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Workers, Friends ,Conventions and Meetings in the Home

24 WEB SITES ABOUT THE TRUTH-

I.*Info about HYMNS OLD& NEW-writers and other information! Click here!!
II.*Truth Meetings Message Board-Post about your experiences in the Truth here!
III.*If you are a Professing teen and openminded then this site is just for you!
IV.*1998-1999 WORKERS LISTS for North America! Click Here! It may take several minutes to be seen on your screen!
V.*WORKER,FRIEND AND EX MESSAGE BOARD! Post a MESSAGE HERE!
VI.*VOT-The FIRST TRUTH RELATED SITE!
VII.*Professing reference site!
VIII.*NEW 2002 World-Wide Convention lists! Click here!
IX.*The Language of Truth-Glossary of professing TERMS and CLICHES
X.*Website about early worker Eddie Cooney
XI. Order the SECRET SECT book by Doug Parker through AMAZON.COM
XII.*Professing PINBOARD. Please sign this guestbook.
XIII.*Friends of Truth. A new Professing site written by professing members of the Truth Church.(FOT.NET)
XIV.*Clay Randall's PILLAR OF TRUTH site claims Catholicism and not Truth traces back to Jesus!
XV.(NEW LIVE CHAT with PROFESSING and EX-PROFESSING PEOPLE! Click here! (Greg Lee's chatroom)
XVI.* Nathan B., a FORMER WORKER and CURRENTLY PROFESSING MAN, has a site claiming that the Truth does trace back to Jesus in AD 30. Worth a look!
XVII.*Hymns Old & New-Hear audio sounds of your favorite tunes!
XVIII.*TTT Professing photo gallery. Old worker photos. Ancient truth documents and photos of early conventions found here!!
XIX.*TRUTH IN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA-This site focuses on the Truth in America.(TRUTH USA)
XX. *Taped conversation between worker Jim Knipe and 2 Alberta elders! Listen to the tapes!
XXI. *Ilylo's TLT site.
XXII.*R.L. Allan & Sons website-Publishing company that workers order bibles and Hymns Old & New.
XXIII.*Bryan's PROFESSING DISCUSSION FORUM
XXIV.*Rob, a formerly professing man and current minister from Australia, discusses Christian theology in his website.

Truth,workers,friends, only way, servants of God, the standard, taking your own way, revelation of truth, only way, gospel meetings, union meetings, worker meetings, worker talks, special meeting visits, special meetings, lost eternity, one of our friends, circle of God's way, professing and possessing, contacts, interest, taking part, losing out, putting 100% into the truth, only way, only true church, God's true servants,brother workers, sister workers, ministers without a home, conventions, meetings in the home, Hymns Old and New, Non-denominational church, homeless ministry, the work, only bible some will ever read, fitting in and filling your place, professing, RL Allen & Sons, giving your testimony, giving out a hymn, sings, potlucks, being different from the religious world, preps, the Truth, open homes, divided homes, God's separated people and more........... NAMES GIVEN TO THIS NAMELESS CHURCH THAT MEETS IN HOMES-This sect goes by many names. Some include Truth, True Wayers, Bunheads, Friendlies, Reidites, Cooneyites, People of God, the Lord's people, sheep,God's chosen few,lowly way of truth, the Truth of God, Church of George Walker,little lights, Jesus Wayers, Truth of God, Nondenominational Christian Church, Non denominational Church, Christian Conventions, Undenominational Christians, way, the elect, the Truth, the Testimony, The Jesus Way, The Friends, Meetings, Black Stocking Sect, Black Stockings, Two by twos, 2X2s etc.

MINISTRY/THE WORK-The ministry is a homeless and itinerate one, traveling from home to home in an area of a state, province or nation called a field. The ministers are called workers. Workers spend one or two nights with each professing family except for special meeting rounds, preps and out of state conventions visits. Workers are also called "servants of God". Many early workers believed that their "truth" was the only right church and other churches were of Satan. For a discussion of "the work/ministry see this site:http://www.angelfire/ri/Workers. Workers often carry suit cases to each home when spending the night. Workers carry all of their possessions in a suit case using Matthew 10 as a model for their ministry. Workers spend "quiet times" in their bedrooms praying, reading or writing letters.

