The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-09-12
FOR OPINIONS SAKE,
HOW THOMAS TAKES HIS SENTENCE,
For Farther Information Read the
First Fifteen Verses OFthe TWen.
ty-seeORd Chapter or Job,
lI 4 PORder and Reject

|
CHICAGO, September lO-The verdict o
guilty brought by the jury in the Thoma
heresy trial at late hour last night was
great surprise to DR., Thomas, and he take
1t sore to heart. He did not believe itpos
sible, in 4 trial SO fairly conducted, tha
the finding could be against him; ant
when called upon to-day and asked wheth
er he had expected the verdict that hi
Committee Of Investigation had rendered
last night, he replied; eH9sl q.
Indeed, have not aud | am both sur
prised and grieved by It," 't '-
"Why?" Iln9
"Weu, because there was no ground fol
a conviction, and | didn't believe, until
they had done it, that my brethren would
convict me illegally, They did not pretend
that had violated anything but the arti-
cles Of religion and the catechlsm, and
both pretensions are groundless. Ny
preaching has not cOntradicted the articles,
and the cateChism has never been ratified
by the annual Conference US standard, and
the committee knew it, | regard their de.
cision, therefore, as illegal and uhkind. I
am both surprised and grieved at it."
"Had any Of the committee promised
7 you their support, or informed you that
they would support youY' l.
"Not ut all. based my expectation Of
an acqulttal merely on the justice Of my
cause and the faCt that the jury were Chris
tian men and brother ministers, and this,
although l'knew that majority OF them
had voted against me in the Conference"
"What did you think Of DR., Parkhust's
speechH"
"The opening part Of his speech, in
which no pretended to truce the history Of
the trial and represented inc MS 9ecking and
forcing u trial was n series OF the b0ldest
misrepresentation ever heard In Inv life.
II Is true that asked that Dir. Jewett and
DR. Hatfield might be appointed to draft
the charges and prosecute them; but II was
after the Conference had adopted the re-
port Of the Committee requiring that
charges should be preferred and prose.
cuted. ] madO tho request to relieve the
embarrassment Of the brethren. / Claim
therefore, TINT DIR. Parkhunt violently mis-
represented my relation to the trial -
"HOw did you like the rest Of oihisspGech ?''
ut was scandalously passionate and un.
fair. What right did he have to comment
on things not in the evidence He made
an intlammatnry appeal 10 the Committee,
alleging that he had scores OF witnesses
that he was deluged with letters Of com.
plnint from Methodist people TINT my
preaching had impaired the usefulness oi
all the other ministers in the Conference,
and had even led the young To, dancing and
drinking habits; all OF which il untrue and
slanderous,, and in support Of which he
did not and could not introduce u syllable
OF evidence. Thiswas in violation ofevery
rule Of law and Justice"
"And why did your counsel permit it?''
because, ] suppose, they thought il
would'hurt him more than 4. would me,'
"Elaye you received any communications
from Elder Willing yet?n
"Yes, 1reCeived the official notification
Of the committees verdict from him this
morning II read as follows
"CmcAGo, September 10, 1881.
"'Rtr. FL W. Thomas, D. d.;
"'DEGR BRorHRR:-Tt becomes my pain.
ful dutytO inform you that the committee
in your case, about, midnight last night,
found you guilty Of both charges in tho
complaint against 'yotl. Hence by para
graphs 200 and 219 in the Book Gi Discl.
pline, you are suspended from all minis.
terial services and church privileges until
The ensuing session Of our Conference.
Your brother, W. q. WILLING"
"Does that prevent YOU taking tho sacra,
ment like private member Of the church. "
ayes, am shut out from the com.
munion;table, as well as the pulpit, for the
present 0 .rf ia, .--- ssI7 .-'ee1a
;. "I1as any reply been made 70 Elder VIII
ling's letter'n ~
'Yes, DR.. Bennett wrote him the follow.
ing letter I..s- 'l7'a3S
"FARwELL House, Septenberl0, 1881.
at Rsr W. G Willing, D. d. ..5lFsa
DEAR BRoriiER-Your notice TO DR..
Thomas Of the action Of the committee Is
received. Dr. Thomas Is surprised and
panied at the verdict, and will resist and
defend against all charges, complaints and
accusations until acquitted, or the last re.
sort Is exhausted. Very respectfully,
gi. II. w. BENNETT, c
"'COunsel for defense" :"
DR.. Thomas will now he compelled 10
suspend services at IIooley's Thcater, where
he lias olIiCiated for several months as pas.
tor OF the Peoples Church, and where pews
have been sold in advance, md about
$1,000 thus realized. To continue as
preacher would be m art Of the most une-
QuivOcal defiance TO the Methodist Church,
and would badly prejudice his case both
before the District and the General confer
ence. The District Conference meets In II
few weeks, and II il cohvicts DR..
Thomas on the charges Of heresy
he will appeal to the General Con.
ference lie was asked this even.
ing, "If the Conference expels you, how
long will It he before the Judicial Confer.
enCe, to which your appeal lies, will meet?'
mot long, II will meet some in the winter.
OF course, II the Conference should cxpel
me, | would be free to preach nglin.' "Do
you think expulsion would drive you
further into liberal views, and into the
Unitarian or Univeralist churClles2" "NOt
at all. lam not Univetsalist, nor u Uni.
tarian but an orthodox Methodist, and
do not mean to Join any denomination
unless sincerely agree with II in doc.
trine."
DETERMINED TO DIE.