The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1963, volume 4

Book excerpt: The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1963, volume 4, contains the messages and fellowship given by Brother Witness Lee from September 4 through December 31, 1963. In the first part of September Brother Lee spent a few days ministering to the saints in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are indications that he also passed through Albuquerque, New Mexico, for a few days afterward; however, there is no record of his speaking during that time. On the weekend of September 20 and 21 he ministered to the saints in Tyler, Texas, and toward the end of the month he traveled to New York City, where he ministered for more than two weeks. In the month of November Brother Lee returned to Texas for a week to release messages in Tyler and Dallas. The following weekend he stopped briefly in Los Angeles and then traveled up the West Coast to Sacramento and San Francisco, California, giving weeklong conferences in both cities. In December Brother Lee again returned to Los Angeles, where he ministered until the end of the year, sometimes speaking two or three times a day. The contents of this volume are divided into twelve sections, as follows: 1. Four messages given in Las Vegas on September 4 through 7. These messages were published under the title Contacting the Lord, Being Filled in Spirit, and Having Proper Christian Meetings for the Accomplishment of God's Eternal Purpose. There are indications, but no solid evidence, that the last message was given in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 2. Three messages given at a conference in Tyler on September 20 and 21. These messages are included in this volume under the title Experiencing Christ as Life for Our Transformation into His Image. Records indicate that originally four messages were given, but the last two, which were given on the same day and at the same location, were combined into one message. 3. Four messages given at a conference in New York City from September 29 through October 6. These messages are included in this volume under the title The Practical Way to Fulfill God's Eternal Purpose. 4. Four messages given at a conference in New York City on October 11 through 13. These messages were published under the title The Exercise of Our Spirit for the Release of the Spirit. 5. A series of twelve messages given in the Tyler and Dallas area on November 7 through 15. These messages are included in this volume under the title Being Transformed for the Practice of the Church Life. 6. Three messages given in Tyler at various times during the month of November. These messages are included in this volume under the title The Fulfillment of God's Purpose and the Defeat of God's Enemy. 7. Six messages given at a conference in Sacramento on November 22 through 25. These messages were published under the title Experiencing Christ as the Inner Life. 8. Eleven messages given in San Francisco from November 28 through December 1. These messages were published under the title The Relationship of God with Man in God's New Creation. 9. Messages given on two Lord's Days, November 17 and December 15, in Los Angeles. These messages are included in this volume under the title Lord's Day Messages in Los Angeles. The second message was divided into two parts. 10. Three messages constructed from personal notes of Brother Lee's fellowship with the leading ones on December 14 and 20 in Los Angeles. These messages are included in this volume under the title Fellowship with the Leading Ones. 11. Sixteen messages given at a conference in Los Angeles on December 22 through 31. These messages were published under the title The Life and Way for the Practice of the Church Life. 12. One message given at a meeting in Los Angeles on December 28. This message is included in this volume under the section title Fellowship concerning the Body of Christ. There are indications that this message was one in a series of informal talks that Brother Lee gave during the conference held on December 22 through 31. Records of the other talks were not available for publication.