RECENT NEWS FROM TSINAN, SHANTUNG PROVINCE
To our beloved brother, Mr. Nee:
We have not written you for a long time. We believe that the Lord has certainly blessed you with health.
Brothers Chang Kuang Jung and Chou Hsin Yi are both well in Tsinan. They are most helpful to our brothers. Now many brothers have been enlivened. I will tell you something of the condition of the meeting here.
On Wednesdays, Brother Chou Hsin Yi is responsible for leading a Bible study on the truth of the church. We really need it because many of our brothers are not clear about this matter.
On Fridays, there is a prayer meeting. The brothers and sisters who are able to come all come.
On Saturday afternoon, there is a meeting for the responsible brothers and sisters. We have recently seen the need for this kind of meeting. On Saturday evening, there is a brothers’ meeting. Any question can be asked—What is following the Lord? What is walking in the way? How do I know the voice of the Holy Spirit? These are questions our brothers have asked.
On the Lord’s Day morning, Brother Chang Kuang Jung is responsible for a building up meeting. There are also many people who come from the outside. Although there are those who come from the denominations and they sometimes debate in the meeting, we maintain a humble attitude, and they cannot find anything against us. In the afternoon, there is the table meeting. On this day we also go out in the streets to preach the gospel. The brothers are zealous in passing out tracts. They are also bold in testifying. However, we still do not see the results of this type of work. It really needs prayer behind it. We also ask the brothers and sisters to pray.
The recent visit of Miss Lee to Tsinan has rendered much help to the sisters. Some who had backslidden have been revived. The sisters have also clearly seen the center of our testimony. We really hoped that Miss Lee could stay here for a longer time. Unfortunately, she could not do as we had hoped.
There is now a brother in Tsinan, Mr. Ch’ao—Miss Lee also knows him—who desires and pursues spiritual matters very much with his wife. They have good intentions. Therefore, Brother Chang goes to their house to help them every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I sometimes go with him. It is difficult for them to understand much all at once because they have not been saved for very long. Please pray for them. We hope that God will gain them.
Brother Nee! Now I will write down my own matter. My contract to work in this hospital will expire in a little more than one month. I do not have the assurance that the hospital will continue to employ me. If I continue in that position, I do not know whether I will get a raise or a pay cut! Maybe I will get a five percent cut in pay. I do not know when the provincial hospital will be able to establish a lab. I also hope to be able to go work in the South, but I do not want to go against the will of God. Of course, I can only wait in this situation. But I also ask you to pray for me and keep a look out for a position for me—there are still eight or nine weeks left. I know this is a trouble to you. May the Lord make you willing to do this for a little brother. Please greet the brothers and sisters for me. Peace in the Lord!
Your little brother,
Ch’ien Neng Hsien
Evening, May 7, 1934
RECENT NEWS FROM TSOU COUNTY, SHANTUNG PROVINCE
Greetings to my brother in the Lord, Watchman:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen.
Thank and praise the Lord! My wife has recovered by the grace and love in the Lord Jesus Christ and by the prayers in His name by all the saints. At the same time, I also thank all the brothers and sisters in all the localities for their prayers and concern for me. Many brothers and sisters who knew our mailing address sent us letters of consolation. They knew of my wife’s illness from reading the third issue of Collection of Newsletters.
We have already rented a meeting hall in Tsou County. It is at Number 1 Chung Sheng Street inside the city. This building is very appropriate in every aspect. This coming Lord’s Day we will be able to meet there. We have been praying before God for almost a year. The brothers and sisters in Tsinan and Ling Tzu have also been praying for this matter. We especially thank our Father God for this hall. We also thank the brothers and sisters for their prayers.
With God’s leading and help, the gospel work in Hsi Hsiang Chia Chuang, Tsou County has already started. This place is not very big, but once sixty people came to hear the gospel. There appear to be five or six who are very close to salvation. May the Lord continue His work here. May all come to Him. Brother Chen Po Heng’s father-in-law lives in this village.
May the Spirit of resurrection of the Lord Jesus keep you healthy every day so you can handle the work of God and build up the brothers and sisters through it. I bless you with daily renewing and peace in the Lord! I also greet the believers in Shanghai.
Your brother,
Liu Tien Min
April 23, 1934
(Collected Works of Watchman Nee, The (Set 2) Vol. 25: Collection of Newsletters (1), Chapter 7, by Watchman Nee)