HISTORY-The truth began in Ireland in 1897 when William Irvine broke from the Faith Mission. George Walker, Irvine Weir, and William Irvine brought the truth to North America in 1903.

Among friends and workers, 2 theories of the history exist. Some preach that truth has been "preserved since the bible days" while others preach that around 1900, workers in Ireland "restarted the truth". Some believe truth goes back to Jesus calling the disciples to preach in Matthew 10.

LITERATURE: The workers keep no records and send no literature to others. The workers do not write down doctrinal positions. Eldon Tenniswood and Jack Carroll did write some notes about the order of the meetings and other rules though. The Truth has no headquarters. Workers use addresses of a professing person that has an "open home" for the workers.

They do publish worker lists, special meeting and convention locations, speaking lists and lists of addresses of friends in an area. A few workers will put a small ad in the newspaper or pass out index cards stating time, date and location of gospel meetings.Lists of convention speakers are posted inside the tent/meeting shed, sleeping quarters and cookhouse. Workers sometimes pass around a list of convention visiting workers and special meeting visits. King James Version Bibles (often black), Hymns Old and New hymnbooks, and a bible case made out of leather, usually colored black, are what the friends bring with them to meetings.

ONLY WAY BELIEF AMONG MANY IN THE TRUTH-Some friends believe that if you leave the truth, you cannot get to heaven. They believe you have to hear the workers preach in a gospel meeting in order to be saved! They do not see their way as a religion but the "lowly way that Jesus established on earth that has been preserved by faithful people down through the years." Many workers encourage friends to look and act different from the religious world. Workers and friends do not see themselves as a branch of Christianity but rather the continuation of the simple structure found in the New Testament Church! Some say the truth is "not a religion" but a "way of life". Some workers feel disheartened if an outsider or babe feels that The Truth/2X2s are just another church instead of "The Truth of God".

In recent years there has been less mention of the only way doctrine. Some workers are hesitant to discuss this with outsiders allowing them to attend several missions before introducing the only way belief.

FAMOUS WORKERS INCLUDE William Irvine, Taylor Wood, Charles Steffen, Dale Shultz, Willis Propp, Carson Cowan, Carson Wallace, Andrew Abernethy, Irving Ross, Dick Cornell, Sam McCracken, Ed Alexander, Jim Price, Jack Price, Barry Barkely, Jeff Thayer, James Jardine, Nichol Jardine, Howard Nussbaum, Garrett Hughes, Erling Omdal, Tom Clark, Willie Pollock, Haakon Ausenhus, Milas Crapps, Leonard Hawkes, George Poole, Harry Johnson, Uel Boyd, Weldon Burgess, Horace Burgess, Alton Mose, Ralph Sines, Don Reynolds, Duane Hopkins, Kenneth Dissmore, Ken Pagington, Horace Toddhunter, James Walden, Tharold Sylvester, Norman Henderson, Bertie Anderson, Tommy Gamble, Eldon Tenniswood, Johan Kotze, Evan Jones, Eddie Cooney, Nathan McCarthy, Lloyd Wilson, Tom Turner, Howard Mooney, WIlliam Lewis, Ron Thomke, Ken Lerwick, Leslie White, Roy Lacy, George Peterson, Ira Hobbs, Joe Hobbs, Hubert Childers, George Lee, John Denniker, Clinton Goff, Jack Carroll, William Carroll, Paul Sharp, Edgar Asplund, Charles Thain,Glenn Gasser, Jerome Frandle, Frank Porter, Alan Anderson, Frank Tyson, Harold Bennett, Tharold Sylvester, Sydney Holt, Gilbert Ricter, Clarence Anderson, Willie Jamieson, Harry Brownlee, Jack Jackson, William Bryant, James Abbott, Dennis Fenton, Leroy Lerwick, Young Coleman, Kenion Coleman, Ernest Nelson, Ernest Robinson, Stanley March, Everett Swanson, Jack Mulkey, Randy Satterfield, Dick Middleton and Leo Stancliff.
A LOW PROFILE CHURCH-The friends do not discuss religion with their neighbors in most cases but will encourage them to attend one of their gospel meetings in a rented town building or home. Professing people believe we should live "truth" before unprofessing people instead of talking about religion in their presence in some cases.

