Bethel and the Supreme Court

Richard Allen mentions that Robert Birch, one of the elders appointed to Philadelphia, appealed to the Supreme Court when the pulpit at Bethel was denied him by the Bethel congregation. Assuming that he is referring to the U.S. Supreme Court, I find it intriguing that this matter would be brought before a governmental legal agency of this level. Was it common at this time for religious matters such as this to be brought before the Supreme Court? I know there were more issues surrounding this particular conflict (race being the primary issue), but at what point does the church yield it's authority to legislate such matters to the government?