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REPRESENTING THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF 2X2 HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS ON THE INTERNET
The REAL TRUTH about "the truth"
Life and Ministry of William Irvine
CHAPTERS
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
Chapter Index
Chapter 26
1954 - 1979
The THIRD Exodus
Revised September 2, 2010
1954: "A Spiritual Fraud Exposed" is printed
The THIRD Exodus – the Aftermath of "A Spiritual Fraud Exposed"
Morris & Darla Holt
Fred Hanowell
Virgil Simpson
James Young
McHenrys, Rupert, Claude & Glen
1956: Testimony of a Witness for the Defence by Alfred Magowan
1958: Religion Analysis Service, Inc. - First Article about 2x2s
1960: Edward Cooney Dies
Chapter 26
The THIRD Exodus
1954: "A SPIRITUAL FRAUD EXPOSED:" To defend himself and also because he felt he should share the information he had discovered, Doug Parker printed the results of his investigation in 1954. The layout used was the same as used for newspapers today--it is referred to by many terms, such as a pamphlet, circular, newspaper, booklet, etc. It contained the truth, and Doug wanted to get the word out. The title of his Exposé was "A Spiritual Fraud Exposed." It is quite remarkable that Doug personally researched and wrote it in 1954-55 when he was a very young man, some 24-25 years old. The Expose' contained text written by Doug, as well as copies of letters, newspaper articles, statements and photographs. The paper begins with the words:
"Having completed a world-wide investigation of a religious sect that claimed amongst its victims myself and family, I now feel it my duty after discovering what has been so cunningly concealed, to circulate this challenging exposure. Thousands of people the world over are being deliberately mislead by this bogus religious sect that is hidden under the cloak of "The Truth," and where origin can be traced to an unbalanced Evangelist, William Irvine. The endless pathway of destructed lives, caused by the activities and misinterpretations of this man, who classed his spiritual enterprise as an experiment in Christianity, is most certainly a pathetic tragedy.
"Here we now find ruthless men who have gained his mantle, setting themselves up as rulers; separating wives from husbands, ex-communicating many of their junior preachers if such should happen to become in disfavour of their elders. Mental torture and persecution has been unmercifully resorted to, in order that 'this way' may be preserved. The undue, mental worry has not only resulted with asylum cases, and paralytic strokes, but also pre-mature loss of life. No Godly end justifies cruel means, and persecution is always wrong no matter how 'Holy' the cause may seem to be in which it is used as a weapon. Any belief that requires domination, cruelty, deliberate lies and fraud in order that it may be preserved, IS NOT OF GOD, and the sooner it is dissolved the better.
"These men have circulated that my money was too big a sacrifice to relinquish, and was the consequent reason for my severance from their company. This is just another lie, and I challenge Mr. John Hardie (the Australian leader) or any other person to prove otherwise. Because of the amazing response to this exposure, with letters of appreciation from so many people who have suffered through this tyranny, I now take pleasure in going to press once again."
In "A Spiritual Fraud Exposed" Doug tells that the sect was founded by Wm Irvine in 1899. "Wm Irvine was the sole foundation and was entirely responsible for the creation of this whole movement." He tells of Edward Cooney's hymns and excommunication; of discovering the old history in the Impartial Reporter articles; of John Hardie and Bill Carroll and Divisions in Victoria, Australia; of Wm Irvine being exiled to Jerusalem; of the workers decision to bury the past; of how the workers treated Doug, his family, and his investigation. His Exposé covered a lot of territory, and reported on events in the 2x2 sect that took place around the world.
Thousands of copies of Parker's Exposé were mailed to the friends and workers in Australia and the USA in a carefully planned mass mailing, all sent out in the same week. Olga Hawkins, Kay Arvig and others helped with the distribution. For the first time, many workers learned about the true date and beginning of the 2x2 fellowship and ministry.