Friends do not wear clothes with bible verses or other religous slogans or symbols. Friends do not have bumper stickers on their cars displaying anything pertaining to religion. No signage with bible verses can be found on convention property or in a meeting home. There are no signs naming the name of the truth or any of the ministers on any church property.

The group wants to minimize publicity. Some workers worry about information about the church/truth falling into "wrong hands". Many friends know very little about the truth. Few seem to want to know much about the history of the truth. The only advertising is a simple ad in a newspaper and small index cards mentioning the dates for the gospel meetings and how the meetings are held in a reverent manner. For this reason, few people outside of the truth know the group exists. Only the women wearing their hair on their head in buns, a crowd going into a meeting home on Sunday morning or the abscence of a TV identifies this group.Some friends may have a worker's picture on a cabinet. Some friends may keep an address of the friends or workers beside their telephone. The friends and workers are often very sincere people. Most are well behaved people that seldom mix in world affairs.

Workers try very hard to minimize media publicity. Many workers discourage people from taking written notes and taping a meeting is not allowed in the truth. Workers fear notes could end up in "wrong hands". Workers oppose any questioning about the culture, rules and history of truth. Debating or disagreeing with a worker could lead to any or all of the following-questions or comments ignored, you could be shunned or you could be ex-communicated from the home meetings! In fact, unless someone is interesting in "the truth" many friends refuse to discuss religion in conversations!

PROFESSING CULTURE- The Friends are often quiet and serious. We observe quiet homes, quietness before meetings and limited involvement in loud worldly events like sports.Professing homes are quiet from tv or worldly music on the radio.

Many professing people have only a limited knowledge of current events or popular culture. Many friends feel that political events are "for the world and not for God's people". They often don't discuss news, sports, movies or TV shows since the friends often abstain from these "worldly" things. Friends rarely talk about the bible outside of meetings. Many feel we should "live out what we read and hear in meetings" rather than engaging in religious discussion. Workers still pretty much ban television. Monogomous marriages are encouraged by the workers. Dating outsiders or divorcees can cause you to be kicked out of the meetings in places. Many friends display pictures of the workers on their walls and in photo albums. Friends feel that they owe so much to the first workers that brought the truth to their families in the beginning.

Many friends often have limited contact with their unprofessing neighbors unless their neighbors have asked questions or experienced an interest in "the truth". As noted above, friends tend to only associate with other friends if possible. Most professing homes have a room set aside for workers to stay all night since the workers do not maintain their own homes. Friends travel many miles to the funeral home when a professing person dies. Yet the friends live and work amongst those outside their sect. They are often quiet and shy though most are average people. Women stand out because of their dresses and long hair in a bun. Many friends keep a low profile in society. The friends see themselves as "God's separated people" and feel that limited association with worldly people is best unless you are inviting someone to the gospel meetings!

LETTER WRITING- Many friends write letters to the workers. Workers often spend free time in their bedrooms writing letters to friends and other workers. Workers use the addressess of some of the friends in their area since they don't own or maintain a home. Often some friends will write to a certain worker for many years.

A LOW PROFILE PEOPLE- It is rare for many friends to achieve national name recognition. Friends are not politically active and some workers disapprove of participation in politics. Friends usually do not participate in marches or protests. As stated earlier, friends are quiet and unnoticed for the most part. Some workers stress friends should be seperate from the world and not meddle with worldly affairs.

