The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-09-05
TRIAL OF DR.. THOMAS. As
THE COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE
How Ills Judges Voted when His Case
Wns Acted Upon by the Confer.
rncc to which lie MciOngS-rcm IA
Pictures OF the Men, ....

Chicago, September 4.-l'hc trial OF the
Rev. DR.. Thomas, Of the Methodist Episco.
pal Church, for hcrcsy, having been post.
poned until next Tuesday, owing to the
absence OF one Of the counsel for defense,
il is worth while in the meantime, in view
Of the Importance Of the trial, to takc1some
notice Of the gentlemen forming the com.
mittee who sil as Judges upon the accused.
The Reverend J. W. Agarl Is d superan.
nuate Of the Rock River Conference. 10
which the accused belongs and Inns his
membership In Centenary Church CHI.
cago, Of which DR.. Thomas was formerly
pastor. Mr.. Agarl has been over fifty wears
IN the ministry. lie joined the Rock River
Conference in lSi7, und was for number
Of years presiding elder in il. lie is re-.
glrdedbv the church as ono OF its best law.
yeS, not in the sense Of being au udyo.
catc,'asn Judge. When the vote OF 10 10
10 WIS taken in the Conference last full.
asking Thonl:ls TO withdraw from tho
Church, AH!rd was one Of the 10 who voted
may. On tins account some suspect him of
leaning to Thomas side. lie il, however
q man Of strong convictions, and will moi
Dc letl away by sympathy. 1t IL said in
private that II the prosecution intends 10
object to any member of the committee. us
DR.. Hatfield intimatcd that il might. Mr.
Agirl will be the man. 0 ~
The Rev Theodore II. lIazcltine is inst
the opposite of Agar,l, inasul,lcth MS he il
sud to have no peaks to his character
re Is man above mcliocrity in scholar.
ship, and has been identified with several
institutions of higher education. What
his sympashies and opinions are in Ills
case can lc conjecturcd only, us he did no,
vote IN the hcconlercnce on the proposition
that Thomas withdraw. ngu'a' = IN
The Rev. }. W. Phelps is the pastor oi
st. Panls Church, Chicago lie ioiurd tho
conference in 1865, and is considered .
bright and intelligent young man, who
meets with success in his preaching. but
who has not given much attention IN
questions of polcmic theology. lie hls
never before been identified with church
trials. His appointment on the committee
is considered favorable to DR.. Tho,mns. as
he has been heard todcclarc his svmmthics
for that side. 1t is said most positively
however, that ewill stand by his conviic.
tions asa Methodist, and would not iail TO
vote against his friend ii the evidence
seemed to warrant it. In the conference
vote mentioned above he took his place by
the side OF Aslrd and opposed the with
drawal Of Thomas.
The Rev J. S. David was admitted To ihc
conference in 1875, and has held various
important trusts in the church. lie is n
rigid disclplinarian and radically orthodox.
Ele voted with the maioritviin askinr
Thomas to withdraw. He is stationed nj
Albany, III. E, 'E
The Rev. William Craven is pastor OF the
Ninth Street Church, Chicago, and was adj
mtttcd to the conference in 1878. lie isan
Evangelist rather than schoarand thcolog-
ian. His opinions in regard to this ease arc
not known, but it is certain that he is
staunch in the old Methodist faith. lie and
Hazeltine are the wo::mcmbcs OF the CON.
nlttee who did not join in the conference
vote on the Thomas case. a.. .a.s '
The Rev. Robert Proctor is set down ms
the ablcst man on: the committee, Ilc
breaches ut, Arlington Heights, and wus
admitted 10 the conference in 1860, coming
from the Preshyterians. Like most Pres
byterian ministers, he is well educated, and
has well disciplined mind. lie is said TO
excel as Il jurist, and in doctrine he is rad.
ically orthodox. He voted with the ma.
joritH in conference against Thomas. 't-,.
The Rey. CIR. Van Horne, pastor oi the 1
Michigan Avenue Church, Chicago, is rep.
resented to be a man Of judicial temper,
but intensely orthodox, and us TO Method.
ism u stalwart defender lie, too, in the
conference, voted with the majority against
Thomas. -,..'ZsS"'' ~.
The Rev. J. II. Allns, pastor OF Simpson
Church, Chicago, like Craven, is IN evan.
;gclist rather than Il polcmic. 4 What his
opinions on the ease are have not been
made known, hut he voted in conference
against the accused. .-.+ r.'-' 80 - =
The ninth member Of the committee
was the lsey. John Ellis, Of IIins'lale, ill.,,
but he declined to serve, and the Presiding
Elder, the Rev. DR.. Willing, has not vet
appointed one in his place. -.,5,s,,g'
The case will he hotly contested: so
much is clear from what has appeared al
ready. The defense will insist npon every
right that they can claim. Whether the
trial will be resumed next Tuesday or not
will depend upon the health OF DR.. Jcwett
leadln. counsel ior the defense