The truth contained in the Exposé was not at all welcomed by some of the workers. Some older workers even intercepted the envelope containing the pamphlet addressed to their younger companions. Ruth Miller wrote of her husband, Fred Miller: "Fred was a young worker at that time. Printings came out to all the workers in most areas. His companion kept the mail from him and prevented his learning of it then. He simply knew 'something' was going on. And, of course, he knew he wasn't supposed to ask." (Ruth Miller Letter to J.S. dated July 4, 1988). Fred Miller wrote: "I was in the work in 1954 when the newspaper from Doug came out. I heard nothing but bad and evil things about him…" (Fred Miller Letter to Kathy Lewis June 18, 1995)
The FIRST EXODUS occurred when Wm Irvine was put out and his loyal followers left with him, in 1914. The SECOND EXODUS was The Division of 1928 when Ed Cooney was put out and his loyal followers left with him. The THIRD EXODUS to shake up the 2x2 fellowship was caused by Doug Parker in 1954 when he published "A Spiritual Fraud Exposed." This Exodus concerned integrity.
The AFTERMATH of the Exposé: After reading Parker's pamphlet, some of the friends naturally questioned the workers about the beginning of the sect. This led to some of the friends and workers going their separate ways and parting from the 2x2 group. One brother worker indicated he was being heavily questioned, and wrote a paper in January 1956 that began with:
“Mine answer to them who do examine me--.” [1 Cor. 9:3] Our attention has been called by the biography of the late William Irvine, to the gospel he preached and afterward repudiated. This man is said to have denounced the hired clergy synagogue system, and declared himself to be the anointed of the Lord, claiming no denominational name. He gathered around him a few friends who in an effort to contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints and carry out the N.T. ministry, sold their possessions and went forth into the world, with what they called the Gospel of Jesus.
"During the past 55 years, since this movement started, many in many countries have listened, believed and accepted their faith, but there has been a division among them; in fact it is now claimed this Wm. Irvine was sadly lacking morally, mentally and spiritually and as a result was rejected by his own people, went to Jerusalem in exile and died there. Others who were instrumental in removing him from his place of authority became the leaders of this movement. It is now claimed that some of them deny ever having known him, or that what they preach is anything other than a continuation of that which the apostles preached from the beginning…There is a circular being distributed among our friends entitled “A Spiritual Fraud Exposed” naming a number of workers and stating things which (so is stated) they have done which are wrong…This letter I am writing is not an attempt to defend anything or anybody who is not of God and for all that we know, those who are named in this circular may indeed by guilty of the things which they are accused. But whether true or not, we do know that somebody is badly wrong and that a house divided against itself cannot stand, and because of this we are ashamed and embarrassed, but this is no proof that God never did speak to them or by them nor that they never had a vision in the beginning." (Letter by Willis Crane, worker, January, 1956, El Reno, Oklahoma)
After reading "A Spiritual Fraud Exposed," some workers simply left
the work, and others left the work AND the 2x2 fellowship. Doug received
numerous responses to his pamphlet and many were from the USA. Some workers
who were greatly disturbed about the hidden origins, taking of a registered
name and other things who left the work and the fellowship were Irvine Weir,
James Young (CA), Virgil Simpson (IN), Claude McHenry (AZ), Glen McHenry
(AZ). Some of the friends who left were Wm. H. Sweetland (CA), Dr.
Walter Rittenhouse (CA), Rupert McHenry (ND), Ceber & Naomi Simpson (IN),
Ralph Derkland (WA), Ted & Kay Arvig (CA); and there were others. From their correspondence, it can be deduced that those who left or were
forced out in the 1950s formed a loose-knit support network, similar to
that of the ex-2x2 since the 1990s through email and the internet.
With the circulation of A Spiritual Fraud Exposed, the legend began
to crumble that the 2x2 sect started on the shores of Galilee; or had been
in existence since Jesus sent out his disciples; or began with the foundation
of the world, etc. However, the workers soon came up with a new explanation
that acknowledged the role Wm. Irvine played in the sect. This was
that "…ever so often God raises up someone else to carry on His work."
Some serious flaws with this line of reasoning were pointed out by various
workers and friends. Probably the hardest one to overcome was the fact
that the under workers put out of their fellowship the very man they claimed
God had "raised up" to start it, and then they took control of it
themselves. In today's terms, some would say the workers hi-jacked the flock.
