Establishing a Relationship in the Lord’s Calling: 1925 - 1935

B. Initial Contact

While Witness Lee was seeking to know the Bible in a thorough way, there appeared in his hometown a Christian periodical entitled The Morning Star. He obtained and read all available issues of that paper. As he read, he frequently noticed articles under the by-line of Watchman Nee. It was obvious that those articles were the most outstanding ones on biblical truths. They were the best in the whole paper. The more Witness Lee read them, the more he enjoyed reading them. From the way this writer addressed his readers, Witness Lee imagined he was an aged Christian teacher, perhaps over sixty years of age. Actually, he was a young man only two years older than Witness Lee. Then an issue of the paper was published with a notice saying that Watchman Nee would publish his own paper, to be entitled The Christian. Immediately, Witness Lee subscribed to this magazine. From 1925 through 1927 he received all twenty-four copies. When an issue arrived, he would devour the whole thing in the same day if possible. Besides reading The Christian, Witness Lee purchased all the books he published on the spiritual life. From these he received the greatest help in the matter of life. Witness Lee greatly appreciated and highly treasured this magazine and these books. At the same time, Witness Lee was led to read Watchman Nee’s article in The Lamp unto My Feet, a periodical published by the Newton Brethren in Chefoo. This article also deeply impressed him.

Correspondence with Watchman Nee

During these days Witness Lee began to correspond with Watchman Nee, and this initiated their first contact. Witness Lee wrote, asking him questions about the Bible, all of which he answered. In one letter Witness Lee asked him for advice concerning the best book on understanding the Bible. He answered that to his knowledge, the book which could be of most help in knowing the Bible was John Nelson Darby’s Synopsis of the Books of the Bible . He added that unless Witness Lee read it four or five times he would not be able to understand it well. Eight years later, while Witness Lee was staying as Watchman Nee’s guest in Shanghai, he gave Witness Lee this set of books as a gift.

During these days Witness Lee began to correspond with Watchman Nee, and this initiated their first contact. Witness Lee wrote, asking him questions about the Bible, all of which he answered

After being saved, Witness Lee still attended the Sunday morning services in the Chinese Independent Church for about two and a half years. But through the reading of Watchman Nee’s writings, he began to realize that the denominations were wrong and that there was such a thing as a proper church. Though inwardly he was finished with the denominations, yet he still remained there. In that denomination there was a young man who realized that Witness Lee was different from others in seeking after the Lord. One day he asked, “How can we know that we are saved?” Taking the opportunity to help him with the assurance of salvation, Witness Lee handed him a book on the subject by Watchman Nee. After reading it, he became clear and was saved. His name was Du Chung-chin. A relationship developed between the two of them, and that relationship was likened by their pastor to the one which existed between Joshua and Caleb. Later this brother was transferred by his business to Shanghai, and Witness Lee encouraged him to attend a meeting where Watchman Nee was ministering. Seven years later he became one of the first three elders of the church in Shanghai.

At the end of 1927, the Chinese Independent Church elected Witness Lee to be a member of their board. This was an unusual distinction for such a young man. But he was forced at that time to tell them that he could not accept the position and would remain in their denomination no longer. Rather, Witness Lee asked them to remove his name from their “book of life.” Henceforth, he began to meet regularly with the Brethren Assembly, attending all their seven weekly meetings. He sat among them, earnestly absorbing all the doctrines they taught. He remained with them until 1932. While he was still with them, he was baptized by immersion in the sea by their leader, Mr. Burnet, in 1930.

One day in August 1931, as Witness Lee was walking down the street, the thought suddenly occurred to him that all the teachings he had received in the Brethren Assembly were mostly doctrines. He considered how much knowledge he had accumulated and yet how dead he was. True, he never returned to the world, yet, though he attended seven meetings a week, he was utterly cold and fruitless. At this time Witness Lee experienced a deep and real repentance.

A Turn to the Lord

The next morning at an early hour Witness Lee climbed to the top of a small mountain near his home. He cried to the Lord and wept in desperation. Morning by morning he went there to pray. From that day on he cared little about talking; he only wanted to pray. This experience lasted for several months, from August until February or March of the following year.

The next morning at an early hour Witness Lee climbed to the top of a small mountain near his home. He cried to the Lord and wept in desperation

During the time Witness Lee was seeking the Lord, in September 1931, Watchman Nee was about to have his second overcomer conference in Shanghai. At that time Witness Lee corresponded with him and enrolled as one of the attendants in that conference. But because of the Japanese invasion into Manchuria, close to the province of Shantung, he was prohibited from attending that conference.

In the spring of 1932, Brother Du Chung-chin returned to Chefoo from Shanghai and came to see Witness Lee. He told Witness Lee of all the good meetings and all the good things of the church in Shanghai. This made him all the more eager to travel to Shanghai and partake of the blessings there with the saints.