The "Truth" first came to Barney's house 'bout twenty years ago,
The workers knocked upon his door while trudging through the snow.
They told him of thee meetings in a hall just down the street,
He's more than welcome Sunday when others come to meet.
Barney showed up at the door on Sunday afternoon,
A pair of jeans, an old sweat-shirt and whistling a tune.
The little ones all turned and stared, the adults had a smirk,
Some recognized the visitor as the local grocery clerk.
Throughout it all, that afternoon, he sat and took it in,
About this way, the only way, to save a life of sin.
He recognized a few of them and stayed around to chat,
Said he'd come back next Sunday if they always preached like that!

That night the "friends" all talked about the man that came that day,
The way he dressed, the words he used, unheard of in "The Way".
"He won't be back," some of them said, "he sat and looked around."
The workers, on the other hand, a new lost soul had found.

Barney showed up next week, still in the same old clothes,
His hair still half-way down his back, oh why, God only knows.
The third time Barney came along, they felt it time to say,
"We'd like to get to know you more, let's meet for lunch some day."
Barney, thinking this was great, said he was off that week,
Tomorrow would be wonderful to hear of how they speak!
Question after question he poured on these two men,
Their home, income and founder; laid out in Matthew ten.
Barney didn't take that long to see what was the "Truth",
Why had he only found it now, and some had known since youth?

A few more months, and Barney came clothed in a suit and tie,
He even had his hair cut short like a professing guy.
He sold his TV, VCR, and all his Rock and Roll,
He spent less time with his old friends, was bound to save his soul.

Convention came, and Saturday was all he waited for;
Last hymn, last verse, he made his choice to open wide the door.
He never felt such joy, such peace, as teared formed in his eyes,
While those around him sniffled and beamed as they watched him quickly rise.

His old friends never understood the change that came about;
No shows, no sports, no dances, to them was weird no doubt.
Barney's family couldn't see what happened to him too,
He spent less time with them until they thought, "What did we do?"

Ten years gone by and Barney still was faithful to his stand,
He moved up at the grocery store, remained a single man.
He dated girls off and on, but the local grocery clerk
Felt the place that he should be, was labouring in the work.
He met the overseer of the state that he was in,
They talked about his lot in life, to save a world of sin.
Barney's house went up for sale, as did his half-ton truck,
By spring, prep time, they both were gone, was this true fate or luck?
Suitcase in hand, clothes on his back, it certainly felt odd,
But now what Barney wanted most; his life belonged to God.

The first few years he stayed 'round home, he didn't get too far,
Conventions, Special Meetings, home to home, and car to car.
State to state and overseas, he travelled far and wide.
One day he got a letter; what the "Truth" had tried to hide.
He asked the other workers and the overseer too,
But none would say a word except that none of this is true.
He questioned older workers when the "Truth" first came to them,
They stuck by their old story, quoting gem right after gem.
Now Barney couldn't understand how men of God could lie,
Just saying folks were bitter, they would shake their heads and sigh.
He asked of William Irvine and Edward Cooney's plan
In 1897, they sought out to save all man.
He asked of why George Walker, Jack Carrol, James Jardine,
Turned away the very men that sowed the seeds they glean.
Barney couldn't take it in, they lied for twenty years,
He led so many to deceit, he falsely calmed their fears.
He spent the best years of his life tied up inside a cult,
What seemed to be his call in life was soon brought to a halt.

He left the work, he left the "Truth", he left with what he had,
Suitcase in hand, clothes on his back, his heart broke up and sad.
And now what can he do, poor man, no soul could understand,
The pain, the grief that he has faced since from the "Truth" was banned.

It wasn't long 'til Barney found a group of those outside,
Who left "The Way" because of how those early workers lied.
Through them, the ex-es, Barney found a brotherhood mis-lead,
That he was not alone out there, not like the workers said.
Today, 'bout twenty years or so since Barney found "The Way",
He's trying to warn all others of the cost if they should stay.

Scott
February 25, 1998

Marriage and family is made so secondary compared to going in the work.
30 Jan 2000   Joan Daniel     

As far as any teaching that was done while I was in the work, there didn’t seem to be any. All you could do was try to dig out of the Scripture whatever you could find, and pray that the Lord would give you something you could speak about.