Their action closely resembled that of Korah and his men against Moses whose
end was far from pleasant.
MORRIS & DARLA HOLT: "When your own brother (Morris Holt of Citrus Heights, CA) countered you recently about your efforts to abolish history of Wm. Irvine when it is public knowledge in the libraries, you told him in the presence of several others that he can't come to the meeting. Brotherly love?" (Rupert McHenry to Sydney Holt 3/28/83)
FRED HANOWELL was born in Germany, and emigrated with his mother to Canada at age 13; then later emigrated to the USA. He went in the work in 1919 in Washington, and was sent to preach in Germany in 1922-23, where he was in the work until 1935. He then married Hanna, one of his converts. At the time of their marriage, Fred was 41 and Hanna was 24. Plans for the couple to preach together as a married couple did not materialize, and the workers removed Fred’s name from their Workers Lists. Hitler had been in power for two years, and Fred was forbidden by the German government to continue preaching. Meetings in Germany were held clandestinely and conventions were discontinued until 1946. Three children were born to the Hanowells.
It would be an understatement to say that Fred was very disappointed when he learned the American workers had registered an official name for the group, the Christian Conventions. For Fred there was never any other name but THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. His son, Manford wrote his recollection of the time when they learned in 1958 “of what had happened in the U.S., when the workers there had a number of years previously assumed the name of Christian Conventions… the news was a shattering experience for us, and at first it seemed as though the firm ground on which we were standing was, as it were, being drawn away from under our feet. But then we realized that it had not been any man but God who had put our feet on the foundation, His Son, in the first place; a foundation which has not been laid by any man...for other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. [I Cor 3:11]…
“For Fred there was never any other name but THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. In several discussions with workers and "saints" alike, he pointed this out very clearly. However, hardly anybody would listen to Fred, certainly none of the workers. Unfriendly letters were written, the "saints" were warned not to have any fellowship with us, and we were more or less shunned…Over the many years we have both experienced hostility from various quarters and heard about similar experiences of others. When my father visited America in 1960-61, word had obviously got around, and he was virtually ostracized by many of his former friends and even by those who had heard the truth through him.
“It would seem that one of the main reasons for the name-giving was the idea that the workers (as "ordained ministers", so to speak) should be exempt from military service. The workers were indifferent, however, to the question whether this should also apply to ordinary "saints." As a matter of fact, in the letter from the National Headquarters, Selective Service System, Washington, D.C. of Nov 22, 1946, which was written to Mrs Olga Hawkins, Detroit, Michigan, in reply to her request for information regarding the 'Christian Convention people or Assemblies of Christians,' one of the workers is quoted as saying that 'we have no doctrine which in any way disables our converts to enter into the armed forces of our Nation, and many hundreds of our people are now in our armed forces of their own volition.'
"Now, why was it only the workers who wanted to be exempt from military service? Why should there be a distinction between workers and 'saints' on that issue in the first place…Whatever the reasons for the various registrations were, I cannot help feeling that the actual result (though probably not intended) was that they, so to speak, exchanged the Name of Christ for the name of a registered church. This is a serious thing!… I feel that once deviations have been introduced, there seems to be a kind of inner dynamic at work, which those responsible for this development may not be able to stop unless they are willing to be once again led by God's Spirit, and by Him only.”
Manford also has in his possession a letter on Christian Convention letterhead dated 1933 written by Jack Carroll to his father. “The earliest document that I know of which uses 'Christian Convention' letterhead is an invitation by Jack Carroll addressed to Fred Hanowell, in which Jack says that he is very glad to hear that Fred is planning on a visit to the United States and he assures him of a hearty welcome to Washington. The letter is dated as early as 22 Feb 1933 (!). One might wonder why Jack used such formal letterhead to write to a long-time friend? Or why they needed a letterhead so long before the War began?”
