Watchman Nee was a Chinese Christian leader and author who founded the indigenous Protestant movement known as the Little Flock or the Local Church. He was arrested by the Communist authorities in 1952 and spent the last 20 years of his life in prison, where he died in 1972. His death was a result of his faithful resistance to the state’s persecution and his physical and mental suffering in captivity. This article will explore the causes and circumstances of his death, as well as his legacy and impact on the Chinese church and beyond.
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The Arrest and Trial of Watchman Nee
Watchman Nee was born in 1903 in Shantou, Guangdong province, to a Methodist family. He converted to Christianity at the age of 17, after attending a revival meeting led by Dora Yu, a female evangelist. He soon became a prolific writer and preacher, influenced by the Plymouth Brethren, a British fundamentalist group. He initiated church meetings in Fuzhou, Fujian province, in 1922, which marked the beginning of the Local Church movement. He also traveled extensively throughout China and abroad, holding conferences and training Bible students and church workers.
After the Communist Revolution in 1949, Watchman Nee and his fellow believers faced increasing hostility and pressure from the new regime, which viewed Christianity as a foreign and subversive religion. In April 1952, he was arrested along with more than 100 other church leaders in Shanghai, where he had been living since 1948. He was accused of being a counter-revolutionary and a spy for foreign powers. He was also charged with various crimes such as embezzlement, tax evasion, adultery, and incest.
He was tried in a public court in Shanghai in June 1956, where he was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment and confiscation of all his property. He was also denounced by some of his former co-workers and relatives, who had been coerced or brainwashed by the authorities. He was transferred to a prison in Tianjin, where he spent the next four years.
The Imprisonment and Death of Watchman Nee
In 1960, Watchman Nee was moved to a labor camp in Guangde county, Anhui province, where he remained until his death. He was subjected to hard labor, poor living conditions, and constant indoctrination. He was also isolated from other prisoners and denied any contact with his family or friends. He was only allowed to write one letter per year to his wife, Charity Chang, who had also been arrested in 1952 and sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment.
Despite the harsh circumstances, Watchman Nee did not renounce his faith or compromise with the state. He continued to pray, read the Bible, and witness to his fellow inmates. He also wrote several spiritual letters and hymns, which were later smuggled out of the prison by some sympathetic guards or visitors. He also composed a testimony of his life and ministry, which he entrusted to an elderly sister who visited him in 1968.
Watchman Nee’s health deteriorated gradually due to overwork, malnutrition, and lack of medical care. He suffered from tuberculosis, coronary ischemia, edema, and other diseases. He died in his cell on May 30, 1972, at the age of 68. His body was cremated without any funeral service or notification to his family. His ashes were buried in an unmarked grave near the labor camp.
The Legacy and Impact of Watchman Nee
Watchman Nee’s death was not widely known until several years later, when some of his writings and letters were published overseas by his co-workers and followers. His books have been translated into many languages and have influenced millions of Christians around the world. His teachings emphasize the centrality of Christ, the experience of the cross, the reality of the church as the Body of Christ, and the spiritual warfare against the enemy.
Watchman Nee is widely regarded as one of the most influential Chinese Christian leaders and martyrs of the 20th century. He is honored by many Christians as a faithful witness and a model of suffering for Christ. His story has inspired many persecuted Christians in China and other countries to endure hardship and remain loyal to their Lord. He is also recognized by some scholars and politicians as a defender of human rights and religious freedom in China.
According to Wikipedia, Watchman Nee was honored by Christopher H. Smith (R – NJ) in the US Congress on July 30, 2009. According to Living Stream, he was also commemorated by Pope John Paul II among other Christian martyrs of the past century at a special Mass held at Rome’s Colosseum on May 7th 2000. According to Asia Harvest, his life and ministry have also been documented in several biographies and films, such as Against the Tide (2009) and The Heavenly Man (2012).
Watchman Nee’s cause of death was not only a physical one, but also a spiritual one. He died for his faith in Christ, and for his love for the church. He died as a martyr, but also as a victor. He died in obscurity, but also in glory. He died as a witness, but also as a legacy.