FITTING IN AND FILLING YOUR PLACE- Workers expect unity and order in the meetings. Questioning doctrine or other things about the meetings may result in your denial of taking part in the meetings. Workers decide which meeting a professing person might attend in their region though a few workers may give the professing person a choice in meeting attendance. Workers usually assign Wednesday night bible study topics or chapters. Debating scripture is discouraged after meetings and some workers prefer limited conversations before and after meetings in an effort to keep the spirit of the meetings. REMAINING IN THE TRUTH UNTIL DEATH-Many professing people express a desire to "continue on" and "finish in the truth".
IRISH CONNECTION!-The sect called Truth is filled with several customs and traditions originating from Ireland. The truth began or at least spread to other areas from Northern Ireland- a land torn by religious strife. In 1987 an IRA (terrorist group) bomb killed 11 at Enniskillen a town where some of the first gospel meetings in Ireland were held. A peace museum named afer former US President Bill Clinton is located in Enniskillen. Catholics and Protestants have had war in this region for centuries. One can see the appeal of a homeless ministry that disassociated itself from mainstream Protestant denominations.

Scores of workers left Ireland around 1900 as tramps spreading truth to the English speaking world

. EARLY DAYS-Around 1900 a mass migration of homeless "workers" left Ireland for the English speaking world. Wilson Reid preaches the truth in Africa. Jack Jackson labored in South America converting the area from Catholicism to truth. James Jardine spread the truth into central Europe. Otto Schmidt and James Jardine brought the truth to Germany. Adam Hutchinson pioneered the work in Australia and East Asia along with hymn writer Sam Jones.

HYMNS-Famous hymn writers over the years include Mary McGregor, James Jardine, Sam Jones, Kenneth Dissmore, Mary Lindley, Adam Hutchinson, Glenn Smith, Willie Jamieson, Ken Pagington, James Fawcett, Clarence Anderson, and William Carroll. In meetings, the Hymns Old and New printed by R. L. Allen is used as the only hymn book. There are 412 hymns written by outsiders, friends and workers. Workers order bibles and concordances through R. L. Allen Publishing Company in Glasgow,Scotland, Sometimes young friends will get together and sing hymns in each other's homes for entertainment. During these sings at potlucks, young people will play piano and sing. As far as church services are concerned, pianos are ONLY used during the recruitment meetings known as gospel meetings held in rented halls.
MONEY-Money is to be given to the workers in secret. Only professing people are allowed to give money to the workers. Money is given in envelopes-either in letters or in the bedrooms of the friends. Some workers may also refuse money from professing people that own TVs or are divorced. Some overseers keep bank accounts and incorporate the Truth. Truth in New York, Alberta and Sweden has been incorporated. Workers preach that giving money to a preacher openly is wrong. Workers often speak out against denominational preachers for "passing around the collection plate" during services.
WHAT TO EXPECT AT A SUNDAY MORNING MEETING IN A HOME: Everyone will quietly gather in the meeting room between 9:30 and 10:00. The crowd is quietly reading their bibles getting ready for the meeting. If a worker is present he or she will lead the meeting.If a worker is absent, an elder or appointed member of the meeting will lead the meeting. The owner of the home may be the elder/meeting leader if he has been professing for a long time. At 10:00 the silence is interrupted by a worker or elder saying something like "Does anyone have a hymn to start the meeting?" Or the elder or worker will give out a hymn number. A song leader or the elder will begin the singing. No instrumentation will occur during the singing. One or two hymns will be sung before prayer time. All professing people will pray and then the elder or worker will pray last. Then the elder or congregation member(friends) will give out another number. Then it is testimony time. All of the professing people will testify. Many friends feel that taking part is mandatory for those professing. (One can only pray and testify ONCE in meeting and interrupting or talking out of turn during meetings is strongly prohibited).

Testimonies focus on scripture, personal struggles and thankfulness for finding truth. Elder or worker usually testifies last.

