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Date:August 31, 1949Place:Canton
Weigh Kwang-hsi: Concerning Mrs. Yuan, I can say that she has never cooperated with us. I did not know her very well before and did not try to deal with the issue. She not only is uncooperative in her speaking, but she also has the problem of being doubled-tongued. I cannot trust her. In the past, she always stood with Mrs. Chow and Mrs. Lin to oppose me.
Watchman Nee: In the future, if anyone testifies of trouble from her, I will deal with her in a severe way. Based on Matthew 18, it is best to discuss this matter with two or three. If we have the testimony of more than two people, we can deal with her.
Concerning the sisters' meeting: Presently it is not necessary for the sisters' meeting to be held on the ground of the church. The sister co-workers can conduct fellowship meetings under the auspices of their personal work.
Concerning Mrs. Nee [Editor's note: Watchman Nee's mother]: Her being accepted into the work in the Hong Kong and Canton regions is a mistake on the part of the co-workers. You have not stood firmly on your ground. We have fellowshipped about this matter before, and we have made a public announcement that co-workers who do not have a letter of recommendation should not be accepted into the work. You should not give her the ground to work just because she is my mother. We are here to follow the teaching of the Bible, not the leadership of man. Paul clearly charged the church in Corinth to cover the sisters' heads; the sisters should not teach. Here, however, there is a sister who has broken the principle. She is tolerated because she is the mother of So-and-so. I am quite angry about this.
Hong Kong should still be the center of the work for the entire south China region. In the future, when we find more potential for development in the work in Canton, we can move the center to Canton.
Prayer is for dealing with our mistakes; it is not to change God's will or to force Him to do anything. God is our Father, and He is more than happy to give us good things (Matt. 7:11). However, He is also holy and righteous. He disciplines us according to His holiness and righteousness so that we can participate in the same (Heb. 12:7-10). When God does not answer our prayer, it is because He does not want to spoil us or because we are wrong in some areas and in need of confession and repentance. Sometimes God does not have to have a reason for not answering our prayers. He wants to show us that He is God and that His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. He sits on the throne, and He will grant mercy to whom He will grant mercy. This will lead to a knowledge and an adoration of His very person. Remember the Lord Jesus' word that we should not think that we can change God's mind by many words and much repetition. This is what the Gentiles do (Matt. 6:7). We need to examine ourselves before praying regarding God's will.
The next generation in the church will be determined by the conduct of this generation. Everything hinges on us. Whether or not we can make the next generation like those in Acts 2 depends on how we of this generation conduct ourselves. The issue is whether or not we are willing to humble ourselves. The recovery can stop in us, or it can break forth from us. If God has a way through us, the next generation will produce better Christians. Therefore, our responsibility today is very great before the Lord.
Concerning the use of separate small cups for the Lord's table: First, it is hard to make a definite judgment on this matter. Second, this is a minor issue. Did the disciples pour wine into smaller cups, or did they all drink from the same cup on the night the Lord Jesus took the cup, blessed it, and gave it to the disciples? It is hard to say. Nothing in the divine record tells us about how the first church took the cup to remember the Lord. This is a very minor issue. This is the reason the Bible does not say anything about it. It does not want us to pay too much attention to this matter. Of course, we have to take care of others' consciences. We should not insist on one way. The Lord has not delivered us out of the world, but out of the evil one (John 17:15). In the same way, He has not delivered us out of bacteria, but out of sickness.
