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

C. Their First Personal Contact

Brother Du and Witness Lee then went to their former denomination and proposed that they invite Watchman Nee to come speak to them. Although they had left that denomination, they left them with a very good impression. They accepted their proposal and invited Watchman Nee to come speak. When Du Chung-chin was returning to Shanghai, Witness Lee asked him to extend his invitation to Watchman Nee to come visit their town, which he did. At the same time the Southern Baptist Seminary in Hwang-Hsien, a city close to Chefoo, also invited Watchman Nee to speak there. In the summer of 1932, he came to speak at these two places. Witness Lee, with others, went to meet the steamship on which he was arriving, and when Watchman Nee and Witness Lee saw each other, immediately they knew one another. They had corresponded with each other for some time, and there was a mutual recognition. Watchman Nee spoke with Witness Lee of the things that were on his heart. He spoke to a large crowd for approximately one week in the auditorium of the Chinese Independent Church. Witness Lee received much help from his messages, and following that conference he also accompanied Watchman Nee to the Southern Baptist Seminary in Hwang-Hsien.

Watchman Nee put himself into Witness Lee’s hands and spoke with him of the things that were on his heart

In those years the Pentecostal movement was very strong in north China, and the seminary where Watchman Nee spoke had come under the influence of this movement. In those meetings Witness Lee saw for the first time the practices of the Pentecostals. Some were jumping, some were laughing, and some were shouting. After the presiding pastor, with some effort, calmed down the meeting, Watchman Nee gave his message. He gave an inspiring word on the gospel of God’s love from Luke 15.

Following the first meeting, Watchman Nee and Witness Lee walked home together. On the way Witness Lee said, “What kind of way is this to have meetings-shouting, jumping, and rolling?” He replied that in the New Testament there are no ordinances telling us how we should meet. His word shocked Witness Lee and made him wonder whether Watchman Nee was agreeable with those practices of the Pentecostal movement. Eventually, Witness Lee discovered that Watchman Nee did not agree with that kind of practice, but neither would he insist on any outward form.

Witness Lee was staying in the seminary dormitory. One afternoon while a Pentecostal meeting was being held in which Brother Watchman Nee was not speaking, Witness Lee stayed in his room to have some time with the Lord. He read Isaiah 44:22 and deeply sensed as he read, “Return unto Me, for I have redeemed you,” that the Lord was calling him to serve Him. He deeply felt that the Lord gave him verse 21 as a promise: “You are My servant; you will not be forgotten by Me.” Also verse 23 seemed to be a clear word to him concerning the goal of His calling: “Jehovah has been glorified in Israel.” The Lord’s presence was very real to him there, and he was thoroughly anointed, refreshed with His Spirit, and filled with joy and encouragement.

The Lord’s presence was very real to him there, and he was thoroughly anointed, refreshed with His Spirit, and filled with joy and encouragement

Following the meetings at the seminary, Watchman Nee returned to Chefoo and stayed in Witness Lee’s home for two or three days. They had some excellent fellowship concerning the Lord’s interest.

While staying in his home, Watchman Nee asked Witness Lee to introduce him to Mr. Burnet, the founder of the Newton Brethren Assembly in Witness Lee’s hometown. Mr. Burnet was an aged man and an excellent Bible teacher who had learned at the feet of the Brethren teacher Benjamin Newton. At the time the three of them came together, Witness Lee realized that Mr. Burnet did not appreciate Watchman Nee’s testimony for the Lord. Mr. Burnet stressed the accuracy of biblical knowledge, while Watchman Nee emphasized the necessity of life.

Witness Lee’s time with Watchman Nee during those days deeply impressed him with the sweetness, loveliness, attractiveness, and newness of the Lord. Those days provided a new start for him in following the Lord and caused him to have a basic turn from knowledge to life. Because of those days with Watchman Nee, Witness Lee began to have fellowship with the Lord in a more intimate way. The Lord became more precious to him. That experience was even greater than his experience of salvation. Those days in 1932 with Watchman Nee affected his pathway in the Lord for the rest of his life. For eternity Witness Lee would never forget those days! What a mercy and grace it was to him.

The day before he left, Watchman Nee charged Witness Lee to do nothing after his departure; otherwise, others would think he was following him. Witness Lee replied, “How could I do anything? In this town no one is standing with me.”

Because of those days with Watchman Nee, Witness Lee began to have fellowship with the Lord in a more intimate way. The Lord became more precious to him

But on the day of Watchman Nee’s departure, something happened. In the evening a brother who was a member of the board of the denomination Witness Lee had left came to ask Watchman Nee if he would help another believer in distress. When Witness Lee told him that Watchman Nee was gone, they agreed to have a time of fellowship together. It was summer, so they went down to the beach. After a lengthy time of fellowship, about ten o’clock that night, this brother turned to him and said, “You must baptize me tonight in the sea.” After much hesitation, he did it. Through this event a meeting started in Witness Lee’s home. He wrote to Watchman Nee explaining what had taken place.

Watchman Nee Visits Witness Lee

Watchman Nee came in April of the following year to confirm and strengthen them in the Lord’s recovery and was a guest in Witness Lee’s home for about ten days. Watchman Nee ministered to them in the Shanghai meeting hall in the evenings and spoke to the denominational Christians in the Chinese Independent Church auditorium in the mornings. His messages greatly edified all the attendants and helped the building up of the church there in the Lord’s recovery.

