The Ballad of Watchman Nee

This Ballad of Watchman Nee is a song about his martyrdom. Nee was a Chinese pastor during the takeover of the Communists in Mainland China. He refused to go to Tiawan because he wanted to minister to his "Little Flock" churches. I first heard his song when I was in college in the seventies. Jimmy Miller first sang the song. I believe he wrote it also.
THE BALLAD OF WATCHMAN NEE
There once was a man named watchmen Nee, a Chinese brother by birth. He lived his life to honor God; he was known throughout the world.
When China fell into communist hands they put him in a cell, all because he loved our God and he sought good news to tell.
His wife she waited in poverty, afraid and all alone. She offered up her prayers each day for God to bring him home. But our brother he wasn't coming back for reasons we all know. He was a danger to their cause, they would not let him go.
Chorus -- Hush, Lady Watchman, don't you cry, you know he'll never die. He'll just walk into the arms of Jesus. And though it hurts to see him go, Lady Watchman, you must know, he was born to die the Watchman of the Lord.
The prison guards would gather round, and listen to him speak. How sweet his humble voice would sound, so gentle and so meek. And many of them secretly turned their hearts to the Lord. But the Commies said, "We'll have to put him away before he wins over all of the guards."
So they put him away in solitary, in darkness and alone. They gave him just one bowl of rice a day to reduce him to skin and bones. But the Christians they began to pray all throughout the land, And our brother he started gaining weight 'cause God came through again.
Chorus -- Hush, Lady Watchman, don't you cry, you know he'll never die. He'll just walk into the arms of Jesus. And though it hurts to see him go, Lady Watchman, you must know, he was born to die a Watchman of the Lord.
Watchman, he started writing sermons and he signed them with his name. He smuggled them out into the world through the guards that he'd led to the faith. And the Christians all throughout the land waited patiently. Every day for the latest word from their brother Watchman Nee.
But then one day his letters ceased, and the Watchman disappeared. Some say they tortured him to death, but how he died is a mystery. But we know he lived a martyr's life and the marks of the Cross he bore. And he walked into the arms of Jesus, now he lives forever more.
Chorus -- Hush, Lady Watchman, don't you cry, you know he'll never die. He'll just walk into the arms of Jesus. And though it hurts to see him go, Lady Watchman, you must know, he was born to die a Watchman of the Lord.
Well I would love to have been in Heaven that day to see what did take place; to see the Saviour standing there his Watchmen to embrace. To hear the hosts of heaven to sing, to listen to their song. To see the angels gather 'round to welcome our Brother home.
Chorus -- Hush, Lady Watchman, don't you cry, you know he'll never die. He'll just walk into the arms of Jesus. And though it hurts to see him go, Lady Watchman, you must know, he was born to die the Watchman of the Lord.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Watchman Nee
• Ben Townsend
• Mesick Michigan

[guvarallo]

I do honour such servant of God, and appriciate alot his books. But I believe making him a song is too much. May we all sing and worship only the Lord, no human being is worthy of praise, he was what he was because of the Lord. Jesus Christ is the only Lord, and there is no other - Isaiah 45:18

[lmstily]

@guvarallo, It's just a "song." It is a "testimony" song. A lot like a Nee's biographical book, only much shorter, and with a nice melody. Much like the testimony "SONG" of Deborah and Barak, where the lyrics testified of a woman who put a tent spike through a general's head. Not exactly making the woman a "Lord," is it? Sheesh -- it's like people can find fault with anything these days. I noticed no positive comment by you on my "Jesus Medley."

[lmstily]

Look in the "Description." I just added the original words by Jimmy Miller. I changed a few of them when I sang it.

[ka0qeo]

...this song was written by Jimmy Miller, right?

[lmstily]

@ka0qeo Yes, it was. I wrote that in the notes below the video. I think you could Google "Jimmy Miller, Watchman Nee" and find the actual song on Jimmy Miller's site. That's how I found it. I sang it for our pastor's conference when the subject was martyrs.

[MrMarketers]

amen..after bro watchman Nee..cont, by witness Lee then Bro we (Us)...amen for the LORD's RECOVERY..

[turdy3birdy]

Good song.

[gcyu2008]

Of course we have to worship God Himself only. It is also wrong to worship angels according to Hebrews and Revelation. On the other hand Barak and Deborah's song mentioned her name (Judges 5:7, 12, 15). Deborah also extolled Jael the wife of Heber (v.24). Deborah sang the song while she was living while Watchman has passed away in 1972. Is Deborah exalted herself. No. We pay respect of a godly man that is different from worshipping and praying to.

[nainop]

Where can I find the lyric of this song? Thanks.

[CRUZHER100]

Great Song!!! Some people have or know this song in spanish?

God save your people.