 Bickerton led The Church of Jesus Christ until 1880, when William Cadman succeeded Bickerton as president of the church.Charges of adultery had been brought against Bickerton by a member of the church in Kansas.Although Bickerton maintained his innocence, a church council decision went against him and he was disfellowshipped from the church, a probationary measure that suspends activity in some church activities but does not amount to excommunication.