BASIC RESEARCHER'S GUIDE

July 14, 1912 - The People

July 25, 1912, p. 3 - Impartial Reporter

August 8, 1912 - Impartial Reporter

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July 14, 1912
THE PEOPLE

THE COONEYITES
CHARGES AGAINST THE TRAMP PREACHERS

(By our Special Commissioner.)

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Rural Suffolk is in a ferment, caused by the singular doings of the "Tramp Preachers," who have established themselves in the county. Also known as the "Cooneyites" and the "No Sect," these missioners of the tattered coat and empty pocket have succeeded in creating such a hubbub in Suffolk that the wildest stories are afloat. Disdaining denominations, pouring contempt upon all organised forms of Christian worship, and proclaiming that marriage as an institution is to continue no longer, the "Tramp Preachers" have now fixed their headquarters at Debenham, near Stowmarket.  Already they have "laid hands" upon one of the most prominent tradesmen of the town of Debenham, and have created Mr. List, the carrier, "Bishop of Suffolk," while another (an agricultural labourer) has been elevated to the dignity of "Archbishop of Norfolk." For some years the "Tramp Preachers" have been wandering through the country vaguely prophesying an immediate "judgment to come."  And with this has been coupled a command that the converted shall at once sell all earthly possessions and cast the proceeds into the treasury at the meeting held each Sabbath.  Although their preaching contains the wildest statements, converts have not been lacking.  Many have been young women of that mystical temperament that lend a ready ear to weird teaching, and these have been induced to leave comfortable homes and throw in their lot with the "Tramp Preachers."

STRANGE DOINGS

For some time they have endeavoured to have a settled place of abode, but only recently have they succeeded in obtaining their coveted desire.  For a time they held meetings at Sudbury, Suffolk, until they were driven from the quaint market town by an enraged army of 3,000 men and women, who alleged that the "Preachers" were practicing what was virtually a system of "free love."  Then other places were tried with little better result, and it seemed as though the "Cooneyites," as sometimes called from their leader, Edward Cooney, would be compelled to always live up to their self-assumed title of the "Tramp Preachers."  But now, by various and strange means, they have obtained a permanent footing at Debenham, and the quiet countryside is in an uproar. Nor can this be wondered at.  Firstly, because the sect are surely like nothing else under the heavens, literally, the last word in freak religions, and filling their converts with the wildest, maddest fits of hysteria.  At Stowmarket a boy of 11, after being baptised, was seized with convulsions, and howled like a dog for a period of four hours.  This was gravely diagnosed by the Cooneyite preacher in attendance as "the great and sore complaining of Yum, the dog demon."  But after much supplication by the faithful at the meeting the canine devil was exorcised, and departed with a last dismal howl.  Not to be outdone, a young woman from Newmarket, who was induced at the meeting to declare herself a convert, suddenly fell to the ground in a species of epilepsy, foaming and wallowing in the most distressing manner.  But at last coming to herself, and weak and exhausted with the strong convulsions, she was persuaded that seven devils had flown from her.  With such marvellous happenings, rural Suffolk is agog at the present time.  Indeed, so great has been the excitement that nearly 30 overseers of the neighbouring parishes have thought it advisable to issue a signed statement warning the country people against the "Tramp Preachers," while a number of ministers of various denominations have also signed a similar caution.

MIDNIGHT MEETINGS

Mysterious midnight meetings have been held in a large portable tent which the Cooneyites carry about with them to which all but the faithful are denied admittance.  After singing strange hymns, the brethren and sisters abandon themselves to a species of religious hysteria.  Strong cries of ecstasy are succeeded by fits of what appears to the impartial to be madness, while the Cooneyites roll upon the ground with dismal screeches and groans.  No statement is too fantastic for this sect.  With demure faces their preachers speculate on the possibility of raising the dead, while the laying on of hands in conjunction with the use of the anointing oil has taken the place of the services of the physician.  And now a fresh malady of mental madness has broken out—certain of them claim to speak with the "tongues of the Spirit," screaming forth a stream of gibberish which is gravely interpreted as being "of the Holy Ghost." But if this were all, it is not likely that many would take much interest in the doings of the Cooneyites.  But, there are those who are saying grave things against this sect. The chief enemy of the "Tramp Preachers" is Mr. W. D. Wilson, of The Rookery Farm, Cretingham, a pretty village some six miles from Framlingham and three miles from Debenham.  Interviewed by a special representative of "The People," this gentleman had a singular story to relate.