VIRGIL SIMPSON has been a somewhat mysterious figure of the past; and verifiable data is not available regarding Virgil’s activities. There has been much criticism and negative talk against Virgil. One rumor states that Virgil started his own church and drew some away from the meetings. Another story is that he turned the workers in to the IRS for tax evasion. Another rumor is that a young brother worker attempted to murder Virgil while he was visiting his home state of Indiana, and afterwards the brother worker fled to the U.K.
Virgil Simpson 's parents, Thomas O. and Nancy Simpson, were living in Springersville, Fayette Co., Indiana, when they professed in 1914. The 1910 census listed two children: Virgil O. (born Oct. 27, 1900) and Charlie Ceber. (born Jan. 21, 1903). Virgil entered the work in Indiana in 1922-23 with Fred Croft and his brother also went in the work. On the 1926-27 Workers List, Virgil is shown on the Michigan staff. After World War II, Virgil and Alexander (Sandy) Scott from Scotland went to preach in Italy. In 1942, Virgil Simpson was staggered to discover that the workers’ ministry had not started with Christ, but rather was an idea generated by some men in Ireland, as described in George Walker’s letter to the Selective Service. Virgil discovered all this after being in the work many years in the USA and Italy.
When Virgil returned to the USA, (he is shown as being in the work in Indiana on a 1947 Workers List), he found himself on the wrong side of Andrew Abernethy and Malcolm Graham, possibly due to his being vocal about the sect's history that he discovered while in Europe. In the mid 1950s, Virgil was forced out of the work and fellowship. Rumor has it that Virgil and another worker from Indiana, Monestal Wood, reported the American workers to the IRS for failure to pay income tax. Supposedly, they provided the IRS with names and addresses of the workers and a full-scale investigation was launched in 1949. In some states, it was said that every single worker in the state was called in for an interview. One source reported that when the investigation was completed, the conclusion reached by the IRS was that all the money received by the workers qualified as non-taxable personal gifts, and no tax was owed by anyone; and this information was included in official letters sent by the IRS to the workers. Virgil tells the story a little differently in a letter he wrote to Fred Hanowell. (Manford Hanowell, son of Fred Hanowell, has in his possession a letter written by Virgil Simpson from Kent, Washington to his father in Germany dated January 22, 1960.):
"... Hope that you and your family are well as this leaves me and my wife and boy of nine. We are living in Washington State and I have been working for Boeing for near seven years. This is a nice part of the country and we enjoy it here very much, especially the fellowship of the few that are still seeking to keep true to the Truth as it is in Jesus.
“As soon as I returned from Italy, I began to ask questions about things we taught that I felt I should be clear on before I taught them to others. Then they began to get suspicious of me and began the usual persecution as they do to any they feel are not whole given to their teaching.
“The thing that opened my eyes was when in the year 1942 Geo. Walker gave me a copy of the document they sent to Wash (D.C.). I read it over and it changed my whole life. I was taught that anyone to be saved had to come in contact with the true preachers and I had always preached it so strongly. When I read how these like Geo, Jack, and all the others who were in the different denominations felt dissatisfied and this led to conversations, then led to meetings, then finally some from this group went forth to preach this way.
“It hit me like a hammer, HOW DID THESE MEN GET SAVED? They got saved different from what I was taught. Since we have met some who knew Geo in some of his first missions and he used to tell them he was in the Methodist Church, but he doesn't tell that now. Then many other things began to open up to us. The thing that brought the climax in the year 1949 was when the Government investigated them in Indiana and found they were far from honest in their money affairs and some were putting money in the lock boxes for themselves... one thing we are very glad for is they treated us like they did and many others, for it drove us to the Lord and we thus got to know Him for ourselves as we would never have done where we were before.”
Subsequently, Virgil married Bernadine Howard who was from Fayette County, Indiana. They had a son named Ceber Thomas (called C.T.). Bernadine died in Kent, WA on February 17, 1965 and her funeral was held in Dublin, Indiana. Virgil died in Kent, Washington in October of 1970 and both were buried at the Simpson Family Cemetery near Brownsville, IN. The cemetery was later turned over to the State by Naomi Simpson. Virgil's brother, Ceber Simpson, died on November 2, 1973.
