Scottish Presbyterian Evangelist (1863-1947) Wm Irvine was born in Kilsyth (North Lanarkshire), the third of eleven children of a miner. He was educated at Kilsyth Academy and worked as a miner before spending two years at John Anderson's Bible Training Collegein Glasgow (1893-5).
The town of Kilsyth claims Irvine as a "famous son".
Irvine joined the Faith Mission in Scotland in 1895 and went across to Ireland around May of 1896. While preaching in Ireland with the Faith Mission in Aug 1897, Irvine founded the evangelical "two-by-two" itinerant ministry (also known as the tramp mission, go-preachers or nameless house church). In Ireland, Irvine and his early adherents ("workers") held tent-missions and converts were sent abroad to England, America, Australia and New Zealand. The group grew rapidly, and held conventions lasting several weeks at a time. In the early years of the 20th century, Irvine travelled widely to Australia and America, attending conventions and preaching.
The group was fairly progressive regarding the role of women in the church, with women workers first commissioned to preach in 1901. A controversial teaching, presumably originating with Irvine, was that of the Living Witness Doctrine (first recorded mention in a convention sermon by Joseph Kerr in 1903).
Irvine's literal views of eschatological prophecy and belief that the world was about to end in 1914 brought about the first division in the fledgling denomination. The greater majority of church members remained in the continuing branch of the church as originally set up. Irvine and a small group of loyal followers left and became known as the Message People, The Witnesses, or Irvinites. Irvine went on to declare himself a prophet and continued to urge his followers to prepare for the end of the world.
Unlike the similar-in-many-respects Brethren, the 2x2's do not have a history of significant schisms. The only other major division occurred in 1928 when the worker Edward Cooney (well-known for preaching on Hyde Park corner) was excommunicated for rejecting the group's organization and the Living Witness Doctrine. Cooney also left with a handful of loyal supporters (who became known as Cooneyites).
Irvine died in Jerusalem in March 1947 aged 84. The first branch of the church he founded continues today as an orthodox evangelical home-church fellowship; membership worldwide is estimated at perhaps half a million, and includes followers on every continent. It is believed that there is still a handful of Cooneyites (mainly in Ireland and Mildura) and Message People, but that neither of these small off-shoots are experiencing any growth.
Irvine was the founder of not one but two Christian-based church groups:
2x2 Church - Irvine's "Alpha Gospel" In Aug 1897 William Irvine met John Long, a Methodist colporteur, and together they held the first mission independent of Faith Mission, in Nenagh, County Tipperary, S. Ireland. Five who attended later became workers.
For the next 3 years, Irvine accepted Faith Mission funds, hospitality and facilities while he worked out his own method. He wanted to get back to Biblical basics and taught that all ministers must follow Jesus' instructions to the apostles in Matt. 10; leaving their homes, families, property and responsibilities and going out to preach two-by-two. He copied the majority of the Faith Mission methods and traditions; used their terminology and dress code; duplicated their portable meeting halls and living quarters (batches); black stockings, hats and court-shoes for women; and conventions. He believed he had restored "God's only true way."
The Message People - Irvine's "Omega Gospel" Wm Irvine saw the period leading up to Aug 1914 as the end of the Age of Saving Grace, and believed God had appointed him to bring the last message of Jesus Christ to the world before the judgement. He believed he and the Apostle John were to be the two witnesses of Rev11, who would have power over plagues and droughts and would be killed and raised up after 3-1/2 days. He encouraged people to prepare for a great famine, and urged them to sell their homes and farms and invest their money in food and other provisions that would enable them to survive this impending calamity. He referred to his earlier teachings as his "Alpha Gospel," and his later beliefs as his "Omega Gospel."
The Division of 1914: Irvine's new revelations were not well received by the other leading workers. Some felt certain that in the beginning, Wm Irvine had been "highly favored by God." However, they drew the line at his Omega Message, and some felt that like Saul, Irvine had lost "his anointing." Eventually, the other leading workers refused to submit to Irvine's leadership any longer, and offered him a position as one of them, which he refused. After that, they refused to give him opportunity to speak at conventions in their fields, and began to turn his friends against him, and to excommunicate any who were loyal to him. In time, Wm Irvine and the other leading workers parted ways, and the group split for the first time. The majority of the 'friends' followed the leading workers, yet some believed and followed his Omega Gospel and followed Wm and his new revelations. Some reasons given for Irvine's departure are that Irvine (1) had too much pride, (2) made wild, embarrassing prophecies, (3) became mentally unbalanced and (4) was morally indiscreet.
In 1919 William Irvine moved to Jerusalem. Those believing his "Omega Gospel" continued to support him financially via correspondence. Calling themselves the Message People or The Witnesses, they took no official name, and there are still members of this group who believe they alone know the true meaning of the scriptures, as written in Irvine's letters to them.
On 3 March 1947, William Irvine died in Jerusalem at age 84 from throat cancer. He is buried in Zion Cemetery, Jerusalem without a tombstone.