Then the emblems (bread and wine) will be taken by the friends. Forms varies somewhat. A worker may ask for someone to give out part of a hymn and then ask for someone to return thanks for the bread. The bread is passed around and then someone is asked to return thanks(pray) for the wine/grape juice. The cup is passed around the crowd. Then the last hymn is sung. The elder will pass around the bread and wine even if a worker leads the meeting. Only baptised members partake of the wine. A hymn may be sung to end the meeting. Or a part of a hymn will be sung before someone returns thanks for the bread.

Some places have a union meeting which is just a large meeting the first Sunday of every month. Members from 2 or 3 different meetings will meet at this meeting. Otherwise this meeting follows the same routine as the Sunday morning meeting. Workers like to see the friends attending all of the meetings including the gospel meetings geared for outsiders.

Attire:Workers often expect professing men to wear ties to the Sunday morning meeting though some professing men dress more causually for the Wednesday night and gospel meeting.Women are expected to wear dresses with sleeves, stockings and hair up on their head in a bun.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT A WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY-Wednesday night meetings are also held in homes. Meeting times vary from 7:00, 7:30 and 8:00. In Europe bible studies take place on Thursdays. Some bible studies are in the same home week after week and others rotate between 2 or 3 different homes. The crowd is quiet before the meeting begins. People are reading the bible chapter that the workers have selected for the friend's to study or some topic from a topic list like faith, love, forgiveness etc. The elder will ask someone for one or two hymns or he will give out a hymn and announce prayer time. All of the friends will pray. After prayer another hymn will be sung. Then the crowd will individually speak from the chapter or topic study. After the elder or worker leading the meeting has spoken a hymn will be sung and meeting is then over.

One can only pray and testify once during a meeting and nobody is allowed to interrupt someone's testimony with a comment or question. Workers stress unity and prefer that nobody disagrees or contradicts someone else's testimony.

SPECIAL MEETINGS-These one day meetings take place in schools, rented town buildings etc. A group of visiting workers from other states, provinces or countries will be present. There will be an AM and PM meeting-each lasting 2 hours. A main speaker (older visiting brother worker) will announce the hymns. There will be a time for the congregation to pray. Then the main speaker prays. The main speaker will give out a hymn. Then 2 or 3 younger workers will speak. Then a hymn is given out. The friends will have a testimony session for about 30 minutes. Then a hymn is given out and the entire congregation will stand while the hymn is sung. Then the main speaker will speak for about 45 minutes and the grace may be sung. People will eat dinner in their cars and bring a sack lunch. The form for the AM and PM meetings are similar. Sometimes a one hour Special meeting will follow the similar form and take place in a home or public building Wednesday or Thursday night. Lists of visiting workers and homes that the workers will visit/stay all night are printed weeks before the beginning of the one or two month series of meetings in a region, state , country or province.
PREPS-Workers will gather at the convention farm several weeks to get the convention ready. Chairs will be cleaned. Floors will be cleaned. Dishes in the cookhouse will be cleaned. Friends will help the workers during these work days. It is rare that outsiders are contracted to work on convention farms. Outsiders only help with the construction of large meeting sheds.
CONVENTIONS-These 3 or 4 day revivals are held on farms in tents or buildings/barns constructed for the conventions. Some friends commute to convention, some stay on the grounds/sleeping quarters and others spend the night in motels. (Many friends stay on the grounds in order to keep "the spirit of convention".) There will usually be a 10:00, 2:30 and 7:00 meeting on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. There are 2 meetings on Sundays-one at 10:00 and the other at 2:00. Each of these meetings will follow the similar form of a Special meeting-one or two hymns given out by the main speaker, the the friends will pray, main speaker will pray, a hymn is given out, a few young workers speak, a hymn may be given out and an older sister worker or brother worker addresses the crowd, then a hymn is given out and the several friends will testify for 30 minutes. A hymn is given out and everyone stands up. Then the main speaker speaks for 45 minutes and the meeting is dismissed.

