COLLECTION OF NEWS FROM
P’ING YANG, CHEKIANG PROVINCE
Many brothers and sisters who have fellowship with us have wanted to know about the condition of all the meetings in P’ing Yang, but they have not been able to know the details. For the sake of fellowship in the Body, I must tell something of their condition so that all the brothers and sisters who love the Lord can know how the Lord raised up His work in P’ing Yang and can give thanks and praise to the only blessed God and the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Praise and thank the Lord, in these past few years He has shined upon His desolated sanctuary with the light of His face so that we, the remnant who have escaped, could be raised up. It is difficult to describe all the details of what happened. I will go back to the beginning. In February of 1928 there were three brothers from Tai Sun in P’ing Yang who went to Shanghai for the first conference. After the conference, they came back with the light of the truth. At that time, a few brothers in Ch’iao Tun Men were enlightened and obeyed the truth. This was the beginning of the work in P’ing Yang. After this the fountain of the truth slowly flowed to Nan Kang, P’u Men, Chiang Nan, and Hsiao Nan. Now there are twenty-two places with meetings in the Lord’s name. There are twelve places in the regions of Nan Kang, P’u Men, and Fu Ting (Tung Shan), which Brother Wang Yu T’ing already published a letter about, so I will not repeat him. Now I will only tell the brothers and sisters something about the beginning and condition of the other ten localities.
The Beginning and Condition
of the Meeting in Ya Yao Tou
There was an Independent Church in this place originally. In 1929 Brother Hsieh Lien San of this locality went to P’u Men to do business as a coolie. He heard the truth there and was enlightened. When he returned, he testified to the truth among the brothers. Before long many brothers rose up to pursue the truth. Later, brothers came from Nan Kang and P’u Men to do some perfecting work here. They also mentioned something about the matter of the church. The eyes of the brothers were enlightened more, and they left their denomination and began meeting completely under the Lord’s name. Although there was a small number of brothers who opposed, it was not long before they all obeyed. Now there are more than thirty brothers and sisters in the table meeting. There are about one hundred fifty who come to listen to the Word but do not break bread yet. Brothers Hsieh Lien San and Kung Yung Ching are responsible here. They both have busy occupations, and they also do a holy work for the Lord.
The Beginning and Condition
of the Meeting in Chia Ti
This meeting came out of the China Inland Mission. About two miles from the meeting place, there is a church of the China Inland Mission. Brother Tai Yun Chang used to work in the mission. He obeyed the truth very much and knew that there were many methods used in the denominations which were not according to the Bible but were the organization of man’s will and should be cut out. Unfortunately, he did not clearly see what characteristics the church of God should have, so he intended to reform from within and did not come out then. He went this way for many years, but the result was some outward improvement without the revival of spiritual life.
In the spring of 1931, Brother Tai decided to move to K’an Men, but there was nobody to take over the work. He invited me (Brother Chen Ching Fa) to take over. I worked there for one year. The result was like the hand of Uzziah when he reached out to steady the ark as it was about to fall. I felt spiritually dead inside. Every Lord’s Day meeting felt like a thousand-pound weight upon me which I could not move. For this reason, in the spring of 1932, I was led by the Lord to come out from among them with a few brothers and sisters. We met in Brother Cheng Chih Ming’s house in Chia Ti. Although this was in a small alley, the brothers and sisters felt very happy in their hearts. They met like this for a year, and then the meeting place became too small. Brother Lin Tze Chung built a small building with his own savings which he saved on clothing and food. After the new building was completed in the spring of 1933, he moved me and my family into the new building. At the same time, the meeting also moved into the new building. Thank the Lord, although the new building is small, it is very useful. The brothers also have given money willingly to furnish the utensils, tables, and benches, etc., for the meeting. Now there are only ten brothers and sisters at the table meeting. There are also more than ten who come to hear the Word but still do not take the table. Brother Lin is responsible here. If I do not go out, I also help the brothers here.
(Collected Works of Watchman Nee, The (Set 2) Vol. 25: Collection of Newsletters (1), Chapter 7, by Watchman Nee)
