Brother Nee's sufferings also came from his ill health. He contracted tuberculosis in 1924, and by 1929 he was dying from this disease. Eventually, he received a word from Lord, he stood on that word, and he was healed. His testimony of this is in Watchman Nee's Testimony, pages 30-38. Later, he had stomach troubles, and then he had heart disease. He did not get married until 1934, and his ministry began about 1923. Eleven years of his ministry passed, and he did not have a wife to help him. He lived as a single man until 1934, so he really suffered.
He always told me beginning in 1934 that he could die at any time. Many times while he was speaking, he had to lean on the stand because he was in so much pain. He told us that many times, while he was speaking, he would break out in a cold sweat. Also, before he went to conference meetings, there were many times that he had to lay on the bed until the time came for him to speak. After he spoke, he immediately went back home to lie down. I believe that eventually in 1972 he died of his heart disease while he was in the communists' prison. We received definite information from a very close relative of his who was always taking care of him. He lived with heart disease for close to forty years. He was suffering all the time.
Through his poverty, he learned the lesson of faith. He knew how to be a "lily" (Matt. 6:28), living on this earth in total dependence upon God. He lived on this earth by faith in God, without trusting in any human help. Furthermore, because of his ill health, he had to learn to depend on the Lord. He learned to live by the resurrection life to meet his physical need. Many times he ministered, not by his physical strength or energy, but by the resurrection life. I saw this while he was speaking. Through all his sufferings, he learned some real lessons. I cannot estimate the tremendous help we received from these lessons. I personally received great help from his experiences.
In addition to his poverty and bad health, Brother Nee also suffered all kinds of persecution from Christianity. This is the third category of his sufferings. I would like to relate a little history so that we can see the background of Brother Nee's sufferings in this category. The Boxer Rebellion in China was in 1900. This was an attempt by some to drive foreigners out of China and to force Christians, both native and foreign, to renounce Christ. Afterward, there was a revolution in China, which succeeded in 1911. After 1911, there was no persecution of Christianity throughout all of China. Instead, many people began to have a positive attitude toward Christianity. As we have seen, Brother Nee was saved in 1920. That was during a time when Christianity had become prevailing. During that time the Lord was moving in the universities, and many young people were saved. Thus, there was not any persecution or opposition from the unbelievers. The persecution which Brother Nee suffered came almost entirely from Christianity.