Apparently, Virgil and family had located some others of like mind with whom they could have fellowship in Washington, for Ralph Derkland wrote Jack Carroll:
"…and told him that since none of them were gracious enough to answer any of my letters that I was opening up our home to the Simpsons, as well as any others who were unwelcome in 'the truth.' "
"Malcolm…You have so many verses to substantiate things, where is the verse to substantiate your action against Virgil Simpson? For, when he came out West and went to about three meetings at Dyes, you and your sword caught up with him and told him he was no longer welcome until he got right (whatever that means) back where he came from; and he asked you what he should do and you told him to WRITE BACK there which he did, and Andrew refused to answer; then he came back to you again to ask what next and you told him to GO BACK there, which he did, costing him a great deal and after he got back there, Andrew refused to see him.
"Then he came back to you again; and you told him the rest was up to him but to stay away from the meetings; and YOU WERE THAT NOBLE PERSON who claimed you never came to a decision without hearing both sides of the story…even the law of our government was more just than you fellows in your communistic practices, which we found out later because you both claimed he turned the workers in to the Internal Revenue Department, which he did not do, but was called in later to testify as to the workings of the Christian Convention system, and you and your doctrine expected him to lie to his government (who, when your kind cast him out and never even asked him if he had enough money to buy himself a cup of coffee) who gave him money to live on while they paid his tuition in a watch school and bought him tools and put him in business while your kind was going about telling that he had stolen the saints' money…" (September 5, 1957 Letter by Ralph Derkland to Malcolm Graham and Willie Jamieson)
Monestal Wood died in Florida at a relatively young age, cause unknown..
JAMES YOUNG "professed at 20, went out to preach at 22, and stayed in until he was 41, when he learned of its having been started by a man other than Jesus, the Wm. Irvine. He's been out to stay and doesn't want to be mixed up with it in any way." Apparently the cruel method workers sometimes used in dealing with dissidents or protestors at that time really bothered James. "…I felt sorry for those who were put away in mental hospitals…" James left the work AND the 2x2 sect, married and raised a family in California. He is deceased.
RUPERT LEE, CECIL CLAUDE AND GORDON GLEN McHENRY were brothers. Their parents, Barney Rupert McHenry and Ida Bertha Ezell were married on April 13, 1913, when Ida was 15. These three brothers came from a large family of 12 children (10 sons and 2 daughters.). Rupert was born in 1919 and was the second son. He became the oldest child when his older brother died as a child. Claude was the third son, and Glen was the fourth, born in 1926. When their parents divorced, Mrs. McHenry was left with at least 5 children still at home. Rupert helped to support them, and provided them with a home to live in. Ida McHenry was born in 1897 and died in 1988 in Arizona, aged 91 years. Rupert also took care of his Mother in her old age.
Two workers, Frank Dennison and James Young, came to the McHenry family in Arizona in December, 1938. In that mission, Mrs. McHenry and Rupert professed, and possibly Claude and other family members. Meetings were held in Ida McHenry's home in Prescott, Arizona from 1945 until 1962. "When we met this group of preachers and people 43 years ago, we were taught that if the book of Acts of the Apostles had continued being written to that date (December, 1938), we would be reading about the preachers (workers or apostles) in this group."
GORDON GLEN McHENRY was only 12 when the workers first came to their home in 1938. Glen entered the work around the age of 21-22, where he remained for 15 years. (1947 thru 1962). Rupert and Claude were never in the work. Glen wrote a very informative letter [Click Here to read Glen's Letter] explaining the events that led up to him leaving the work. While Glen was at a large workers meeting in Albuquerque, NM in November, 1960 or 61, he received an urgent message that his brother, Rupert, had become "violent." Glen was instructed to go to Rupert by the fastest route possible. Reportedly, Rupert had physically harmed his wife, Arlene.
When Glen arrived in Hunter, North Dakota, he met with Walter Jardine and others who seemed very concerned about Rupert and wanted to get help for him very FAST. The workers had a document they wanted Glen to hurry up and sign. Glen was bothered by their pressure and haste about the matter. He thought it strange that Rupert was not locked up if he was in such a terrible condition. Glen insisted on personally visiting with his brother and wife before he would agree to sign anything.