A 12:00 and 4:00 meal will be served in the dining tent/cookhouse. Meals are free. Men and women today set together but at one time ,cookhouses were segregated with men on one side and women on the other side. Only a few younger friends leave the grounds and go to a resturant in town. Young workers often direct traffic at the entrance of the convention.

All meetings except for Saturday night and Sunday evening follow the same format. It is rare for the friends to pray or testify during night or Sunday evening meetings.

Mental images of convention consists of the following: meeting shed/tent, cookhouse, brother workers in the parking lot directing traffic, older workers walking up and down the lane, singing the grace, sitting on cots or folding chairs, singing hymns in between meetings, working in the cookhouse/vegetable tent, professing on Saturday night, speaking lists, new convention lists, motor homes/travel trailers, horseplay in the sleeping quarters, taking notes, water fountains, and dating. (See the photo above taken at the Downings VA convention grounds in 2001.)

Friends do not pray or testify during the 7:00 night meetings. Outsiders or unprofessing people are encouraged to attend the night meetings during convention. Night meetings are gospel meetings encouraging the lost one to "turn to the truth". Otherwise the format for night meetings is as follows:main speaker gives out hymn, one or two younger workers pray and main speaker prays. Then another hymn and 2 younger workers speak. Then a hymn and the main worker speaks. On Saturday night the sermon is directed toward those that haven't professed yet. The last hymn is given Saturday night and when the 3rd or 4th verse is sung the worker will ask anyone wanting to profess to "stand to your feet and let your choice be known". A worker prayer follows the "testing of the meeting" after someone professes. In Australia, night meetings aren't open for people to stand up and make their choice in meeting.

Baptism occurs Sunday morning. Baptism meetings may occur after people have left the convention building one night usually directed by overseer. Workers may at some point ask people to stand up if they are "considering the step of baptism". Baptisms in other churches are not accepted. Baptism usually means dying to the worldly things, habits, and lifestyles. Some workers stress certain "changes" that must take place in your life in order to be baptised.

The Sunday evening meeting at 1:30 or 2:00 no longer has time for the friends to testify in many conventions. After convention is over some friends may stay on the grounds and help clean up and visit with the visiting workers.

Many friends stay "on the grounds" though some spend the night in motels or friends who commute to the grounds. Some friends believe that you lose "the spirit of convention" by leaving the grounds going to a resturant or motel. Sleeping quarters consist of a large open area at the top of a barn (older people sleep on the first floor). Friends have a single bed to sleep. Men and women have separate dorms. Many friends now get to several conventions in neighboring provinces or states though early workers stress getting to your "home convention" instead of other conventions.Workers prefer the friends give their testimony once in their home convention.

GOSPEL MEETINGS-Workers may rent a town building such as a library or school to hold gospel meetings in an effort to gain new converts. Once upon a time, workers would pitch tents outside of town and hold gospel meetings. Sometimes gospel meetings are held in the friend's homes. Workers may print cards and pass out to members of the community or put a simple ad in a paper stating that the meetings are held in a "quiet and reverent manner". Often the friends bring many new converts to gospel meetings. Gospel meetings can take place any night through the week or Sunday morning. If serveral gospel meetings are held friends will suspend the Wednesday night meetings until the gospel meetings are over.

Friends are sort of expected to attend most gospel meetings even though the gospel meetings are aimed at prospective converts. The crowd is usually quiet before the gospel meetings begin. About 5 minutes before meeting begins, a worker will pass out a gospel hymn book containing the first 170 Hymns Old and New Hymn. One of the 2 workers will stand up, walk to tbe microphone and give out one or two hymns before prayer. One of the workers will pray. Then the younger worker will testify first. Then another hymn and the older worker will testify last and a hymn will be sung before the meeting is over.

The gospel meetings are the ONLY meetings where pianos or organs may be used with the singing. (Of course, outside of meetings many friends play the piano in the home for entertainment.)

