Quote:
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Gradually, however, the churches for the most part left their original standing, as they began to focus more and more on Witness Lee and his ministry. Although our brother was a real servant of the Lord, whose ministry was rich both in truth and in the experience of Christ, the fact that he allowed this situation to develop was nonetheless a very serious failure on his part. All of us who serve the Lord need His mercy, for every servant of the Lord has his shortcomings.
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This statement by Canfield really burns me up. This view of our history is quite naive to say the least. The churches never desired to leave their original standing in Christ. It was the evil leaders who uprooted them and attempted to transplant them into the fields of WL. When many faithful men of God, the shepherding elders of these local churches, resisted this evil transplanting their names were slandered and their reputations were ruined. Some of the notables I am speaking of are John Ingalls, Al Knoch, and Godfred of Anaheim.
In this matter WL's failures should never be described as "shortcomings." To say that it was a "
serious failure on his part" for "
allowing this situation to develop" simply absolves Witness Lee of the responsibility he bears in actively silencing all those who cried out on the Lord's behalf.
Canfield really should research the events of the Recovery more closely. It's too bad he has chosen to "write in a vacuum." His views of the history of the Recovery far too closely match those of his mentor James Reetzke Sr. Though they have parted ways since the quarantine of TC, Canfield still has not done thorough research. By presenting only one side of the story, that which was handed down by those remaining
inside the Recovery, he has never discovered why things have happened as they did.