[Freedom]

The following is spoken starting ~22:44 in the recording:

Originally Posted by James Barber

Then he came back in 1961, to the United States, for the purpose of some business matters and some other matters. It was while he was here in ’61 up to around, I believe September/October of 1962, he was here for some time; he was just fixing to go back to Taiwan because they had a lot of conferences scheduled. A big conference with 10,000 was scheduled.

But I have to mention, before this in May of 1962, the church in Los Angeles took the ground and began to meet. They had some fellowship with brother Lee, and brother Lee didn’t tell them anything, he just said “You pray. You pray, you just pray. Whatever you feel.” Actually, in ’58 they tried to do something, and he said “No, don’t do anything.” In ’60 they wanted to do something, and he discouraged it. But by ’62, he didn’t discourage, he didn’t encourage. He just said “pray”.

So by May of 1962, the church in Los Angeles took the ground in brother Samuel Chang’s home. He lived there in Los Angeles. Well, they had around 30 people, 28 of whom were Chinese. And two, they generally call it 2 ½ Caucasians, because the ½ was a sister who eventually, although she stayed a long time, even into Elden hall, she left. The two were John Ingalls and Jim Reetzke. That was the two Caucasians that began to meet in 1962 of May, that’s when they took the ground.

Brother Lee was going back to Taiwan. If they took that ground, that was up to them, but he was going back to Taiwan. He had no burden at all to come to this country. He had no consideration, he had no burden. He figured “let them take the books, and let them do whatever”. His burden back then was Taiwan. Especially in China they had no burden for this country. Anyway, it was while he was in this country, at that time, there began to be some things that happened, to cause some great pressure upon him. Some great pressure. Some real situations that were happening, and through this pressure, he went to the Lord and he went to the Lord and he went to the Lord. And the pressure did not let up, it increased and increased and increased. He went to the Lord “why Lord is this happening.”

Something like this, I don’t have the exact words, I’ve heard things here and there, I’m just trying to put it all together. Anyways, the decision was though, eventually he realized the Lord wanted him to stay in this country. And the pressure didn’t stop. It’s not that he said “Yes” and the pressure stopped, that’s our concept. No, the pressure continued, but he got clearer what the Lord wanted. That was to stay in this country. So he called brother Samuel Chang - I’ve heard this story many times, and this was in the fall of 1962. He called him in Los Angeles, and he said “brother Chang, I’m coming to Los Angeles.” Well, they had heard he was leaving, because a big conference was already being scheduled in Taiwan. And he said “You are? Oh you’re coming before you’re going back to Taiwan?” And he said, “No, I’m coming to Los Angeles to stay”. And he said, “Oh, you’re coming to stay two or three weeks?” And he said, “No, I’m coming to stay indefinitely.” Well, they were all just shocked…

The part that I have bolded is something that I find to be interesting. Not interesting because the story of WL’s decision to stay in the U.S. is not already known, but because James speaks about it so vaguely. It is almost certain from the way he is speaking that he knew things that he wasn’t saying. Take for example what he says here: “there began to be some things that happened.. Some real situations that were happening…” Nothing specific is said here, and I find it almost humorous at how vague this is. It is painfully obvious that a lot wasn’t being said.

Why is this such a big deal? Because the whole notion of ‘recovery’ was partly rooted in the idea that WL’s coming here was the “Lord’s doing”. This, however, is exactly what was shrouded in mystery for so long until the truth came out. It seems that some of WL’s close coworkers knew some of the truth all along, but instead chose to sensationalize the story of his coming here and make it seem more important than it really was.