OF MARTHA AND OF MARY

As to Mr. Wilson’s standing in the county, none can speak against it.  He is the largest farmer in the whole of Suffolk, and farms some thousands of acres.  In addition he is known as a great dealer in pigs, always having near 2,000 fattening for market.  The County Council selected one of his farms recently for certain experiments in wheat growing which they are carrying out, and as touching any matter agricultural Mr. Wilson is certainly the great authority in the countryside. But some time ago an event happened which grievously changed the even current of his life.  There came into Cretingham two young women, who simply announced themselves as Cooneyites.  Name, occupation, sect—they professed to have none of these, but repeated a formula in answer to all questions:  "I am Martha," and "I am Mary."  They preached in the village, and such power attended their ministry that two sons and two daughters of Mr. Wilson threw in their lot with the sect.  At the present time these four young people have left The Rookery Farm, where all their lives had, up to this strange conversion, been spent, and have lost their identity—they are Cooneyites. This loss of his children was a severe blow to Mr. Wilson.  He conceived a violent antipathy to the sect, and has spent much money and energy in endeavouring to drive out the wandering sect from Suffolk.  For a time he did succeed; now that they have taken up permanent quarters in Debenham he has redoubled his crusade, and the countryside is plastered with bills and posters that provide much reflection for the thoughtful and merriment for the rustics.

ALLEGED IMMORALITY

Among the Cooneyite female preachers was one Alice Pipe, a pretty girl with a sweet voice.  Under a species of hypnotic influence she falls into a sort of trance and repeats words that might be any language.  It is gravely announced that she speaks by the Spirit, and many have been converted through her. It is believed that many young girls have joined this sect, wandered about the country, and at last lapsed into immorality.  In support of this Mr. Wilson has sworn a declaration before a notary at Ipswich, in which he makes the most specific charges against the most prominent of the sect. This document, which has been extensively circulated throughout Suffolk, charges the sect with repudiating marriage.  It asserts that one of the statements of a Cooneyite preacher was that "marriage was hammered out by the devil on an anvil in hell."  It accuses them, further, of holding midnight meetings, after which the converts of both sexes sleep together in a tent with but a "curtain of gauze between."  Further, the names of young women are given who have been seduced and abandoned by certain of the "Tramp Preachers," while cases are quoted of Suffolk girls who have become mothers without being married.  And lastly, the statement asserts that a number of young women have been induced to leave England, and have lived immoral lives in South America and the States. As has been said, Mr. Wilson is a man of good standing in the county, and therefore his charges have created the most intense excitement.  Up to the present the Cooneyites have not replied to the grave charges made against them, but it is reported that they intend to do so. The Cooneyites and Marriage.  See next week’s "People."

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July 25, 1912, p.3 THE IMPARTIAL REPORTER Established 1808 Newspaper for Enniskillen, Northern Ireland _____________ TRAMP PREACHERS HUBBUB IN SUFFOLK MR. WILSON AND HIS CHARGES SOME OF THEM QUITE UNTRUE

The People of London in its last issue has an article on the Tramp Preachers or ‘No Sect’ which says:—Rural Suffolk is in a ferment, caused by the singular doings of the ‘Tramp Preachers,’ who have established themselves in the county. Disclaiming denomination, pouring contempt upon all organised forms of Christian worship, and proclaiming that marriage as an institution is to continue no longer, the ‘Tramp Preachers’ have now fixed their headquarters at Lebennam, near Stowmarket.  Already they have ‘laid hands’ upon one of the most prominent tradesmen of the town of Debenham, and have created Mr. List, the carrier, ‘Bishop of Suffolk,’ while another (an agricultural labourer) has been elevated to the dignity of ‘Archbishop of Norfolk.’ For some years the ‘Tramp Preachers’ have been wandering through the country vaguely prophesying an immediate ‘judgment to come.’  And with this has been coupled a command that the converted shall at once sell all earthly possessions and cast the proceeds into the treasury at the meeting held each Sabbath.  Although their preaching contains the wildest statements, converts have not been lacking.  Many have been young women of that mystical temperament that lends a ready ear to weird teaching, and these have been induced to leave comfortable homes and throw in their lot with the ‘Tramp Preachers.’