First, Glen visited with Rupert's wife privately, and she told him it wasn't true that Rupert had mistreated her physically. Then Glen visited Rupert and Arlene together. Rupert had been going about his excavating business as usual, so the next day Glen went to work with Rupert to see how he performed on the job. Glen found that Rupert's clients were well pleased with his work, and could find nothing in anything Rupert did or said to suggest he was mentally ill. Glen was convinced that Rupert was not insane or dangerous.
Returning to Walter Jardine, Glen was strongly urged to sign papers to have Rupert "brought in." Glen refused. Walter then announced that other actions would have to be taken. An elder obtained an injunction forbidding Rupert to enter his property, which would prevent Rupert from attending the fellowship meetings. Obviously, Rupert must have given the workers reason to fear he might say something(s) they did not want the friends to hear or know.
When Glen told Walter Jardine he would not witness against his brother, his attitude changed drastically. Although Glen was assured earlier that it was the farthest thing from Walter's mind to get Rupert into a penitentiary or a mental institution; yet he was trying to coerce Glen into committing Rupert into the insane asylum! When Glen wouldn't go along, Walter said he would get Rupert put in the penitentiary by taking one of Rupert's letters to the postal authorities, and that once Rupert was in Leavenworth (a Kansas prison), they would keep him about 30 years. Regardless, Glen stood by his principles and told Walter Jardine, and also George Walker, not to call on him again to witness against his brother.
Glen returned to his field in the work in Colorado. If Rupert was committed or imprisoned, he realized that Rupert would probably lose his property as he would be unable to keep up the payments while incarcerated, including the home he had purchased for their Mother in Prescott, Arizona. Both Arlene and their Mother would need financial help. "In July 1945 Arlene and I moved my mother and 5 youngest brothers and sisters (Clyde, Bertha, Earl, Beulah and Fred) to Prescott."
It was Rupert's practice in the early 1960s to go California and work for about 6 months each year, when the ground was frozen in North Dakota. Glen wrote Rupert to stop by on his way to California, so Glen could go with him and find work for himself there also. And so, the two brothers traveled West together. (Glen left the work at this time, 1962.)
Glen was told "If you take Rupert's part, you won't be welcome in the meetings either." By writing his March 10, 1962 letter to Arlene, [Click Here to read Glen's Letter] Glen "took Rupert's part." Tharold Sylvester and Eldon Tenniswood both requested Glen to retract his letter or be put out. When he didn't retract it, Glen was put out of the fellowship. He remained out of the fellowship for about 15 years, and then returned, reprofessed and married. He and his wife are currently (in 2004) members of the 2x2 fellowship.
RUPERT McHENRY: It would be an understatement
to say that for approximately 30 years, Rupert was a thorn in the workers'
flesh. He was the workers' nightmare come true. Rupert was credited
with "running a one man crusade." He took every possible opportunity
to advise the friends and workers to put their trust in Christ and NOT the
workers; to worship the Creator and not the creatures; to uphold Christ as "the way." He refused to keep quiet and dared to oppose the
workers and their practices and actions that he disagreed with. A sister
worker once asked him, "Can a thousand people be wrong and only you are right?" To which Rupert replied, "Can 10 million Catholics be wrong?" She answered, "Yes."
Rupert professed when he was 19 years old, in 1938. He married Arlene
in 1944. By 1960, he had worked at jobs in the Yukon, Arabia and Korea. Through
his brother Claude in 1954-56, Rupert first learned about Wm. Irvine and
the relatively short history of the 2x2 sect and that the sect had taken
a name in 1942. He investigated and was upset with the cover-up, and
he didn't keep this information to himself. By 1960, Rupert had obviously
stepped over the line in the meetings. "Several times they have expressed their concern about what they THINK I'm going to say in the meetings."
Rupert had a loose tongue. He wrote: "If I did not speak and
write the truth, Walter Jardine and his co-rulers would not need to be afraid
of me or of the stand which I have taken. If they were honest and aboveboard
they would not have anything to fear from anybody." Rupert also wrote "In silence I have observed many things through several years, but now I will speak and will not withhold my tongue or my pen."
