The unchanging way changed a lot in its first decade. We can be thankful to John Long for recording so many details. Looking back over the ten years between 1897 and 1907, it’s obvious the outlook of the Workers changed considerably.
From 1897–1907, they went:
•FROM assembling and worshipping with other Christians in various denominations…
•TO separating themselves and forming their own church meetings in homes.
•FROM believing there were many Christians everywhere…
•TO believing that ONLY those who professed through William Irvine or one of his workers had a chance of getting through Heaven’s gates.
•FROM aspiring to restore the Apostles’ ministry and methods to the world…
•TO believing that salvation could be obtained ONLY through the sacrificial ministry of Irvine and/or one of his workers.
•FROM viewing their group as God’s children in the midst of all His other children…
•TO believing they were God’s ONLY true children on earth.
•FROM believing they were saved PRIOR to meeting Wm Irvine…
•TO disregarding and renouncing their prior salvation experience.
•TO nullifying their former baptisms and being RE-Baptized by workers.
•FROM viewing others outside their group as brothers and sisters in Christ…
•TO “unchristianizing” all other Christians outside their fellowship.
•TO refusing to worship with outsiders.
•FROM viewing evangelists and preachers of other denominations as fellow laborers in Christ…
•TO viewing them as false preachers or prophets.
•FROM placing a bag at the door of workers’ missions to receive donations…
•TO the current methods of receiving monies (handshakes, envelopes, signing over estates, etc.)
Compiled by Cherie Kropp