STRANGE DOINGS

For some time they have endeavoured to have a settled place of abode, but only recently have they succeeded in obtaining their coveted desire.  For a time they held meetings at Sudbury, Suffolk, until they were driven from the quaint market town by an enraged army of 3,500 men and women who alleged that the ‘Preachers’ were practising what was virtually a system of ‘free love.’  Then other places were tried with little better result, and it seemed as though the ‘Cooneyites,’ so sometimes called from their leader, Edward Cooney, would be compelled to always live up to their self-assumed title of the ‘Tramp Preachers.’  But now, by various and strange means, they have obtained a permanent footing at Debenham, and the quiet countryside is in an uproar. Nor can this be wondered at.  Firstly, because the sect are surely like nothing else under the heavens, literally, the last word in freak religions, and filling their converts with the wildest, maddest fits of hysteria.  At Stowmarket a boy of 11, after being baptized, was seized with convulsions and howled like a dog for a period of four hours.  This was gravely diagnosed by the Cooneyite preacher in attendance as ‘the great and sore complaining of Yum, the dog-demon.’  But after much supplication by the faithful at the meeting the canine devil was exorcised, and departed with a last dismal howl. Not to be outdone, a young woman from Newmarket, who was induced at the meeting to declare herself a convert, suddenly fell to the ground in a species of epilepsy, foaming and wallowing in the most distressing manner.  But at last coming to herself, and weak and exhausted with the strong convulsions, she was persuaded that seven devils had flown from her.  With such marvellous happenings, rural Suffolk is agog at the present time.  Indeed, so great has been the excitement that nearly 30 overseers of the neighbouring parishes have thought it advisable to issue a signed statement warning the country people against the ‘Tramp preachers,’ while a number of ministers of various denominations have also signed a similar caution.

MIDNIGHT SCENES

Mysterious midnight meetings have been held in a portable tent which the Cooneyites carry about with them, to which all but the faithful are denied admittance.  After singing strange hymns, the brethren and sisters abandon themselves to a species of religious hysteria.  Strong cries of ecstacy are succeeded by fits of what appears to the impartial to be madness, while the Cooneyites roll upon the ground with dismal screeches and groans.  No statement is too fantastic for this sect.  With demure faces their preachers speculate on the possibility of raising the dead, while the laying on of hands in conjunction with the use of the anointing oil has taken the place of the services of the physician.  And now a fresh malady of mental madness has broken out—certain of them claim to speak with the ‘tongues of the Spirit,’ screaming forth a stream of gibberish which is gravely interpreted as being ‘of the Holy Ghost.’ But if this were all, it is not likely that many would take much interest in the doings of the Cooneyites.  But there are those who are saying grave things against this sect. The chief enemy of the ‘Tramp Preachers’ is Mr. W. D. Wilson, of the Rookery Farm, Cretingham, a pretty village some six miles from Framlingham and three from Debenham.  Interviewed by a special representative of The People, this gentleman had a singular story to relate.

OF MARTHA AND OF MARY

As to Mr. Wilson’s standing in the county, none can speak against it.  He is the largest farmer in the whole of Suffolk, and farms some thousands of acres.  In addition he is known as a great dealer in pigs, always having near 2,000 fattening for market.  The County Council selected one of his farms recently for certain experiments in wheat growing which they are carrying out, and as touching any matter agricultural Mr. Wilson is certainly the great authority in the countryside. But some time ago an event happened which grievously changed the even current of his life.  There came into Cretingham two young women, who simply announced themselves as Cooneyites.  Name, occupation, sect—they professed to have none of these, but repeated a formula in answer to all questions:  ‘I am of Martha,’ and ‘I am of Mary.’  They preached in the village, and such power attended their ministry that two sons and two daughters of Mr. Wilson threw in their lot with the sect.  At the present time these four young people have left the rookery Farm, where all their lives had, up to this strange conversion, been spent, and have lost their identity. The loss of his children are a severe blow to Mr. Wilson.  He conceived a violent antipathy to the sect, and has spent much money and energy in endeavouring to drive out the wandering sect from Suffolk.  For a time he did succeed; now that they have taken up permanent quarters in Debenham he has redoubled his crusade, and the countryside is plastered with bills and posters that provide much reflection for the thoughtful and merriment for the rustics.

ALLEGED IMMORALITY

Among the female preachers was one Alice Pipe, a pretty girl with a sweet voice.  Under a species of hypnotic influence she falls into a sort of trance and repeats words that might be any language.  It is gravely announced that she speaks by the Spirit, and many have been converted through her. It is declared that many young girls have joined this sect, wandered about the country and at last lapsed into immorality.  In support of this Mr. Wilson has sworn a declaration before a notary at Ipswich, in which he makes the most specific charges against the most prominent of the sect a charge which we (I.R.) believe to be totally untrue. As has been said, Mr. Wilson is a man of good standing in the country, and therefore his charges have created the most intense excitement.  Up to the present the Cooneyites have not replied to the grave charges made against them, but it is reported that they intend to do so.

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August 8, 1912 THE IMPARTIAL REPORTER Established 1808 Newspaper for Enniskillen, Northern Ireland _____________

"The Pilgrims brought their convention to an end at Nutfield, Brookeborough on Sunday.  Rain poured all day Sunday and prevented any attendance of the general public, while the week day services were attended almost exclusively by members of the party."

NOTE:  ‘Telling the Truth’ does not have a copy of this original newspaper article. Patricia Roberts of Enniskillen, N. Ireland, author of The Life and Ministry of Edward Cooney, 1867-1960, has stated in writing that the foregoing paragraph was all she found printed about the 1912 convention. 

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