Any member under suspicion was purged. Following his death in 1953, the position of overseer was reaffirmed and strengthened. Disquiet continued at the growing move toward a centralized system of administration, but any open complaint was met with excommunication. In Australia there were three groups of excommunicated members. Up till recent times consolidation has been the main thrust of the church.
Membership is mainly second and thrid generation adherents.
As most members who knew of the Irish origins and the leadership squabbles have been removed, the majority of the membership actually believe the church's claim to apostolic origin and authority. Assessment Sadly this group of obviously dedicated people bears the marks of a sectarian church - exclusiveness, Biblical eccentricity and group tyranny. The original young men and women who pioneered the work, with personal devotion and evangelistic zeal, were quickly debilitated by human fallibility and theological naivete. They gave unreasoning loyalty to their early charismatic leaders without recognizing that power corrupts. Today, all they are left with is overbearing and stifling authority.