Co-Workers in the Lord’s Move: 1934 - 1936

D. Watchman Nee: Ministering through Suffering

During the conference at Hangchow, Watchman Nee’s mother and the eldest sister co-worker, Ruth Lee, both urged Watchman Nee to get married during that conference time. They considered it to be a good time since all the co-workers from the entire country were present. Watchman Nee agreed with the condition that Witness Lee would be his best man and that Philip Luan would be master of ceremonies at the wedding. Sister Lee fellowshipped with both of them concerning this matter. They told her immediately that they would be more than happy to do what Watchman Nee desired and felt honored to be asked by him.

At the wedding Mrs. Samuel Chang was the maid of honor. All the co-workers and local saints attended the wedding. It was a happy time for all of them. Following the wedding Witness Lee traveled to Chefoo for a rest. While he was there, the big turmoil against Watchman Nee’s marriage transpired. Since Witness Lee had been best man and Philip Luan had been master of ceremonies, they two were considered to be the ones best qualified to bear responsibility for handling the situation. Hence, Brother Luan cabled Witness Lee and charged him to return to Shanghai to care for the situation. Immediately Witness Lee cabled Watchman Nee with the word of Deuteronomy 23:5: “Jehovah your God turned the curse into a blessing for you.” He arrived in Shanghai on New Year’s Day 1935. Philip Luan and Witness Lee, with the help of Peace Wang, did their best to calm down the turmoil. All of their efforts seemed in vain because of the strong attack from the opponents. Eventually, because of his sickness and tiredness, Philip Luan returned to his home in Hangchow to rest. This left Witness Lee alone in that difficult situation.

During that trying period, one morning Watchman Nee came to him with the newspaper of the day and said, “In my entire life I never saw a marriage publicly attacked by printing an open advertisement in large characters in the country’s leading paper.” He said this with much sorrow. After that, he left Shanghai and traveled to the southwestern provinces of China.

In my entire life I never saw a marriage publicly attacked by printing an open advertisement in large characters in the country’s leading paper

At the same time Ruth Lee departed from Shanghai to visit the central part of China. The only help Witness Lee had came from Sister Peace Wang. The situation was becoming difficult. By the Lord’s mercy, Sister Wang and Witness Lee decided to know nothing, do nothing, and say nothing concerning this problem. They simply continued on positively with the meetings. Praise the Lord, eventually He gained the victory and brought them through.

Before Watchman Nee left Shanghai, he did not say a word to Witness Lee concerning the work there. But following his departure, Witness Lee discovered from one of the elders that Watchman Nee’s instruction to them was that the responsibility of the work there had been committed to Witness Lee. After three or four months, Watchman Nee returned, and by May of 1935, although the storm was still present, it had calmed somewhat. Then Ruth Lee suggested to Witness Lee that since Watchman Nee would not minister, they must find a way to urge him to minister. But regardless of how much they urged him, he would not minister. Then one day Ruth said to Witness Lee, “Let us beg him to hold a study with us on the Song of Songs.” They therefore went to tell him that they were really eager to know the Song of Songs, and they asked him to accompany them to West Lake in Hangchow for a couple of weeks’ rest and at the same time to have a study with them on the Song of Songs. He was happy about it and did it. Only four brothers and three sisters, who were all co-workers, went and stayed with him. The studies given by him at that time are now published in the book entitled The Song of Songs. Again, Witness Lee received great help through these studies in the stages and turns of life. After that, Watchman Nee began to minister regularly again.

From 1933, when Watchman Nee returned from his trip to visit the Brethren in England, the Brethren had written them several letters concerning their fellowship with them. Up to the time of Watchman Nee’s wedding, they had not had time to respond to those letters. But since the wedding was over and the turmoil had subsided, Watchman Nee began to consider how best to answer the letters of the Brethren concerning their fellowship with them. He first asked Witness Lee to care for this matter, but eventually, Watchman Nee did it himself and asked Witness Lee, another co-worker, and the three elders in Shanghai to sign the letter with him.