Editing Two by Twos (section)

=== Early growth ===
[[File:Impartialrep25aug1910.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=Scan of a 1910 newspaper article regarding Tramp Preachers, Doctrines, Methods, Money and Lapses|Extract of an article from ''[[The Impartial Reporter|The Impartial Reporter and Farmers' Journal]]'' from 1910{{sfn|Impartial Reporter|25 August 1910|p=8}} documenting the early phases of the church. See endnote for link to the full article.{{efn-ua|To view the complete 1910 article shown above, [[:File:The Tramp Preachers.png|see here]].}}]]

Unlike later secretiveness,{{sfn|Johnson|1999|p=378}}{{sfn|Hilliard|2005}} initially, the church was in the public eye, with questions about it being raised in the British Parliament beginning in 1900.<ref>See:
* {{harvnb|King's County Chronicle|12 April 1900}};
* {{harvnb|Sunday Independent|27 May 1906|p=8}};
* {{harvnb|House of Commons|1912|p=2063}}.</ref> Inspired by speakers such as Irvine and Cooney, membership growth was rapid. Rather than adding members to established denominations, as was the practice of the Faith Mission outreach, churches began noticing their congregations thinning after exposure to the Two by Two missions. Clerics soon began regarding the Two by Two preachers as "inimical to the membership of the church".{{sfn|Hill|2004|p=403}} After receiving reports from Ireland, the Faith Mission in 1900 formally disassociated itself from Irvine and any of its workers found to be participating in the new Two by Two movement.{{sfn|Govan|1901|p=175}}

The attention of Belfast newspapers was initially drawn to the Two by Twos church because of its open-air baptismal rites.{{sfn|Scollon|27 July 1930|p=4}} At that time, the baptisms took place in public settings such as streams, lakes, or the sea, even in cold weather. Regarded as a novelty, the outdoor "dippings" and accompanying sermons attracted large crowds.{{sfn|Anglo-Celt|10 June 1905|p=4}}{{sfn|Freeman's Journal|7 July 1923|p=8}} Further attention was given during the staging of large marches through boroughs and public preaching in town squares and on street corners.{{sfn|Anglo-Celt|30 December 1905|p=12}}{{sfn|Nenagh Guardian|6 June 1906|p=2}}

Workers, including Edward Cooney and George Walker, publicly preached that all members of other churches were damned.{{sfn|Impartial Reporter|5 August 1909|p=8}}{{sfn|Impartial Reporter|14 July 1910|p=5}} They singled out prominent individuals, and even entire communities, for condemnation.{{sfn|Impartial Reporter|22 January 1903|p=8}}{{sfn|Anglo-Celt|29 April 1905|p=7}} At times, missions were sited close to the meeting places of other denominations, which were denounced using "extreme language".{{sfn|Anglo-Celt|5 May 1906|p=1}}{{sfn|Anglo-Celt|28 October 1911|p=5}} Consequences of these inflammatory remarks ranged from heckling and street violence{{sfn|Anglo-Celt|28 July 1906|p=8}} to the break-up of families,<ref>See:
* {{harvnb|Sunday Independent|10 June 1906|p=5}};
* {{harvnb|Anglo-Celt|16 November 1907|p=1}};
* {{harvnb|Irish Independent|29 September 1916|p=5}};
* {{harvnb|Southern Star|7 October 1916|p=7}}.</ref> all of which brought further attention to the church.{{sfn|Scollon|27 July 1930|p=4}} Newspapers in Ireland, Britain, and North America followed the disturbances that arose over the church's activities and message.<ref>Accounts of some of the many incidents include:
* {{harvnb|Alexandria Gazette|16 September 1908|p=2}};
* {{harvnb|Foote|26 May 1907|p=8}};
* {{harvnb|Irish Independent|8 July 1905|p=5}};
* {{harvnb|Irish Independent|7 May 1906|p=6}};
* {{harvnb|Impartial Reporter|2 June 1906|p=8}};
* {{harvnb|Irish Independent|17 October 1908|p=5}};
* {{harvnb|Lethbridge Daily Herald|29 August 1910|p=7}};
* {{harvnb|Nenagh Guardian|6 June 1906|p=2}};
* {{harvnb|Scollon|27 July 1930|p=4}}.</ref> Some hosted debates in their editorial columns.{{sfn|Johnson|1995|p=46}}{{sfn|Fermanagh Times|16 March–18 July 1907}} One member of Parliament offered to join the Two by Twos if they would cease criticizing other religious bodies.{{sfn|Anglo-Celt|26 November 1904|p=10}}

As the ranks of its ministry increased, the church's outreach expanded. Large gatherings were held in Dublin, Glasgow and Belfast during 1899. Annual conventions, modeled after the evangelical [[Keswick Convention]]s in England,{{sfn|Robinson|2005|p=35}} began to be held regularly in Ireland starting in 1903. Later that year, William Irvine, accompanied by Irvine Weir and George Walker, took his message to [[North America]].{{efn-ua|The immigration record shows Irvine, Walker and Weir stating that they were joining a relative, "George McGregor" living at Coffey Street in Brooklyn New York {{harv|R.I.S.|2009a}}.}} [[Mission (Christian)|Missions]] to continental Europe, Australia, and [[Asia]] followed.{{sfn|Parker|Parker|1982|p=46}}

By 1904, the requirement to "sell all" was no longer mentioned in [[sermon]]s.{{sfn|Impartial Reporter|13 October 1904|p=8}} A two-tiered system was instituted that made a distinction between homeless itinerant missionaries (called "workers") and those who were now allowed to retain homes and jobs (called "friends" or "saints").{{sfn|Wilson|1993}}{{sfn|Wallis|1981|p=123}} Weekly home meetings began to be held and presided over by "elders", who were typically the householder. During the next few years, this change became universal. The church continued to grow rapidly and held regular annual conventions lasting several weeks at a time. Irvine traveled widely during this period, attending conventions and preaching worldwide, and began sending workers from the [[British Isles]] to follow up and expand interest in various areas.<ref>See:
* {{harvnb|The Truth|18 May 1907|p=8}};
* {{harvnb|Irish Independent|20 August 1907|p=7}};
* {{harvnb|Irish Independent|13 August 1909|p=7}}.</ref>

Beginning in 1906, unwelcome attention came in the form of leaflets and billboard notices. W. D. Wilson, an English farmer whose unmarried children had left home and joined the Two by Twos, began publishing articles stating girls were being recruited by the church for immoral purposes.{{sfn|Anglo-Celt|5 October 1907|p=1}} In response, Edward Cooney brought a widely publicized suit for libel that was resolved by a settlement between the parties by the end of 1913.{{sfn|Freeman's Journal|2 December 1913|p=10}}

A [[hierarchy]] was instituted by Irvine, and his most trusted associates in various regions were designated as "overseers" or "head workers". Each worker was assigned a particular geographical sphere and then coordinated the efforts of the ministry within his area.{{sfn|Johnson|1995|p=48}} Among the overseers were William and Jack Carroll, George Walker, and Willie Gill. Irvine continued to have the ultimate say over worker conduct and finances, and his activities within their fields became regarded as "interference."{{sfn|Daniel|1993|pp=173–175}} Except for such annual conventions as he was able to attend across the globe, communications and instructions from Irvine passed through the overseers.{{sfn|Wallis|1981|p=130}}