When Witness Lee came to America for the church life, he was charged and burdened by the Lord for the release of the Spirit and the unveiling of Christ and the church in the Scriptures.
As Don Hardy, one of the first elders related, he believes that Witness Lee was a cleansed vessel when he began his ministry here. That Paul Ma traveled with him in America and WL would pray and call out to the Lord for hours in a room, saying, "Lord, Your mercy" over and over again (or similar words).
At any rate people knew that His ministry was not common, but was proceeding out from the throne of God and many moved from around the country to Los Angeles to be under this speaking. According to God's sovereignty, Witness Lee had a new start from 1962 through 1973, with release of the Spirit and the Word in the U. S. Then, inexplicably, he changed course and the age of "the movement" began, as transparent reports show.
www.TwoTurmoils.com/MovementMen.pdf