Fred Cooney was a brother of Edward Cooney, who lived in New Zealand.  Patricia Roberts wrote:  " During the years from approximately 1921 to 1925 when Edward was in New Zealand and Australia, a division in the fellowship there actually occurred, although he had not as yet been formally excommunicated.  Some in New Zealand at any rate, among whom Edward's brother Fred, were in symnpathy with him, and for this reason they had been excluded from fellowship and were meeting now as outcasts.  We have some indication of this in a letter from a sister worker in New Zealand toWilson Reid in 1928. She writes: 

'"We hear that Eddie went to Ireland last month [September, 1928], or he wrote his brother here saying he was going and gave Harvey's, Newtownards as his address. His brother is in sympathy with him and some few others too, but some of those who are on his side are outside of us now and having meetings by themselves, and it is the safest place for them.'"  (The Life and Ministry of Edward Cooney 1867-1960 by Patricia Roberts p137)  

Havelock North, New Zealand
1 June, 1930

My dear Wilson, [McClung]

It has been often on my mind to write you but recent happenings impel me to do so now. As regards Eddie, [Edward Cooney, Fred’s brother] I am more convinced as time passes that God had something for you and others to learn through him, but none of you appear to have been willing for it. And so he became a stone of stumbling to you. So also his faults were learned and conned by note to cast in his teeth or rather at his back; for you waited until he had sailed from New Zealand before you set the ball rolling. Furthermore you forbade fellowship with those who declared belief in Eddie as a servant of God; so brother denied brother and Satan smiled as Isaiah 9:20-21 was being fulfilled among us.

You could have had clear guidance as to the class of people deserving of excommunication from I Cor. chapter 6 instead of following the lead of the Exclusive Brethren. Is it any wonder that spiritual numbness has crept down in the 'Testimony' when those to whom we should look for an example of spirituality are replacing the unity of the Spirit of God by the uniformity of the flesh and the liberty and simplicity of the same Spirit's leading for the bondage and confusion of human control.

As regards the doctrine, that only through the lips of a true preacher can salvation come to a human soul, I do not believe it; and I refuse to add conditions not found in God's word. Romans 10:14-15 is not so easily understood when you read in verse 17 that "hearing comes from the word of Christ." (R.V.) And true it is that as “the wind bloweth where it listeth…so is everyone that is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8

Perhaps I should have opened my mind to you long ago had I not realized that you have walked the narrow way much longer and much more faithfully than I have. So may I hope that you will forgive whatever I have written that may seem to you unwarranted.

Your brother in Christ,

Fred Cooney

(From:  The Go-Preacher Movement an Anthology compiled by Patricia Roberts, pp 67)

NOTE:  Wilson McClung was the Overseer of New Zealand
Wilson Reid was the Overseer of Ireland and Africa simultaneously.

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