"It isn't just you girls that had rules. I wore a crew cut in my youth, and could not wear it in the work.

We brothers had to wear long sleeve shirts. I know two guys who rebelled, cut and tailored short sleeve shirts but kept the cut cuffs under the sleeves of their suit jackets. When they were praised by a sister who did not approve of short sleeve shirts they said "Well, if you like them so much, you may have them! (or words to that effect!) They pulled them off and gave them to her on the spot. No I don't know what happened then, _____ might.

Boots. When I learned to fly before going in the "work", I wore Wellington dress boots as did so many others, for comfort and warmth. When I wore them while in the work for the same reasons I received many corrections for being "different."

Jeans. When I wore a pair of jeans at preparations when I first went out, I was forbidden to do so and told to get rid of them.

Tape recorder. When I used a tape recorder for the purpose of learning another language I was rebuked for doing so -- did it anyway.

And I was just as bad. I 'spose. When some of the "Boys" made cider in a large pot and left it in the brothers tent at convention to get "hard" --then gave it to some in the boys dorm by the pitcher, I objected to the double standard, seeing no difference between it and lite beer. Still don't, but haven't any objection to either now, in moderation of course!

There's lots more, but it is only funny and related for a laugh. While not all were deceived as I was, I was pretty blind and self-righteous!"

"It has been my observation that trying to average the 2x2 population is fruitless. Some fields have as little as 40 (some COUNTRIES have less!) some have as many as 500. I have been and worked in both. I have been at conventions where the workers outnumbered the "saints".

I have been in workers’ meetings where little admonishment and specific counsel was given, and in others where there was some given.

Sweden has, at the most, about 120 members who have accepted the teachings of the 2x2s, down from 400 or so, from several decades or more ago."

"Some have wanted me to write an inside story book, but while I have no hesitation to answer any question to me, I would like to make something else clear.

If there were no deception in the group. If there were no exclusiveness in the group. If there were no secrecy about the group, if there were no double standards, if there were indeed the truth that sets one free, even today I would choose to accept many of the methods i.e. simplicity, apostolic type ministry (providing it was not the soul requirement!) conventions (providing there was a governing body of both believers and ministers which knew what was going on!) However such a system as the2x2'ers have results in one of the only "armies" in the world that executes their own wounded, which they usually have shot themselves (in the army we called it "friendly fire!")"

I remember when in the work in Austin being truly perplexed by a young college student whose hair was very obviously cut and permed, yet who was an active truther, and who seemed to have a lovely spirit to boot. The conflict between my observation and my training is clear. So I went to an older man in the city, a well-respected (really) elder, and asked him how this could be so. He shared my esteem for the young lady, and his response was that we, as a church, had been putting too much emphasis on women's hair.

That was a landmark experience for me in my move away from right-wing conservative Christianity.

Much of my time in the work was spent picking up George Walker, and hauling him around. I never could understand why he was treated like "God Himself," when he was around. He would ask you a question you could not answer, and then act like you were stupid. That really burned me up!

Everything you’ve had comfortable and familiar all your life is gone for good, and how nothing at all is permanent, constant or routine. Every night is a different bed; every meal at a different table; and you have to act cheery and friendly around strangers all day long, whether you feel like it or not. The constant pressure of meetings, sermons, and visits, plus every young worker’s ultimate dread, preaching a funeral, all combines to make this year a thorough nightmare.

I thought that I had given my life to help save lost souls, but only twice the whole year long did we visit an outsider’s house. All the rest of the time we were with the Friends helping solve internal problems, about which I was always kept in the dark – he handled them alone. All that sort of suited me. One thing about the work I had dreaded the most was the idea of endlessly knocking on strangers’ doors and getting them slammed on me. It never happened. So if you think a workers’ life consists of constantly going out to witness to the "unsaved," it doesn’t. I figured out that they feel maintenance is more important than evangelizing – they find it easier for them to keep the existing Friends in the church than to try to win new converts to it.

Convention came, and I enjoyed feeling somewhat prestigious and important, but that’s the absolute limit to the glory of worker-life. The rest of the time is spent just plodding along, trying to "keep on keeping on."

When you wrote this note... I was reminded how "place" conscious the group is...

When I objected to special dishes etc for workers while responsible for the dishwashing area, I got replaced in the dishwashing room because I would not give worker dishes preferential treatment....

