Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-19
NJ. f. CONFERENCE
TAKES UP CHARGE
AGAINST PASTOR
Rev. B. J. Rhodes, of Washing
ton, N. j., Faces "Unminis-
teriaI Conduct" Inquiry.
COMMITTEE NAMED TO
REPORT ON THE CASE.
Or. McRorie Matter Is Also to
Come in for Some Attention
at Clerical Gathering.

Rev. Jere B. ]. Rhodes. pastor of
the Washington IN. JD Methodist
Episcopal Church, was made the de-
fendant in charges today before the
Newark conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. being held in the
Halsey Street Methodist Episcopal
Church.
He is charged with "unministeriaa
conduct" Just what this embodies
was not made public. DIR. Rhodes,
who is attending the conference, said
today he knew nothing about the
matter.
81 have nothing to say" he told
reporter for the Evening Star.
have not heard OF any charges as yet.
None have been presented to me.
Further | do not care to talk for
publication"
The charges, In accordance with the
rules governing the conference, were
referred to 81 committee on confer
ence relations. The members of this
committee include the following:
Rev. r. B. Urmy, of Morristown:
Rev. w. r. Nef, of Hoboken; Rev.
M. e. Grant, of Newark; Rev. A. N.
Smith, of Paterson; Rev. j. r.
Wright of Jersey City; Rev. T. @.
Spencer, of Ridgewood; Rev. G. M.
Anderson, of Plainfeld; Rev. G. G.
Woodruff, of Allendale, and Rev. A.
c. McCrea, of Jersey City.
Rev. DIR. Neff acted as chairman OF
the committee in the absence OF
Chairman Urmy. The former refused
fatty to discuss the matter.
THAT is matter for the COMMITTEES
alone to discuss" he said. 1.-THE rea-
son it was referred to our committee
was to determine whether or not
there was anything that warranted
the charges being sustained. In the
! event there is, then the charges will
| be referred to another COMMITTEES to
be aired
A resolution was adopted at yes-
terday afternoons session opposing
+ the admission of ministers from out
side the confernces to churches of
F, equal standing.
| 1t was the consensus Of the confer.
J ence that the trial of Rev. Willis s.
] MacRorie, formerly pastor OF Mount
| Horeb and Springdale churches, who
! Is charged with untruthfulness, be
j heard before a select committee of the
4 conference.
/ Rev. Ralph g. Urmy, or Morris
town, and Rev. Warren r.. Ns1. OF
7 f~Ho}Joi5en, were selected to act as
counsel for the church In the case,
ana, as DIR. MacRorie had not
selected counsel, Rev. Rufus K. Boyd,
of Jersey City, and Rev. Warren l..
Hoagland, Of Phillipsburg, were
named to represent the defendant
| pastor.
DIR. MacRorie was tried before the
conference last year on charges Inn
| plicating him with a young woman
member of his parish. At taht time
the defendant clergyman made a
written confession to the conference
This confession was later withheld
| by him and a denial of the charges
entered. He was found guilty.
! 1t is because of his action in first
| submitting a confession and later
withdrawing It that he will be tried
| before this conference.
DR.. MacRorie will be tried before
committee of which Rev. A. r. Rich
ardson, of Paterson, has been selected
president. The members of the conn
mittee are Rev. Wesley Martin, of
| Butler; Rev M. w. Womer, of Engie-
wood; Rev. N. j. Johnston, of East
| Orange; Rev. George Fountain, OF
Irvington; Rev, William c. James,
of Hackettstown; Rev. A. W. Hayes,
| of Madison; Rev. II. Y. Murkland, of
Newark Rev. Thomas /. Coultas, OF
Haverstraw; Rev. M. Y. Bovard of
Rutherford; Rev. H. j. Iibst, OF
| Cokesbury Rev. Fred Curry, of Vice.
! hawken; Rev. A. N Smith, of Pater-
son; Rev. d. II. Gridley, of Paterson.
and Rev. w. j. Hampton, of Belvi-
| dere.