is often delayed, one or two copies of this publication will be sent by the fastest method to all the localities. We will then send the rest according to our subscription list. At the same time, we will send a large number to the responsible brothers of each locality and ask them to distribute the publication to each brother and sister.
(3) The Christian is about to be printed in Shanghai. If there is any change to the subscription quantity or address of any reader, we would appreciate you informing the Gospel Book Room in Shanghai as soon as possible. This will save us much wasted money and shipping labor. The brothers and sisters who love us will certainly sympathize with us in this matter! If you can send anything by airmail, it is better that you inform us by airmail. If you cannot send anything by air, a postcard may be faster than a sealed envelope. If you have a change of address, please specify the old address and the old province for our quick reference, and please write the new address as clearly as possible. (We have registered the changes of those who have written already.) Many areas have been turned into war zones, and we cannot send anything to them for now.
(4) 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.
March 30, 1938, Hankow
If any brother or sister has a letter that they want us to redirect, please send it to Brother Lan Tsi-yi, Gospel Court, Hsiao Tung 1 Alley, Hankow.
We have a letter for Sun Yu-teh from his family.
The emphasis of The Open Door is the gospel work in all the localities. In this publication we will print:
(1) Articles concerning the principles of the work
(2) News of the work
(3) News of the churches
This publication is not for sale. We trust in God for the supply of its needs. We have run out of back copies of Issue Nos. 1 and 2. Please excuse us for not being able to meet your demand! As soon as our readers have changed their addresses, please inform the Gospel Book Room, P. O. Box 84, Hankow.
