2x2 History - New Site

[2x2history]

2x2 History provides some material related to the history of the fellowship of friends and workers, often known as 2x2s and incorrectly as Cooneyites (after Edward Cooney, an early member before he was excommunicated in 1928).

This site provides reports from Australia, New Zealand and UK newspapers to supplement the significant historical material that is referenced at www.tellingthetruth.info

Australian History provides a list of Australian newspaper reports regarding the fellowship over the period 1906-1954.

New Zealand History includes:

• NZ Workers - a statistical and grapohical analysis of worker numbers from 1905 - 2013
• history of friends in the Hutt Valley
• history of married workers Ralph & Rene Beattie
• New Zealand newspaper reports regarding 2x2s over the period 1907-1945, showing widespread use of the name ‘Testimony of Jesus’ during World War I and ‘Christian Assemblies of Australia and New Zealand’ during World War II. Selected transcripts and full files for viewing and download.
• Conscientious Objectors - 439  verse series of poems "This Harmless Few - A Conchie's Tale", by Wilson Gordon, describing the life of conscientious objectors while in prison camp during WWII

UK History includes:

• UK newspaper reports regarding the fellowship over the period 1904-1947
• 1905 Workers - A consensus list of workers at 1905 with statistical and graphical analysis 1897-1905

International

• Early pioneer workers in various countries
• Master list of all workers (incomplete, not updated in recent years)
• Timeline recording key events during the establishment of the fellowship, from the birth of William Irvine in 1863 through to the death of John Long in 1962

[Mary]

When people call the group the Cooneyites they are referring to the friends and workers, not to Cooney's little splinter group that left with him. Edward Cooney was barely known to the general public after he left the main group except to those in Enniskillen where he preached. The name Cooneyites was attached to the group while he was in it. TO deny saying we are not the Cooneyites as happened when I was growing up is to mislead people.

If you go to the National Archives in Wellington you will find more letters from Wilson McClung and newspaper articles from the war files if you have not already got them. I noticed one you posted can be found there. Your site would have more authenticity if you also scanned the original documents in as proof of what you have transcribed.

[2x2history]

Oct 20, 2013 15:23:43 GMT -5 Mary said:

When people call the group the Cooneyites they are referring to the friends and workers, not to Cooney's little splinter group that left with him. Edward Cooney was barely known to the general public after he left the main group except to those in Enniskillen where he preached. The name Cooneyites was attached to the group while he was in it. TO deny saying we are not the Cooneyites as happened when I was growing up is to mislead people.

If you go to the National Archives in Wellington you will find more letters from Wilson McClung and newspaper articles from the war files if you have not already got them. I noticed one you posted can be found there. Your site would have more authenticity if you also scanned the original documents in as proof of what you have transcribed.

I agree that the term 'Cooneyites' was used by people to refer to the Friends and Workers, both while Cooney was part of the fellowship and after he left. However it is not a term that was ever accepted by the fellowship, even when Cooney was a member, and in practical terms seems to apply more to those who continued to follow Cooney rather than those who excommunicated him. 
Original scans of all the NZ articles are available are posted on the files page where they can be viewed and downloaded.
Similarly Australian files are posted here and UK files here

[dollface]

A surprisingly accurate presentation of our common religion:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0roC35Mdow