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Hope · 12-21-2008, 04:54 AM

Hello Brother Unto,

As I have begun to think about your question another case came to my memory. Now the details do not perfectly meet your requirements but here are my recollections for your consideration.

I have mentioned the church in Denton and brother George Whitington. He had begun to have meetings in an old house near North Texas State University sometime in the middle sixties. Thurman Massey had been in the church in Waco. He was a few courses short of a degree and went to Denton for a semester to complete the work. There he met George and began to meet with him. He wrote to us in Waco and was very positive about them and always referred to them as the church.

George had many contacts with traveling ministers and had several in to speak including Stephen Kaung. Benson Philips had heard of brother Kaung and desired to meet him. He heard him in Denton and gave a very warm and favorable report to us in Waco regarding brother Kaung and the church in Denton. There was a lot of back and forth for over a year. Thurman and his future wife, Diana met with them for many months before Thurman and she were married and they moved to Waco where they both became public school teachers.

I am not sure how this example comes up to your hypothesis. The group in Denton did not have an official set apostle who had appointed an official set of elders. They read material from brother Kaung and from Watchman Nee. They had several guest speakers but they were not under any “official apostle.” There were two brothers who were the elders. No one ever thought about not recognizing them.

Let us know if this could be a case you are looking for. There are many small places I know of that were similar to Denton and some I have mentioned. Perhaps if I took the time to give you fine details some might even come close to making muster.

The strongest case for your point is Moses Lake, Washington. The thing missing is that there was not a local church group that united with them but only that they were just recognized as a local church as they were.

Hope, Don Rutledge

A believer in Christ Jesus who is seeking to be a true disciple.

12-21-2008, 04:54 AM	#144
Hope Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Durham, North Carolina Posts: 313	Re: "Early Nee" vs. "Later Nee" Hello Brother Unto, As I have begun to think about your question another case came to my memory. Now the details do not perfectly meet your requirements but here are my recollections for your consideration. I have mentioned the church in Denton and brother George Whitington. He had begun to have meetings in an old house near North Texas State University sometime in the middle sixties. Thurman Massey had been in the church in Waco. He was a few courses short of a degree and went to Denton for a semester to complete the work. There he met George and began to meet with him. He wrote to us in Waco and was very positive about them and always referred to them as the church. George had many contacts with traveling ministers and had several in to speak including Stephen Kaung. Benson Philips had heard of brother Kaung and desired to meet him. He heard him in Denton and gave a very warm and favorable report to us in Waco regarding brother Kaung and the church in Denton. There was a lot of back and forth for over a year. Thurman and his future wife, Diana met with them for many months before Thurman and she were married and they moved to Waco where they both became public school teachers. I am not sure how this example comes up to your hypothesis. The group in Denton did not have an official set apostle who had appointed an official set of elders. They read material from brother Kaung and from Watchman Nee. They had several guest speakers but they were not under any “official apostle.” There were two brothers who were the elders. No one ever thought about not recognizing them. Let us know if this could be a case you are looking for. There are many small places I know of that were similar to Denton and some I have mentioned. Perhaps if I took the time to give you fine details some might even come close to making muster. The strongest case for your point is Moses Lake, Washington. The thing missing is that there was not a local church group that united with them but only that they were just recognized as a local church as they were. Hope, Don Rutledge A believer in Christ Jesus who is seeking to be a true disciple.