Editing Two by Twos (section)

=== Founding ===
In 1896, [[William Irvine (Scottish evangelist)|William Irvine]] was sent from [[Scotland]] to southern Ireland as a [[missionary]] by [[John George Govan]]'s [[The Faith Mission|Faith Mission]], an [[interdenominational]] organization with roots in the [[Holiness movement]].{{sfn|Warburton|1969|pp=82–83}} Because his mission was successful, he was promoted to superintendent of Faith Mission in southern Ireland.{{sfn|Parker|Parker|1982|pp=1–2}}

[[File:Dippersdippingt1907.gif|thumb|left|alt=Monochrome line drawing depicting two men immersing two others in a river while others watch from a stone embankment|A drawing from 1907 depicting a baptismal rite. Its caption reads "How 'Dippers' are Initiated".{{sfn|Irish Independent|20 August 1907|p=7}}]]

Within a few months of his arrival in Ireland, Irvine was already disillusioned with the Faith Mission.{{sfn|Dair Rioga Local History Group|2005|p=322}} There was friction over its Holiness teachings, and Irvine saw its organization as a violation of his concept of a faith-based ministry. Above all, Irvine was increasingly intolerant of the Faith Mission's cooperation with the other churches and clergy in the various communities of southern Ireland, regarding converts who joined churches as "lost among the clergy."{{sfn|Warburton|1969|p=84}}{{sfn|Parker|Parker|1982|p=2}} In 1897, he began preaching independently, proclaiming that true ministers must have no home and take no salary.{{sfn|Nichols|2006|p=88}} He became convinced that he had received this as a special revelation he referred to as his "Alpha message".<ref>See:
* {{harvnb|Dair Rioga Local History Group|2005|pp=322–323, 329}};
* {{harvnb|Parker|Parker|1982|p=18}};
* {{harvnb|Robinson|2005|p=34}}.</ref> Opposed to all other established churches, he held that the manner in which the disciples had been sent out in chapter 10 of the ''[[Gospel of Matthew]]'' was a permanent commandment which must still be observed.<ref>See:
* {{harvnb|Parker|Parker|1982|pp=2–4}};
* {{harvnb|Robinson|2005|pp=33, 35}};
* {{harvnb|Wilson|1993}}.</ref> The passage reads in part:

{{Cquote|These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.}}

In October 1897, Irvine was invited by [[Nenagh]] businessman John "Jack" Carroll to preach in the Carrolls' hometown of [[Rathmolyon]]. There he held a series of mission meetings in which all established churches were rejected, and Irvine's new doctrine and method of ministry were set forth. It was in Rathmolyon that he recruited the first adherents to his new message.{{sfn|Dair Rioga Local History Group|2005|pp=323–325}} Aside from condemning all other churches, Irvine's doctrine included the rejection of church buildings, damnation of all followers of churches outside the new fellowship, rejection of paid ministry, rejection of collections{{efn-ua|''Collection'' refers to the donation money collected from a church congregation during a service, normally by means of a [[collection plate]] or box.}} during services and collection boxes, and the requirement that those seeking to join the ministry "sell all".<ref>See:
* {{harvnb|Dair Rioga Local History Group|2005|pp=324–326}};
* {{harvnb|Parker|Parker|1982|pp=8–9, 12}};
* {{harvnb|Wilson|1993}}.</ref>

Irvine's preaching during this latest mission influenced others who began to leave their respective churches and join Irvine to form an initial core of followers.{{sfn|Wilson|1993}} Some of these early adherents would become important members of the new church, including [[John Long (evangelist)|John Long]],{{efn-ua|John Long (1872–1962) traced his conversion experience to a mission held by Methodist evangelist Gabriel Clarke in 1890. He became a [[colporteur]] for the Methodists in Ireland, where he encountered William Irvine. He eventually joined Irvine's workers, until publicly expelled in 1907 for disagreeing with the group's exclusivist position {{harv|Robinson|2005|p=36}}. Long returned to his work as a colporteur {{harv|Lennie|2009|p=426}} and joined the [[Elim Pentecostal Church|Elim]] evangelists for a time.  From there he went on to become a noted [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]] preacher in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England {{harv|Robinson|2005|p=36}}. The editor of ''Heresies Exposed'' included a correction by Long of the name of the church's original leader and the year of its founding in 1897 {{harv|Irvine|1929|p=73(fn)}}. He also left his memoirs (in journal form, though redacted many years later) {{harv|Long|1927}}.}} the Carroll family, John Kelly, [[Edward Cooney]]—an influential [[Evangelism|evangelist]] from the [[Church of Ireland]]{{sfn|Robinson|2005|pp=34–35}}—and George Walker (an employee of the Cooney family's fabric business{{sfn|Impartial Reporter|28 July 1910|p=8}}), all of whom eventually "sold all" and joined the new movement as itinerant preachers.<ref>1905 "List of Workers" in {{harvnb|Daniel|1993|pp=276–279}}</ref> Although other movements, such as the [[Plymouth Brethren]] and [[Elim Pentecostal Church|Elim]] have had strong Irish connections, the church founded by Irvine is the only religion known to have had its origin and early development in Ireland.{{sfn|Robinson|2005|p=34}}{{sfn|O'Brien|1997|p=xxiv}}