A LETTER FROM IPOH IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
To my co-laboring brother in the Lord, Mr. Watchman:
When you went to Europe and America to give testimony upon the Lord’s command, you went through Penang, Malaysia and had your picture taken with Brothers Yang and Cheng. Brother Yang gave me a copy, and it is as if I have seen you, but I would like to meet you personally. I had hoped that on your return journey you would pass through Ipoh, so I could receive your teachings face to face, and they could lead me on my spiritual path! But you changed your mind about your return itinerary. My hope was not fulfilled, and I was very disappointed. My family is from Hsun Wu in Kiangsi province. I was originally a pantheist, then I was an atheist, and I also despised the Lord’s way. But the Lord loved me, and I believed in Him and was baptized in June 1914. In the spring of 1915, I studied at Shanghai Yih Tao School but did not graduate. However, the devil was working, and the hornet of heresy arose. I was almost poisoned by modernism, which would have caused me to leave the Lord. Fortunately, the Lord loved me and led me out of danger by leading me to return home and begin working; then I started a school. For more than ten years, I have not had any results, and the future ahead is sometimes clear and sometimes dark. In 1927 the denominational church in this locality was attacked. The Lord then led me south to this place. My dear Lord taught me through the leading of Brothers Kuo, Cheng, and Yang and through reading your books and your testimonies of Bible expositions. The Lord’s light led me gradually ahead day by day. I have now been working by relying on the Lord for more than a year now. Thank the Lord’s grace! He did not allow me to be a slave in the denominations for my whole life, but caused me to obey the Lord fully and become His slave. My brother, if you think I am teachable, please do not withhold your guidance in the Lord that I may advance. May God be with you that you may lead many sinners to the Lord. Amen. I also greet you with spiritual health.
The little slave in the Lord,
Ku Shang Ch’in
February 28, 1934
A LETTER FROM LIEN CHIANG, FUKIEN PROVINCE
Peace in the Lord to our dear Brother Nee:
We have not seen each other for many years, and I miss you very much. However, I have received The Present Testimony and the "Gospel Messages," which you sent many times. They make me feel as if I were receiving your personal teachings. I had originally established my hospital in Tung Tai, but because there were many bandits, it was difficult to maintain. I have now moved into the city. I have just arrived in this county; Brother Choo has returned home, and Dr. Ying San has moved to practice medicine in the province capital. So now I am temporarily living in the gospel mission and helping Brother Ping Hsin maintain the affairs of the hall. Although I have now rented a hospital, I still have not moved in! But the churches in Lien Chiang are weak to the uttermost! There are believers from the northwest part of Lien Chiang to Shan-Ts’un, Tung Tai, Hsiao Ao, and P’u Chiang, but unfortunately, most are scattered and backsliding. The reason for this is that there are no appropriate workers here. What is more, through these hard times, the people’s hearts are open to the truth, so there is an even greater need for workers to spend their lives for the Lord. Our hearts are aching. We are calling on the Lord and also writing this to fervently ask you to pray for all the weaknesses here in Lien Chiang and to petition the Lord to send workers and to meet every need. A brother like you who loves the Lord could use a special letter of announcement to ask all the brothers and sisters in your locality to pray for Lien Chiang! I greet you with Christian greetings.
Your weak little brother in the Lord,
Lee Yu Fu greets you with a kiss.
A LETTER FROM FU CH’ING, FUKIEN PROVINCE
Brother Shen:
I am not in Foochow now. I am a teacher in Fu Ch’ing County, Lung T’ien, Jung Mei School. The locality of Lung T’ien is a small town with many kinds of denominations. It is very confused. There is a Catholic Church, an Anglican Church, an American Church, and the True Jesus Church, etc. The school was established by the American Church. However, among the teachers, staff, and more than one hundred twenty students, less than two or three are regenerated. Although the environment is not too good, I am relying on the Lord’s grace and have not backslidden. I really pray that the Lord will give me strength to get through this unbelieving and perverse generation. Sometimes I feel alone, but I receive comfort from the Lord through prayer. Satan often attacks me, especially in my body. But the Lord is the Victor. He can save me when I meet with temptation, so I will not stumble. I hope you also pray for me often. I testify for the Lord to the students whenever I have the opportunity. Four students have said they are willing to receive the Lord, but I still want to see whether or not they really are saved. Let me tell you about them later. May the Lord work to save many sinners here. May the gospel of God be spread so that the people of every place have the opportunity to hear His gospel! I really do not desire to merely teach here (it’s a matter of death). I hope the Lord can fulfill a little of His will.
Recently, the Oxford gospel group came here. They gave four commandments: absolutely love; be honest, clean, and unselfish; confess your sins to one another; and try to touch others this way. I have also been there to speak a few words. They confess their sins, but they do not mention the precious blood, so I boldly told them that confessing with tears is empty. The Lord’s blood is the basis for the forgiveness of our sins. However, among them there is also life. Now in Lung T’ien, a separate Oxford fellowship has been set up, with a local person as director. They want me to attend. Can I attend this for the purpose of correcting their mistakes? Or should I not attend? Which is the Lord’s will?
O Lord! Please strengthen your children in these days. Although You are in the heavens, You remember us—who are in the enemy’s workshop (the world). Lord, make us overcomers like You! Lord, come quickly! May the grace of the Lord and His love be with you always!
Chen Hsi Wen
(Collected Works of Watchman Nee, The (Set 2) Vol. 25: Collection of Newsletters (1), Chapter 6, by Watchman Nee)
