[Indiana]

John So Talk in Manila 1990

The Care for the Church

New Way as a Rolls Royce
Jim Batten said further that I considered the new way as a Rolls Royce. Yes, that’s right, I did. I think that must have been in 1987 sometime. Brother Lee said in [The Fermentation of the Present Rebellion] “John So said to a brother in England that it was better to have one’s own body than to have a Rolls Royce.” I will explain what I meant.

I had gone back to Europe and found that Blackpool, England was fully destroyed. It was fully destroyed to the ground through the establishing of the LSM office there. And at that time nobody was caring for the church in Blackpool, for those poor brothers in Blackpool. And there they were door knocking and boasting how many thousands got baptized in California. If brother Jim Batten would be honest before the Lord, and I have witnesses there. Eddie Wong was there. Some other brothers were there. I was very considerate of Jim Batten. And I had no intention to convince him of anything.

In fact, I explained to him, I said, “Brother, go and door knock. That’s fine. That’s good. But do not forget about our brothers who are in much trouble in Blackpool. Please take care also of these brothers in Blackpool.” And I just made an illustration and asked, “what is more important -- a Rolls Royce or a man’s body.” I likened the new way to a Roll’s Royce and the church to man’s body. A best car, you know, is a Rolls Royce. I didn’t compare the new way with a Volkswagon or a Fiat or a Manila jeepney. I compared it to a Rolls Royce. My goodness, what is better than a Rolls Royce, right? Don’t you want to have a Rolls Royce? But, I said, “No matter how good it is, your body, your health, is more important.” I encouraged him, therefore, to take care of the church, along with his care for the new way.

My! You are criticizing the new way! Brothers, let us be logical. Don’t believe in such a way that you become superstitious. Just anything that doesn’t sound like you are for it, people say you are blowing cold wind. “You said the new way is a Rolls Royce.” What should I say? A chariot, a heavenly chariot? Okay, I can say it. You know Elijah went with a heavenly chariot of fire and is gone. Okay. If you think that is better than a Rolls Royce, well, compare it. This is not the way. Really, brothers, this is not the way. Let us be normal. Let’s be able to talk in a normal way. “My, that is something fermenting in John So.” Oh my, you see, a testimony is written here to prove that I am rebelling. Rebellion is fermenting in me. Our brother Na Ning said that you’re not the jury. I’m going to consider you tonight as the jury. Whether you like it or not, Na Ning, I’m going to consider you as a jury, and I’m not afraid to be judged by you here. One day I’m going to be judged by the Lord anyway. And, let’s bring this book to the Lord, and let Him judge. Just by this alone they want to prove that rebellion and conspiracy was fermenting within me. I don’t like to talk about these things—the Lord knows. I had a hard time preparing this crazy thing.

Anyway, anyway, at least, I hope they will correct the mistake. Maybe they will find other witnesses that are correct. Okay. They can always put another piece of paper into the book and say, “Correction, that witness is wrong.” Otherwise, you should write in here, “With false testimonies; maybe it’s a misprint.”