In 1960, twenty-two (22) years after Rupert professed, Walter Jardine barred
Rupert from attending meetings in North Dakota. On July 9, 1961, a
Criminal Complaint was filed in the County of Nelson, ND against Rupert by
his old friend, George Sandford, the elder of the meeting Rupert attended,
charging Rupert with the crimes of (1) disturbing a religious meeting and
(2) disturbing a lawful meeting. G. Sandford told Rupert later, "Rupert, you know I have to do what they tell me to do." It was claimed that Rupert entered the premises where the meeting was held
without permission to do so and refused to leave, thereby preventing the
meeting from being conducted. He was put behind bars. Their action
only made him more determined. He wrote: "...please be assured that
my purpose to uphold and defend (by life, lip and pen) that which is from
the beginning has been strengthened by their actions against me…(I) am determined
to press the battle to the finish in defense of that which is from the beginning and will not compromise…"
Undaunted, Rupert printed up tickets inviting people to attend his trial. The ticket stated "INVITATION
- Rupert McHenry cordially invites all to attend his trial in Justice Court
in Lakota, N. Dak., next week regarding two criminal complaints filed against
him." After he requested a jury trial, the charges were dropped and his fine refunded to him.
In the fall of 1960, Rupert attended a Sunday morning meeting at Cando, ND
convention, and after the meeting the County Sheriff and his deputies chauffeured
him off the grounds. He also attended the Hunter, North Dakora convention where
Walter Jardine threatened to call the Sheriff unless he left. Rupert left.
The next day Rupert returned to the convention and remained until the sheriff's
deputy arrived, escorted him away and locked him up in jail. On Sunday,
he sang hymns in the jail and was allowed to leave the next day.
In 1961, when Rupert and Glen moved to California, the workers there were
forewarned of the situation. Sydney Holt instructed their elders to allow
Glen, but not Rupert to attend meetings in their homes; and they instructed
Glen not to go to the same meetings that Rupert attended. The elders were
to call the Sheriff if Rupert entered the meeting. Sometimes the Sheriff
was called. Sometimes Rupert left before they arrived; other times Rupert
was arrested. In March 1962, "Tharold Sylvestor's court action against me, through Mrs. Daisy Coulter, was 'dismissed in the interest of justice.'" In 1983 he attended some of Syd Holt's "private gospel services" in Tempe, Arizona and was charged with trespassing.
Regardless of whether or not he was welcome, Rupert continued to attend all
the meetings he could gain access to and he would take part. He wrote:
"My desire to stand up for truth and right and to encourage others to
do the same are two of my reasons for desiring to attend the meetings." By this time, Rupert had discovered many additional things the workers did
not care about the friends learning, and they greatly feared his tongue and
pen. At the convention meetings he attended, he was warned, watched
like a hawk and escorted usually by workers to meals and to his car, etc.
Rupert gave his motive as: "I greatly desire to help men and women
to turn to the true and living God from the powerful influence of Satan and
his ministers." Naturally, the workers were more at ease when he
wasn't around, and his pen made them uneasy—they had no control over it. Rupert wrote:
"With my pen (and in every way that I can) I want
to encourage all to stand true to our calling in Christ and not put our trust
in men."
"Let's help ourselves and others to see the value of worshipping the Creator…"
"I want to advise you to turn from the Irvinite rulers and serve the living God."
In August 1979, John Porterfield accepted Rupert in the meetings in Arizona, but a little over a year later in September 1980, this decision was overruled and overturned by Tharold Sylvester. In 1985, When Rupert took his elderly mother to convention at Casa Grande AZ, and was sitting in meeting, Loren Smit (property owner), Sydney Holt and a deputy sheriff arrived and arrested him and took him to jail for trespassing.