If someone is interested and attends several meetings, the worker may give out a hymn and the person will raise their hand or stand to their feet and make their choice to profess. Once someone professes they are welcome to testify and pray in the Sunday and Wednesday night meetings. A session of gospel meetings may last from 2 to up to 8 weeks in one rented hall. Workers at some point will leave the mission and visit other areas for Special meetings or convention preps. If no friends live close to the gospel meeting building the workers may rent a house and "batch".

TAKING PART OR GIVING YOUR TESTIMONY IN MEETINGS-You are usually elgible to take part (pray and testify) in meetings as soon as you stand up and profess in a meeting or convention. Sometimes certain conditions such as getting rid of a habit, dropping off a love affair with someone or some "time" to prove that your "spirit is right". Testimonies are given sitting down or standing up depending upon the locality of the house meeting.

Many people often pray and testify about gospel missions and the servants (another name for the workers). Many are thankful for the day when 2 of God's servants crossed their pathway in the beginning.

Many friends will speak in meetings about how glad they are to find the "true way" from earth to heaven. Testimonies are usually less than 5 minutes in the Sunday morning and Wednesday night meetings. You can only pray or testify only ONCE in a meeting. All are quiet during testimonies and prayers other than silent a silent "amen". Whoever leads the meeting (worker or elder) usually prays and speaks last. Only professing people take part in the meetings. Most meetings (except for conventions and special meetings) last from 45 minutes to 90 minutes.

SINGING THE GRACES-When several friends are gathered together for a meal, graces will be sung before everyone begins eating the meal. Often in large crowds the friends will sing the grace instead of orally giving thanks for the food. Graces are one stanza hymns offering thanks for the food. There are some lists with words to the graces. Most graces have tunes used by other R.L. Allan and Sons Hymns Old and New hymns and hymns from books used by other churches.
P.S.-Many friends and workers prefer only baptised members of the truth testify and pray in the home meetings. And baptisms in other churches are not accepted. While many meetings will accept a stranger taking the emblems or testifying, only those that profess "through a worker" are encouraged to pray, speak or take the emblems in a home meeting in truth!! It is best to be quiet before the meeting begins. The friends and workers do not like conversations before meeting begins.
REGIONAL DIFFERENCES IN THE TRUTH-Customs do vary according to the head worker or overseer. While the friends tend to be strciter and more low profile than traditional Christians in an area, certain exceptions occur.

Here are some examples-In Europe and maybe Australia there are Sunday evening meetings. In parts of Australia and New Zealand, Christmas decorations are permitted. Drinking beer and wine is permitted by friends in central Europe. Younger workers often ignore stuff like women wearing pants, makeup or jewelry and cutting small amounts from their hair today. Some overseers permit divorce,remarriage and taking part while others ban taking part for a certain time after marrying divorcees or unprofessing people. Some workers are reluctantly beginning to tolerate televisions in homes ( a vebal warning is often given by the senior worker when a TV is brought into a professing home unless it is a divided home). Radios are tolerated in some areas.

Dress worn to meeting varies depending upon the state and field. Most men wear ties to Sunday morning meeting though attire on Wednesday nights and gospel meetings are much more casual than say 20 years ago. Again the head worker of an area decides what behavior is permissive and what behavior must be "given up" in order to be a "true child of God". A common worker sermon at many conventions is "keeping up THE standard".

NO HEADQUARTERS-The fact that the truth has no headquarters and keeps no records prevents outsiders from learning very much about the group. However, annual worker lists and lists of friends are still published for each state. There is no one address that serves as a headquarters for "the truth". There are no offices found in any of the convention sheds. Money is given to workers in secret. Workers have addresses at one of the friend's homes and the state or regional conventions have addresses. Some workers liked to preach in the "old days" that their headquarters was in heaven. The home where the head worker (in a state,province or country) is as close to a headquarters as can be found in the truth. Many exes complain about workers not recording contributions to the IRS. E Mail me if you are interested in learning any more about these meetings in homes, annual conventions or the homeless ministry called "the work".

Email: professing@yahoo.com