The following announcement by Witness Lee appeared in the first issue of The Christian, newly published in July 1934:

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The discontinuation of Notes on Scriptural Messages and the resumption of The Christian were announced by Brother Watchman Nee in the fiftieth issue of Notes on Scriptural Messages. At this time we wish to add a few words here on the reissuing of The Christian.

Since 1928 when Brother Nee suspended The Christian and resumed The Present Testimony, even though truths of the nature of The Present Testimony have helped many of God's children in their spiritual life, it seems that teachings of the nature of The Christian have become hidden to God's children. We realize that the principles of the spiritual life are truly of foremost importance, but the light on the pathway cannot be lacking either. While we should certainly pay attention to the spiritual life, scriptural knowledge should by no means be ignored. Today a believer's inner life needs edification, and his outward behavior also needs cultivation. Even though Notes on Scriptural Messages can be of considerable help in this aspect to the children of God, it still is not the same as the former publication, The Christian. Hence, we felt the need to reissue The Christian.

Though the resumption of The Christian was decided by the brothers after the conference in January of this year, it was not until today that, by the grace of God, the first issue has come out. While we confess the delay to be our fault, we also believe that it was God's ordering.

After its resumption, the nature and content of The Christian will be largely the same as before. The differences are that the former "Messages" column is now changed to "Notes on Scriptural Messages" and the former "Scripture Expositions" to "Bible Studies." These changes are only in style; the function will be the same as before. The reason "Scripture Expositions" is being changed to "Bible Studies" is because we intend to publish, in succession, notes of Bible studies which Brother Nee conducted with the brothers and sisters in Shanghai during the last few years. By this means the truth-seeking brothers and sisters in every locality will receive help. "Messages" is being changed to "Notes on Scriptural Messages" in order to keep Notes on Scriptural Messages continuing so that the help God's children have been receiving will not be interrupted. Hence, although the Notes on Scriptural Messages ceased to be an independent publication, its essential existence has not been abolished. We simply incorporated it as a column into The Christian. Thus, on one hand The Christian resumes publication, and on the other hand, Notes on Scriptural Messages is also preserved. On the one hand, we want to restore the former testimony of The Christian, and on the other hand, we want to carry on the present help of Notes on Scriptural Messages.