The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1953, volume 1

Book excerpt: Brother Witness Lee traveled to Manila, Philippines, on December 10, 1952, and stayed there until June 30, 1953. During this time he released messages that compose the first six chapters of The Bridge and Channel of God, which appears in volume 1 of this set. A collection of his personal notes written in January is included in volume 1 of this set. On June 1 through 14 he conducted a training on service in the mornings with brothers who attended from the Philippines as well as from other Southeast Asian countries. The main subject of these meetings was on the conditions for God to use man and on the knowledge needed for those who serve the Lord. In the evenings he spoke to the whole church on God's need for man and the life of service. After this, he conducted meetings in Baguio, Philippines, for three days beginning on June 15, with two meetings every day. The subject of these meetings was on the life and living of the Lord's serving ones and the revelation and way for service. These messages were originally published in The Ministry of the Word, Issue Nos. 27 and 28, and are included in volume 1 of this set under the title The Ministry of the Word, Miscellaneous Messages, 1953. After returning from Manila on June 30, Brother Lee remained in Taiwan for the rest of the year. Beginning on August 9 he conducted an eleven-day conference on life and the church with over two thousand in attendance. These messages are included in volume 1 of this set in the section entitled Knowing Life and the Church. The most significant event of this year was a sixteen-week training that began in September and ended in the middle of December. This was the most crucial training during the first few years of the work in Taiwan. All the sections in the remainder of the 1953 set are from messages released during this training. These include The Knowledge of Life and The Experience of Life, both of which have become crucial books in the Lord's recovery since that time. Some of the messages in these sections were given in 1954. The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1953, volume 1, contains messages that Brother Witness Lee gave in 1953. This volume also includes notes, articles for publication, and an outline written in the same year. Additionally, prayers offered by Brother Lee in meetings from 1953 through 1957 are included in this volume. Historical information concerning Brother Lee's travels and the content of his ministry in 1953 can be found in the general preface that appears at the beginning of this volume. The contents of this volume are divided into nine sections, as follows: 1. Eight messages given in Taipei, Taiwan, and Manila, Philippines, in 1953. These messages were previously published in a book entitled The Bridge and Channel of God and are included in this volume under the same title. 2. A collection of personal notes written in January 1953. These are included in this volume under the title Witness Lee's Personal Notes. 3. Two messages given in Manila, Philippines, on June 12 and 13, 1953. These messages are included in this volume under the title Concerning the Lord's Work and God's Move. 4. Twenty-three messages given in Taipei, Taiwan, in August 1953. These messages were previously published in a book entitled Knowing Life and the Church and are included in this volume under the same title. 5. Nine articles and reports that appeared in various issues of The Ministry of the Word in 1953. They are included in this volume under the title The Ministry of the Word, Miscellaneous Messages, 1953. 6. Four messages given in Taipei, Taiwan, on August 18 and 20, 1953. These messages are included in this volume under the title Fellowship in Preparation for the Service Training in Taipei. 7. A detailed outline written in 1953 showing the subjects that were covered in the training on service in Taipei, Taiwan. This outline is included in this volume under the title Outline of the Service Training in Taipei. 8. Five messages given during an intensified sixteen-week training on service in Taipei, Taiwan, on September 1 through December 18, 1953. These messages are included in this volume under the title The Human Conduct and the Ministry of the Word of the Lord's Serving Ones. Most of the content of the service training and the fellowship that followed the training is published in volume 2 of this set in the section entitled Messages and Fellowship Given during the Service Training in Taipei. 9. A collection of nineteen prayers offered by Brother Lee in meetings held in Taipei, Taiwan, and Hong Kong from 1953 through 1957. They are included in this volume under the title A Collection of Prayers.