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William Irvine was born in Kilsythe, Scotland. See full bio at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Irvine_(Scottish_evangelist)
Edward Cooney was born in Enniskillen, Ireland. See full bio at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Cooney
John Long was born in Burntwood, Cloughjordan, County Tipperary, Ireland. See full bio at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Long_(evangelist)
Irvine became manager of a colliery at age 20
Long signed a temperance pledge which he followed all his life
Cooney converted to Christ age 17.
Irvine joined Freemasons
Cooney travelled throughout Ireland on behalf of his family's business, and during the 1890s began preaching in the towns which he visited. Although still an active member of the Church of Ireland, he occasionally preached alongside members of other churches.
An illegitimate son was born on April 23, 1886 in Maryhill, Lanark, Scotland to William Irvine's cousin Margaret Helen Grassam. The child was given the name of William Grassam but was subsequently renamed Archibald Grassam Irvine and was raised by William Irvine's parents.
Long confirmed in the Episcopal church
Long decided for Christ at a Faith Mission held by John Govan in the Methodist Church in Cloughjordan.
Long was a servant to (Revd.) O'Sullivan, Episcolpalian minister
Irvine professed through travelling Presbyterian evangelist Rev. John McNeill, D. L. Moody campaign, at Motherwell Town Hall. Resigned from colliery 1st November.
Irvine studied at Bible Training Institute, Glasgow.
Long left Mr. O'Sullivan to devote his life entirely to the "Lord's Work". Appointed to be a Methodist Colporteur.
Isa. 41:15-16 seen by Irvine as his 'Call to Service' . He became a pilgrim or worker with Faith Mission - founded in 1886 at Rothesay, Scotland, with Pilgrims who went out two by two.
The Faith Mission sent William Irvine to preach in Northern Ireland, where many missions had previously been worked with success by Faith Mission pilgrims. He was working a mission in October 1896 that "that stirred the whole of that country for years to come, as I did in S.W. of Ireland and finally all over Ireland"
Consisted of (1) converts who became recruiters, called "workers" or "servants" and (2) converts who did not become workers, called "saints".
Until 1902 the first workers and saints continued worshipping in the denominations where they were members. After that, a number met in a room from time to time, to encourage each other to follow Jesus, still attending the same denominations they belonged to.
Initially the Protestant churches were supportive of Irvine and his revival crusade, but this soon changed. Irvine abhorred the ways in which he perceived that various churches made distinction between the rich and the poor, and this became a frequent subject of his sermons. For the next 3 years, Irvine accepted Faith Mission funds, hospitality and facilities while he fleshed out the framework of his new movement. He wanted to get back to biblical basics and taught that all true ministers must follow Jesus' instructions to the apostles in Matthew 10; leaving their homes, families, property and responsibilities and going out to preach two-by-two. 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 during services and collection boxes, and the requirement that those seeking to join the ministry "sell all". To a great degree, he copied the Faith Mission's methods and traditions; used their terminology and dress code; duplicated their portable meeting halls and living quarters (baches); black stockings, hats and court-shoes for women; and conventions. He believed he had restored God's "only true way", hence "The Truth" or "the truth as it is in Jesus" came to be used by members to refer to the movement itself.
1897, February: Pilgrims Irvine and Deathe went to work in the South of Ireland. While preaching in the South of Ireland, Irvine's FIRST convert was Dora Holland. She was converted at a mission Wm. Irvine and Pilgrim Taberner were working in Kilrush, County Clare, Ireland in April-May, 1897. Reportedly, she was his very first convert in Ireland. John Long travelled to Kilrush at this time, specifically for the purpose of meeting and hearing Wm. Irvine.
While Irvine was conducting a mission in Kilrush, John Long met him and directed him to Nenagh, where a revival began in August, 1897, which afterwards formed into the Go-Preacher Testimony."
Long met Irvine in the Methodist Church, Kilrush, County Clare, where he was having a mission. Obtained permission from Goodhand Pattison for Irvine to hold a Mission in the Methodist church in Nenagh, N. Tipperary, where the Methodists had very little interest.
Irvine held a very successful six week mission in Nenagh, resulting in "upwards of thirty persons got converted” (including Jack & May Carroll) and “most of them afterwards gave up all that they had to follow Jesus.”
From Nenagh, William Irvine relocated to Rathmolyon in County Meath, about 25 miles Northwest of Dublin, and over 100 miles East of Nenagh, at the invitation of Nenagh businessman John "Jack" Carroll. There he held meetings for the Faith Mission for three weeks, from October 10 to 31, and “forty persons got converted.” All established churches were rejected, and Irvine's new doctrine and method of ministry were set forth. Gills, Carrolls, Hastings and others professed.
