Daily Republican., 1880-04-19
APPEALS.
The Cases OF Revs. Mr. Miller and
major, t&T,

major.
The Judicial Conference is q new
tribunal in the Methodist Episcopal
church, "said one of the Wilmington
clergy recently" and very few
circumstances In this part of the coun-
try have arisen 10 make one of its ses-
sions necessary. Tho appeal cases Of
Messrs. Miller and Major, which will
come before the body in y few days,
will, of course, excite much interest,
owing to the nature Of their cases. II
is Of course, imprudsnt as we'll as i'm
possible to even surmise the result.
The Judicial Conference, as 1t is
called, consists Of ministers chosen from
any four conferences Of the Methodist
Episcopal church, who are appointed to
try any appeal which an erring brother
may have TO make from the original
decision Of his Conference. The Con-
ference is usually formed Of twenty-one
members, and quorum consists OF
thirteen. The Church Discipline pro-
vides that at the opening of the session
the record of the Conference appealed
from bearing upon the case under con-
sideration, together with all papers and
the evidence, shall be read. After that
the appellant shall state his grounds
for appeal and argue his case before the
members OF the determining body.
This done, the Conference shall sit
alone and decide the matter before
them.
The affair in which the appellants
in this case figured is doubtless remem-
bered by. the majority of our people, as
il is of recent occurrence, and excited
wide spread interest. Ths Philadel-
phia University of Medicine and Sur
gerry was an institution, which, it was
charged, granted diploma To anyone
WHO was willing TO pay for it, without
having any regular or continued courcs
OF study. The Rev. 7. B. Miller was
President Of the institution and also
dean OF the faculty. Although he oc-
cupied the latter position, it is not
shown that no had ever gone through
a courss Of study to qnaliiy him for such
&p Office. or that he knew anything
about medicine, either practically or
theoretically.
The Rev. william Major vas ssere-
tary of the college, and also lent his
high standing to tha deception. Di-
plomas granted to the students, who
we're hastily railroaded to the proud
station of "M. D." after the peculiar
plan of the college, we're signed by
both Mr.. Miller and Mr. Major, they
knowing at the time that they we're
aiding the quackery that was carried
on at such a wholesale rats.
The matter having been exposed by
one of the Philadelphia papers, charges
were preferred against both of the gen.
tlsmen and committees of Investigation
sppointes at the Philadelphia Annua!
Conference, which INST in Philadelphia
in March. On Thursday, March 10th,
the Investigating Committees reported
to the effect that they had found the
charges sustained, and expelled Mr.. |
Miller from the membership and minis
try Of the NJ. Z. church and expelled
Mr.. Major from the Ministry for one
year. These reports were adopted.
Notices Of appeal wers given, and it is |
these appeals that will be heard by the
Judicial Conference.
The body will commence its sessions |
in the lecture ro0m of Union NJ. Z. |
Fifth and Washington streets,
at 2 80 P. N. tc-msrrow.
President, Bishop Matthew Simpson.
Appellants, Rev. r. 3. Miller and |
Rev. William Major.
Counsel for Appellants, Revs. s. M.
Cooper, W. l.. Gray, ]: H. Hargis, p.
J. Cox, S. W. ThoMas, J. II. Hinson.
Custodian of the documents, J. s. J.
Secretary of the Philadel-
phia Conference.
Court, New-Jersey Conference, DR..
D. P. Kidder, c. II. Whitecar, W.
Reeves, A. Z. Ballard, W. Walton, J.
8. Phelps and L. II. Darrell.
Baltimore Conference, l.. +. Morgan,
G. McElfresh, A. K. Gibson, J. Il.
Dashiell, J. G. ragsy, C. N. Richard.
SON duu ". W. hSu6s
Wilmington Conference, DR.. J. H.
Caldwell, J. A. B. Wilson, J. F. Van
W. D. Walton, Vaughan
smith and John D. Rigg. The de-
Tense of Mr.. Miller will be that his
Ease was not fairly tried, and that he
vas in g greater measure to be excused
han was allowed. Mr.. Mayors de-
ense will be that he did net altogether
know the character of the college, and
hat he ignorantiy signed numbers Of
blank diplomas beforehand, not know
ng the use to which they were to be
,ut, ard that they were afterwards
He'd out by others connected with the
Institution. The case will attract great
here.