At one convention, Rupert asked Tharold, "Will you please let me come back to the meetings?" Tharold replied, "On what terms?" Rupert could not see why any "terms" were needed. Tharold thought he should come back with the attitude of the prodigal son. Rupert didn't agree, since he didn't leave as the prodigal son left (the prodigal son's father and brother did not kick him out and run him off; he left of his own will). That discussion broke down with Rupert still being barred from the meetings.
Rupert lost all respect for the workers. He did not believe Christianity was correctly measured by whether one falls in line with the workers. "And Paul wrote, 'Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.' Rose Mooney's statement in no way compares with this when she said, 'Being a Christian means upholding the workers in all they do.'" He viewed the workers as Pharisees. He did not mince his words. He wrote his brother Glen, "Why should I fear referring to such phonies as being deceivers and ministers of Satan after they have proven themselves to be such?" He called the Christian Conventions "Babylon." In his letters he called some of the workers stooges, puppets, tyrannical rulers, cover-uppers, false apostles/prophets, phonies, deceivers, liars, religious monsters, workers of iniquity, widow robbers, but qualified his remarks that not ALL workers were such.
He wrote Tharold Sylvester: "It is very true that no one can be saved outside of the body of Christ, but Christian Conventions is NOT the body of Christ, nor is any other man made religion. There is a BIG difference between upholding a man made system and upholding Christ. And there is a BIG difference between defending a man made religious system and defending the Kingdom of God. It is not man's place to set others up nor to kick them down or out of the Kingdom of God—the body of Christ. You may persecute and scatter the children of God, but you can never put one in nor take one out of His Kingdom."
Being privy to much information inside the work, through his brother Glen who was a worker, Rupert was in a position to know intimate details of reported corruption and sexual scandals within the sect. He wrote letters to the American Overseers and friends giving details and naming names. He did not sugarcoat his remarks. He deplored actions of the workers that were "not the doctrine of Christ." He believed the workers should be able to marry; and he respected the married workers, some who he had noticed received less respect and even disrespect than unmarried workers. He also believed that divorcees should be allowed to remarry, and he himself remarried later in life.
Most who knew the McHenry brothers personally considered them unbalanced individuals. It is remarkable that Rupert endured such rejection and ridicule with no one to support him or his crusade. It was not until 10 to 15 years after he was barred from meetings in 1960 that he came in contact with the Arvigs and Ron Campbell; and learned about Rittenhouse and Sweetland and others, who had similar concerns.
Rupert was much criticized and mocked for the long mimeographed letters he wrote and circulated far and wide very openly. At the end of some of his letters, he included a lengthy list of individuals to whom he had mailed his letter; he even carbon copied the Attorney General, Ted Kennedy, in one letter. One year, he claimed he spent as much as $10,000.00 printing, copying and distributing his letters. This isn't hard to imagine as some of his letters were quite lengthy, and the recipients numerous. One of his letter packets was 36 pages written on legal-size paper, single spaced and was sent to 1,050 people. In 1985, he placed a long essay in the Custom Shopper in Phoenix warning people against the workers. He wrote numerous letters to Tharold Sylvester, the one who was ultimately responsible for excommunicating him, as well as other workers. Rupert's letters were not anonymous; "I sign everything that I write and owe no apology for having done so." He repeatedly stated his writings were not copyrighted, and encouraged others to feel free to duplicate and share them.
Rupert was a man of uncompromising principles, and for standing true to these, he suffered much. He was rejected by all his close friends, and despised, mocked, ridiculed and pronounced crazy by many of the friends and workers. He was accused of thinking he was somebody important; being stubborn; had a persecution complex; compared himself to Job; wanted sympathy; being mentally deranged due to a syphilitic birth; and of trying to buy the workers' friendship. His marriage failed and ended in divorce. "These religious monsters have been very successful at separating marriages, loved ones, relatives and friendships of long standing, even thus far including Arlene and me, but I'm glad they never succeeded in separating me from my mother's love and vice versa." He remarried a professing lady.
Rupert like to sprinkle wise adages throughout his letters. Some of his favorites are:
The strongest wedge between two friends is a false accusing finger.
If we sacrifice friendship for truth, it wasn't true friendship.
The best way to get rid of snakes is to get rid of their hiding places.
