There were also meetings for testimonies, in which the participants gave brief testimonies. Then Brother Nee made a spiritual diagnosis of each person's testimony, pointing out each one's spiritual difficulties and the way to be delivered from them. With a keen feeling, he diagnosed accurately so that what he pointed out exactly met the needs of each person. When the co-workers went back to their respective local churches after coming down from the mountain, the Lord abundantly blessed the churches, bringing about enormous revival so that the churches were built up and there was progress in the work, with the result that the gospel was being preached with power, enabling many people to be saved.

In the early part of 1950, Watchman Nee came to Hong Kong. Soon Witness Lee also joined him. In the past it had been a rare occurrence for these two brothers to visit the same church at the same time. Their ministry issued in a great revival in the church in Hong Kong. Previously there had been about three hundred in the meetings. As a result of the revival the number increased to between two and three thousand. There was a special blessing upon the church in Hong Kong.

Soon Brother Nee contemplated going back to Shanghai. The political situation there being then extremely tense, the brothers tried to persuade him not to return to mainland China, but he insisted on doing so, as he was concerned about the churches and co-workers there. He was like the apostle Paul who, on the eve of going to Jerusalem, knew that imprisonment and hardships awaited him there and was ready even to die for the name of the Lord Jesus. On account of his love for the Lord, for the church, and for the brothers and sisters, he was in the same frame of mind as Paul. During the first year or two after returning to Shanghai, he availed himself of every opportunity to put his heart and soul into the work diligently. There were then over six hundred local churches throughout the country with over ninety thousand saints, most of whom had received assistance from him in some way. In 1952, on account of his loyalty to the Lord and for the sake of the truth, Brother Nee was unexpectedly arrested and put in jail, being sentenced to twenty years' imprisonment. In those twenty years it was impossible to get direct news about him. As far as I know, the government made use of him by making him translate scientific books from English into Chinese. His wife, who died before him in November 1971, used to visit him once every two or three weeks and bring him some daily necessities. Brother Nee's heart was only half as big as a normal person's, and he had been suffering from heart disease for many years, causing him acute pain during fits of illness. However, the Lord preserved his life until May 30, 1972, when he was taken up by the Lord into His bosom for rest. Brother Nee thus rested from his labors, and his works do follow him (Rev. 14:13). Although his physical body was confined in prison, the messages which the Lord had imparted to him are being widely spread without any restriction throughout the whole world. By virtue of the ministry of his words, many saints have had spiritual insight through revelation, the churches have been built up, and many items of truths hitherto hidden in the Bible have been uncovered. Such books as Brother Nee's Normal Christian Life and Normal Christian Church Life are in great demand in America and Europe and have enabled many people to be enlightened and greatly changed in their spiritual life, thus returning to the ground of unity in local churches and bearing good testimonies. The messages spoken and the work done by God through him in the past half century have been extremely numerous and abundant. These three testimonies are but a small part of the happenings before 1936. What I have narrated in respect to things which happened between 1928 and 1952 is also very brief. From his many books we may notice how clear was our brother's understanding of God and how he dedicated himself; in loyalty and obedience he was willing even to accept death. He was indeed a vessel much used by God, and, "having served his own generation by the counsel of God, did indeed fall asleep" (Acts 13:36). He has, indeed, also left "you a model so that you may follow in His steps" (1 Pet. 2:21). May the Lord bless these three testimonies so that each reader will "remember the ones leading you, who have spoken to you the word of God; and considering the issue of their manner of life, imitate their faith" (Heb. 13:7). To our God and the Lord Jesus be glory for evermore! Amen.

Kwang-hsi Weigh
the compiler