From June through September 8, 1933, God’s sovereignty allowed Brother Watchman Nee to visit various groups of exclusive Brethren believers in both Europe and America and the Christian Fellowship Centre ministry of T. Austin-Sparks at Honour Oak, London. Brother Nee was accompanied to America by James Taylor Sr., a leader among the Exclusive Brethren. This was Brother Nee’s one and only visit to North America.
In September 1933, Brother Nee visited Vancouver, B.C. This was the last place (and the only place he visited in Canada) before returning by steamship to Shanghai on September 8, 1933. In Vancouver he attended and spoke at an exclusive Brethren conference held during the Labour Day weekend from September 1 to 3, 1933. Brother Nee spoke concerning “Jesus, the Friend of Sinners” and some in the audience received salvation. The meetings were held at the Brethren Gospel Hall located at East 8th Avenue and Ontario Street. This building still exists today and is only one city block away from Hall 2 of the church in Vancouver.
In early 1975, two Vancouver brothers visited an elderly brother at Wilson’s Bible and Tract Depot located in the 300 Block of West Pender Street in Vancouver. This Brethren brother had attended the meetings in which Brother Nee had spoken in September of 1933 in Vancouver. When asked, he said this of Brother Nee: “No one has ever suffered more through tongue or pen than that brother.”
