Editing Two by Twos (section)

=== Consolidation ===
These schisms were not widely publicized, and few were aware that they had occurred. Most supporters of Irvine, and later Cooney, were either coaxed into abandoning those loyalties or put out of the fellowship. Among these were the early workers May Carroll, Irvine Weir (one of the first workers in North America, who was excommunicated for continued contact with Cooney and for his objection to registration of the church under names),{{sfn|Parker|Parker|1982|pp=85–86}} and Tom Elliot (who had conducted [[baptism]]s of the first workers and was nicknamed "Tom the Baptist").{{sfn|Roberts|1990|p=153}}

The emergence of the Two by Twos caused severe splits within local Protestant churches in Ireland at a time of increasing demands for [[Irish War of Independence|Irish independence]], largely driven by the Catholic majority community. Because of animosity, the Two by Twos did not form a united front with other Protestant communities.{{sfn|Dair Rioga Local History Group|2005|p=333}}{{sfn|Megahey|2000|p=155}} Although the church was noted for extreme [[Anti-Catholicism|anti-Catholic]] views, it played a very minor role during the struggle for Irish independence. One exception was the involvement of the Pearson family in the still-controversial [[killings at Coolacrease]].{{sfn|McConway|7 November 2007|p=15}}{{sfn|McConway|14 November 2007|p=16}}

In the mid-1920s, a magazine article entitled "The Cooneyites or Go-Preachers"{{sfn|Rule|January 1924|pp=18–20}} disturbed the leadership, who made efforts to have it withdrawn,{{sfn|Parker|Parker|1982|p=82}} particularly when material from the article was added to the widely distributed reference ''Heresies Exposed''.{{sfn|Irvine|1929|pp=73–78}} During this period, the church modified its evangelical outreach. The public preaching of its early days was replaced with low-key "gospel meetings", which were attended only by members and invitees. The church began to state that it had a 1st-century origin.{{sfn|Parker|Parker|1982|p=64}}{{sfn|Dair Rioga Local History Group|2005|pp=329–330}} It asserted that it had no organization or name and disclaimed any unique doctrines. The church shunned publicity, making the church very difficult for outsiders to follow.{{sfn|Johnson|1995|pp=37–38, 42}}{{sfn|Indianapolis News|26 September 1921|p=11}}

[[File:Geowalker1942letter3.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Scan of page 3 of a 1942 statement written and signed by overseer George Walker on Christian Conventions stationery which addressed questions posed by the United States Selective Service|Last page of senior overseer George Walker's statement to the U.S. Selective Service in 1942 under the name "Christian Conventions"{{efn-ua|For full text of the letter, see ''The Secret Sect'' {{harv|Parker|Parker|1982|pp=117–119}}.}}]]

The North American church saw a struggle for influence between overseers George Walker in the east and Jack Carroll. In 1928, an agreement was forged between the senior overseers that limited workers operating outside of their appointed geographical spheres, known as "fields": workers traveling into an area controlled by another overseer had to first submit their revelation to,{{sfn|Roberts|1990|p=143}} and obtain permission from, the local overseer. {{sfn|Dair Rioga Local History Group|2005|p=330}} The exact boundaries between fields was worked out over time, and there were areas where workers under the control of more than one overseer operated, causing conflict.{{sfn|Parker|Parker|1982|p=85}}

During the [[World War I|First World War]], the church obtained exemption from military service in Britain under the name "The Testimony of Jesus." However, there were problems with recognition of this name outside the British Isles, and exemption was refused in many other areas.<ref>See:
* {{harvnb|St. Clair|St. Clair|2004|p=223}};
* {{harvnb|Lineham|2017|pp=169–176}};
* {{harvnb|Wilson|1994|p=49}}.</ref> In New Zealand during World War I, members of the church could not prove their [[conscientious objector]] status, and formed the largest segment of those imprisoned for refusal to serve.{{sfn|Lineham|2017|pp=162, 169, 175}}{{sfn|Wilson|1994|p=56(fn)}} Members and ministers also had difficulty establishing their conscientious objector status in the United States during the First World War.{{sfn|Indianapolis News|26 September 1921|p=11}} With the start of the [[World War II|Second World War]], formal names were adopted and used in registering the church with various national governments.{{efn-ua|This is the subject of letters from Rittenhouse and Sweetland, given in full in ''Reinventing the Truth'' {{harv|Daniel|1993|pp=281, 283–284}}.}}<ref>See:
* {{harvnb|Wilson|1994|p=68}};
* {{harvnb|Wilson|1993}}.</ref> These names continued to be used for official business, and stationery bearing those names was printed for the use of overseers. Most members were not aware of these names. Some who dissented after learning of the practice were [[excommunication|expelled]] by the workers.{{sfn|Kropp-Ehrig|2022|pp=358, 362, 396, 415, 488–490, 539}}{{sfn|Parker|Parker|1982|pp=85–86}}

After the death of Australian overseer William Carroll in 1953, an attempt was made to reintegrate the repudiated adherents of William Irvine and Edward Cooney. Rather than producing further unity, the attempt produced conflicts over the church's history which was exposed, the existence of legal names, disagreements over the hierarchy which had developed, and other controversies. Many excommunications took place in the subsequent effort to enforce harmony.{{sfn|Parker|Parker|1982|pp=88–92}}{{sfn|Roberts|1990|pp=225–226}}

The earliest workers and overseers were succeeded by a new generation of leaders. In Europe, William Irvine died in 1947,{{sfn|Palestine Post|10 March 1947|p=2}} Edward Cooney died in 1960,{{sfn|Impartial Reporter|23 June 1960}} and John Long (expelled in 1907) died in 1962. British overseer Willie Gill died in 1951. In the South Pacific, New Zealand overseer Wilson McClung died in 1944, and Australian overseer John Hardie died in 1961. In North America, both Jack Carroll,{{sfn|Fiset|29 March 1957|p=15}} the Western overseer, and Irvine Weir died in 1957 while Eastern overseer George Walker died in 1981.{{sfn|Evening Bulletin|8 November 1981}}

Its policy of not revealing its name, finances,{{sfn|Wilson|Barker|2005|p=299}} doctrine, or history,{{efn-ua|"In very short order they also destroyed Irvine's earlier stature as a charismatic innovator by explaining that the sect he had founded was actually a collective rediscovery of the earliest form of Christianity, which had existed as small persecuted bands since the first century."&nbsp;—''Benton Johnson'' {{harv|Johnson|1995|p=50}}.}} and avoidance of publicity{{efn-ua|"The Cooneyites, also called the Two-by-Two's, have developed the shunning of publicity into a fine art."&nbsp;—Melton {{harv|Melton|2009|p=554}}.}}{{sfn|Mann|1955|p=15}} largely kept the church from public notice.{{sfn|Gill|30 June 1984|p=37}} The group has been labeled a "high-control group" by some.{{sfn|RNZ|2024c}} A few authors of popular literature have noted the church, even using it as background for various works.<ref>Uses as background for literary works include,
* {{harvnb|Bates|2004|}};
* {{harvnb|Joyce|2001|p=138}};
* {{harvnb|Lewis|1971|pp=119–124}};
* {{harvnb|Montgomery|1935|pp=135–208}}.</ref>