ANNOUNCEMENT
Purpose:To cultivate the Christian’s spirituality; to proclaim the salvation of the cross; to warn of the danger of modernism.
Content:Sermons, messages, research, talks, expositions, questions and answers. (Anyone desiring to ask questions about the Scriptures may do so.) Twelve issues per year, six of which are in magazine format, and six of which are on exposition.
Price:One dollar per year. Overseas $1.20. We do not accept orders for air mail. Please send us money by postal order, not by stamps.
Address:Gospel Book Room, Pagoda, Fukien.
ANNOUNCEMENT CONCERNING
THE GIVING AWAY OF BOOKS
This work is very important. Of course, we should do our best to proclaim our beloved Lord and other truths with our mouth. But we cannot take hold of everyone to speak to him. For this reason, we should give away books. Do you know that giving books away produces the greatest results? Do you know that giving away a good book can lead others to receive the Lord, to understand the truth, and to forsake heresies? Unfortunately, those believers who are able would not do this work. Although we cannot know the result of giving books away, in that day when we stand before the judgment seat, we will see why it was worthwhile to do this work. We publish books, and you should buy and give away books.
Issue No. 5
THE EDITOR AND THE READERS
This past month the Lord has been leading me through deep waters again. Although I have suffered Satan’s attacks and have been sick in bed for a period of time, the Lord has caused this chain of hell to work to my advantage once again. I thank the Lord that He has not only healed me, but has taught me many lessons.
This issue has been ready for quite a while already. Therefore, questions that have come to me after the completion of this issue are not answered here and can only be answered in the seventh issue. In the future, we hope that questions regarding this column could be sent to us earlier, so that we do not have to postpone the answers to another issue.
From now on, the Lord willing, each issue of The Christian will contain a column on "The Signs of the Times" that our readers might better understand the situation in the last days and know how the prophecies of the Bible are being fulfilled step by step. May the Lord use this column to inspire His children to watch and pray and get themselves ready. Knowing that the Lord is coming soon should not make one lazy, but rather cause him to forsake the world. Those who are aware of the Lord’s soon return, yet still love the world, are in a very pitiful spiritual condition.
The purpose of The Christian is not to preach any person, any man’s ideals, or any "-ism." Its mission is to preach the Lord Jesus and Him crucified. We thank the Lord that this paper has aroused many people’s sympathy and prayers. Our intention in these pages is to preach the message of the Lord to people far and near. I deeply believe that if the Lord’s servants clearly preach the gospel of the vicarious death of the cross and depend on the mighty power of the Holy Spirit in order that sinners might become regenerated, they will by no means be fruitless. Unfortunately, what is preached today is not the gospel of God, the gospel of the grace of God. Rather, the message of the cross as revealed by God is replaced with man’s ideals and rules for improvement. No wonder sinners are not affected. Others preach the salvation of God by their own intelligence and wisdom and do not have the Holy Spirit working with them by power. Hence, even though they preach, in the end they cannot save men’s souls. I pray humbly that the Lord may have mercy on us and cause us not to rely on our own ability or strength but rather on God’s Spirit to speak forth the gospel of the Lord.
Finally, I deeply feel that the work before us is very great. May the Lord be merciful to us and increase our strength. Brothers, please do not forget to pray for us.
While traveling in Muihwa
February 18, 1926
(Collected Works of Watchman Nee, The (Set 1) Vol. 07: The Christian (5), Chapter 32, by Watchman Nee)
