Visit to Taiwan (1955)

Witness Lee invited T. Austin Sparks to come to Taiwan, but with some reservation. It was only after repeated suggestion from some of the leading co-workers that he agreed. Later, while considering the invitation that he had extended to Brother Sparks, he said that he had done what Brother Nee had never brought himself to do. There were some regrets, especially after the second visit in 1957.

Brother Sparks first visited Taiwan in 1955. Starting from November 20 and continuing for three weeks, he held a conference, all the messages of which were printed in the publication, Spoken Ministry. In addition, in issues 51 and 52, there was an 8-section message on “God’s Redemption,” as well as a message, “The Recovery of the Revelation.” There was another message, “Spiritual Headship,” and several others. All these messages show that Brother Sparks had deep insight; he was thoroughly released and was full of light. His ministry was quite helpful to all the saints. In the January-February 1956 issue of A Witness and a Testimony (Vol. 34, No. 1, p. 2), Brother Sparks comments on his visit:

On the Lord’s Day morning about 2,800 gathered in the central meeting-place, and that meeting is difficult to describe.

Then Formosa, and here it was the same [as the previous reception in Hong Kong] but more so. What a crowd of eager faces, and bursting into singing as we emerged!...[T]he reception outside [the airport] was a tremendous thing, and it took quite a long time to get through the greetings, photos, etc....Next morning we were taken round to see most of the other seven meeting-places in the city. This was an experience! On the Lord’s Day morning about 2,800 gathered in the central meeting-place, and that meeting is difficult to describe. The life, joy, singing, and earnestness of that great company is very impressive. At 5 o’clock in the afternoon we had reports from the other places on the Island–a story of “the wonderful works of God.” This lasted for two hours. Then a Love Feast, followed by the Lord’s Table. It was late when we closed that long-to-be-remembered day.

From then onward, during the first week, there were four meetings a

From then onward, during the first week, there were four meetings a day.

day: two in the mornings for workers (about 800); one in the afternoon taken by Dr. Kinnear; and then the great evening meeting with sometimes about 3,000 present. During the second week the afternoon meetings were dropped. For the third week we are visiting all the other centres on the Island, eight of them.

By 1956 Brother Lee had already taken notice of Brother Sparks’ differences concerning the ground of the church. But other than this, Brother Sparks had been a great help in life to the brothers and sisters.

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