When I ate with friends, older sister workers came and reminded me that I was supposed to sit with the workers.....

When I accidentally sat at the head table because it was close to the Kitchen where I was working, I was asked by the overseer to move to a lesser table....

Pharisees. We all know about the questions Jesus asked them about John the Baptist and their reply (or lack of reply). Similar is the question about Ireland/Irvine. "If we say yes it is of that time and person, the people will stone us (or just leave us). But if we say it was truly of God at that time, he (Jesus) will say, then why did you not show your faith/belief and tell the people?"

More on the similarities of the workers and Pharisees:

Matt 23:6 & 7 - And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, (1 - Workers always had cookies, cereal, tea, chocolate, sandwiches, and more after the evening meeting of convention, while the friends had hot chocolate and a single snack; 2 - Workers got to sit rightaway for all the meals in tables laid out for them and usually had something special - like honey - on the table)

And the chief seats in the synagogues, (Workers always sit up front in the special meetings and conventions)

And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. (The more than hearty welcome of the workers in all meetings and in homes, plus the adoration in meetings).

Yes, there are responses to these that would be about the friends' love for the workers and the common sense of where to sit. But such would have been the case of the Pharisees, too - we just do not have their response on record.

Greg Lee

P.S. In case you don't know - I was a worker. I hated sitting with the workers. I always tried to work in the kitchen so I could pick a seat with the friends and get into conversation with them. The workers always seemed too elite.

* I went through a lot of things similar to _____ and _____. I think it was almost expected of me from a very young age that I would go into the work. It was the HIGHEST calling one could receive. I distinctly remember my birthday when I was in 6th grade...however old that makes you. I remember the hustle bustle activity of the birthday party, but I was off in my own mind pondering the work. I remember actually dreading it, but FEELING that it was what I MUST do. Ahhhrrggg....I don't even really like to think about it, but actually every time I have a birthday now that memory comes back to me. I agree with _____ that it was a total socialization process... IT was just expected......and with me specifically everyone always talked about it.

* When I was around 8 or 9 years old, I asked my parents why I needed to sleep in the same bed as my younger brother. They told me I needed to learn how to sleep in a bed with another person so that when I went into the work I would be able to sleep in the same bed as my companion. (Today it appears that companions often don't even sleep in the same bedroom.) When I was around 12 or 13 and not wanting to continue with piano lessons, my parents told me I needed to at least learn to play the hymns so I could play them in my gospel meetings when necessary. My youngest brother was taught (when he was around 4 or 5) to respond to the question "What are you going to be when you grow up?" by saying, "a worker." When ______ and I told my parents we were engaged, their response was, "We had better things in mind for both of you." I now have three siblings in the work. They all say they were moved by God to offer for the work. Because this is a very personal decision, I choose not to dispute their assertion.

While I do not recall being subjected to the blatant coercion which _____ and his siblings experienced, I did feel to a lesser degree, many of the same pressures. And while I don't recall being taught to say I wanted to be a "Worker" when I grew up, I do recall thinking (and perhaps saying) this at a very early age -- 6 or 7. In any event, there was an effective effort to socialize me in such a way that I felt like I SHOULD be a "Worker" -- this being the highest and noblest calling for a little "truther."

As a child I heard the joys of "The Work" praised frequently and fervently. The message was repeated often by "workers", and was echoed and amened by family and friends. I heard this message in fellowship meetings, special meetings, at conventions, and frequently in "casual" conversation.

While the call to the work was often stated in a positive manner, it was also frequently stated negatively as well. It was often said that many were "not willing" for the labor of the work. These remarks were particularly directed at the young "truther's" who were most susceptible to this message, and were largely effective in making many feel poorly about themselves.

In my experience, entering the work, like most everything else of any importance, was not freely discussed amongst the friends. On the few occasions when I do recall being a part of such conversations, the focus was not on "The Work" as a worthwhile endeavor to consider, but simply whether one was "willing."

I am enormously sad, and tremendously motivated, when I think of the current "truthers" who may be experiencing the same coercive socialization. In retrospect, I see the "Workers" efforts to recruit little "truthers" into the work as a major source of some of the abusive practices which are common in the 2x2's.

- Kelley Gary