At this time Witness Lee related how the Lord had called him to serve Him when they were in Hwang-Hsien the year before. To this Watchman Nee made no comment.

Witness Lee: Answering the Lord’s Calling to Serve

Just as Witness Lee desired to spend his life preaching the gospel on the day he was saved, so after he graduated from college, the Lord reminded him of this same thing. But he took the excuse that he had to help his younger brother finish his college education. After he graduated from college, Witness Lee was again reminded by the Lord that he should give up his occupation and spend his full time preaching the gospel. At that time Witness Lee knew that his destiny was to give his life to serve the Lord. However, he did not have a faith bold enough to perform it.

Just as Witness Lee desired to spend his life preaching the gospel on the day he was saved, so after he graduated from college, the Lord reminded him of this same thing

After the church in Witness Lee’s hometown was raised up, he still kept his occupation and at the same time cared for the meetings. By 1933, just one year after the church began, the work was booming. There was a great demand upon his time. During the three weeks between August 1 and August 21, he struggled much with the Lord. He deeply sensed that He was calling him to give up his occupation and serve Him by faith, but he dared not take definite action because of the lack of faith.

Among all the brothers in the church at that time, only Witness Lee and his younger brother made what would be considered good money in their occupations. For this reason most of the needs of the church were taken care of secretly by the two of them. Therefore, when the call of the Lord came to give up my occupation, Witness Lee considered all the needs. Not only would the amount being offered to the church be lessened if he gave up his employment, but others would have to care for him. He struggled with this matter.

After three weeks of struggling with the Lord, Witness Lee simply could not go on; so in the evening of August 21, following the prayer meeting, he explained his situation to the two leading ones and asked them to pray for him. After eleven o’clock that night, he went to the Lord and knelt before Him in his reading room. The Lord immediately rebuked him: “You have an evil heart of unbelief in falling away from the living God!” (Heb. 3:12). Witness Lee said in his heart, “I have a wife and three children to take care of.” The Lord responded, “Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ..and all these things will be added to you” (Matt. 6:32-33). At that time he became clear that he had to spend his full time serving the Lord. The only factor which caused him to hesitate was lack of faith. He deeply sensed that the Lord was there. His presence was so real that he could not deny it. But up to this point he could not pray. Then He warned him, “If you will take My word, take it; otherwise, I am through with you.” Immediately following that word, Witness Lee felt that the Lord departed. He could pray no more; he could not even say “Amen”. Tears filled his eyes. Finally he said, “All right, this is it.” There was no other way. The next morning both of the two leading ones came to him and told him that after praying they felt it was of the Lord that he should leave his occupation and give his full time to serving the Lord.

At that time he became clear that he had to spend his full time serving the Lord

The next day Witness Lee went to resign from his job. After resigning, he went to the post office and found a letter awaiting him from Ch’ang-ch’un, the capital of Manchuria under Japanese occupation. Opening it, he found to his surprise the first invitation he ever received in his entire life calling him to go to another place to speak for the Lord. It was immediately after his resignation that he received this letter. It seemed to be a definite confirmation of the Lord regarding his resignation, and he was much strengthened and encouraged. Witness Lee accepted the invitation and went. Through his visit an assembly was raised up there. The preacher, the elders, the deacons, and others of the Presbyterian denomination, close to twenty, all turned to the Lord’s recovery and were baptized by him in the river in one day.

Witness Lee spent seventeen days in that place. While he was there, a letter arrived from the general manager of the company in which he had been employed, telling him that they would not let him go but would promote him and increase his salary. The time was late September. Witness Lee began to consider; it was the policy of his company to give the employees a bonus at the end of the year. He was tempted by the thought that if he would work for only a little more than three months he could still get that bonus and then quit.

Confirmation by Watchman Nee

Upon returning to his hometown, a letter was awaiting Witness Lee from Watchman Nee. He looked at the envelope, noticing it was mailed from Shanghai. He opened it and read it. It was dated August 17, exactly in the midst of the time he had been struggling with the Lord. The letter said, “Brother Witness, as for your future, I feel that you should serve the Lord with your full time. How do you feel? May the Lord lead you.” It is impossible to tell what strong confirmation he received by receiving that short note from him. That little note simply annulled the letter from his general manager. He was leaping in his heart. He said to himself, “This matter is settled. Even if someone would offer me the whole world, I would not take it. Tomorrow I will go to the office and tell the general manager that I reject his good offer.” The next day he did exactly that. Then Witness Lee felt that he must go to Shanghai to see Watchman Nee and discover why he wrote him that note at that particular time, August 17.

Brother Witness, as for your future, I feel that you should serve the Lord with your full time. How do you feel? May the Lord lead you

In Shanghai Watchman Nee related to him the following story. He told Witness Lee that while he was returning to China from Europe his ship was sailing on the Mediterranean Sea. One day while in his cabin, burdened and praying for the Lord’s work in China, he felt he should write Witness Lee a note telling him that he should spend his full time serving the Lord. When he told Witness Lee that, Witness Lee was fully convinced that Watchman Nee was a person wholly with the Lord. Otherwise, how could Witness Lee be thousands of miles away struggling with the Lord and Watchman Nee be on the Mediterranean Sea receiving a burden to write Witness Lee concerning this matter at the very instant God was dealing with him? Witness Lee was persuaded that Watchman Nee was a man of God. He did not need to ask Witness Lee to work with him; Witness Lee had already made the decision. He had to follow him and work with him. This incident became the basic factor in their working together for the Lord.