Further missions including open air missions and street marches
After being in Rathmolyon in October 1897 Irvine went to work as superintendent of the Faith MIssion in the south of Ireland from 1898 to 1900
Further missions were held in Roscrea, Cloughjordan, Borrisokane, Finnoe, Templederry, Maryborough, Limerick etc, some including John Long.
During Cooney's business tours, he met some young converts and being impressed with the genuineness of their testimony was resolved to meet Irvine and have an interview with him. Cooney was profoundly influenced by Irvine's vision of a return to the method of ministry as commanded in Matthew 10 & regarded Irvine as "a prophet raised up by God"
George Walker was 21 years old in March, 1898 when he first heard Wm Irvine preach. He was a Methodist. He made his choice on April 11, 1898 on the platform of a railway station.
John Long wrote: "While in Kilkee we had a Bible reading on Matthew 10. It was that Bible reading set me first thinking about going on Faith Lines." (John Long's Journal July, 1898). Their attention was arrested with Matthew 10:8-10: "...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."
Cooney turned up the very next day after Irvine and Long's Matthew Ten Bible Study, and enthusiastically entered into the discussion of its meaning for preachers of their day and time.
"These words "As ye go preach" Matthew 10:7 gave rise to the name "Go-Preacher." (John Long's Journal July, 1898)
John Long resigned as Methodist Colporteur.
John Long started on "the new Lines of Faith in God. Faith Lines is a preacher going forth without any fixed or stated salary, neither any public collections at meetings, but just trusting in God to put it into the hearts of God's people to give to the support of them who ministered in Spiritual things."
All-Day Conference of about 40 people held in the Rathmolyon School Room
9 males: Willie Gill, Albert Quinn, Irvine Weir, John Sullivan, Ben Boles, John Hardie, Matt Wilson, William Cleland, A. Alexander 3 females: Emma Gill, her sister Jennie Gill, and Sara Rogers
Faith Mission leader J G Govan noted that "Pilgrim Irvine is in the south of Ireland. We have not had regular reports from him lately."
Rathmolyon convention attended by John Long, Wm Irvine and about 40 workers, included Robert Todd as a speaker
10 more workers entered the work; nine (9) brothers and one (1) sister worker (Mattie McGivern) making a cumulative total of 28 workers; or 4 sisters and 24 brothers, including Irvine. The new brothers were: Edward Cooney, Willie Abercrombie, John Cavanagh, Jack Jackson, Jack Little, Donald McKay, Andrew Robb, Ed Rooney, Noble Stinson.
Cooney gave up his job, donated 1300 pounds to the fellowship and became a Tramp preacher. He went fully on the Lord's work, and became a great advocate of preachers going without a stated salary.
Cooney organised a conference in Dublin but William Irvine refused to attend
In the August 1901 Faith Mission magazine issue Mr. Govan wrote: "When in Ireland, I came into close contact with a movement that has been going on for a year or two. A number of young people are going out on quite independent lines.. while there may be much that is good in the devotion and earnestness of those who thus leave all.. .a number of the features of this movement do not commend themselves to us... some have mistaken them for pilgrims, so we find it necessary to say that the Faith Mission is not responsible for this movement." In September, 1901, he wrote in the Faith Mission Magazine: "During the year several have dropped out of our list of workers. Pilgrim Irvine has been working on independent lines, chiefly in Ireland. Then quite recently Pilgrim Kelly has resigned, and also aligned himself with these independent workers."
Around the end of 1901, a small leaflet was issued titled "To Correct Misunderstandings." It included the following comment: "As we continue to receive word that certain itinerant workers (associated with Mr. Irvine and Mr. Cooney) frequently pass under the title of "Pilgrims" or "Faith Workers", we wish it to be observed that the name "Pilgrim" was adopted for our evangelists from the formation of the Faith Mission in 1886, and that the workers of this new association differ very widely..in aims, principles, and methods from those of our Mission".
Sunday fellowship meetings started, modelled after weekly Prayer Union meetings held by the Faith Mission
About sixty workers met at Portadown to consider missions, doctrines, companions, etc
Known as 'Dippers' after public full immersion baptism was commenced
Rebaptism commenced
Baptism commenced at Portadown convention by full immersion outdoors for converts who had not previously been baptised.
Irvine paid John Long a visit, to get his advice as to whether he should abandon the group as leader and just “labour for God independently in a new district; as he shrank back from forming a new mission or sect; and the work and workers at that time were very scattered and disorganized.” John Long urged him to get things organized; to call a convention; and “get the workers united together; and form the young converts into assemblies where they could get spiritual food, but to be open and unsectarian in attitude towardhttp://www.tiki-toki.com/timeline/entry/124167/2x2-History/#s all other sects, missions and persons.”
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