First Baptist Manlius

Elder Nathan Baker – Elder Elhanah Comstock - Elder John Nichols

In 1797 the new Republic was 21 years old. George Washington completed his second term as President and had turned the reins of government over to John Adams. The Governor of New York State (the second) was John Jay. Onondaga County and the Town of Manlius were three years old. It was only five years since the first white settlers had made their homes in the wilderness which became the Village of Manlius. On December 8, 1797, men and women in the Manlius-Pompey area banded together under the leadership of Elder Nathan Baker to establish a church.

Nathan Baker was born April 14, 1760, in Woodbury, Connecticut. He married Lucy Norton (born May, 1762). They had at least three sons and one daughter.

We are indebted to Carole L. Alden of Michigan Center, Michigan, who is doing genealogical research on the Baker family, for much of the information about the Baker children.

• Joseph Baker – Born 1785 – Pompey, New York. Died December 6, 1836, in Manlius, New York. (The place of birth is in question since there were not many settlers in the Pompey area in 1785.)
• Simeon Baker – Born July 24, 1790, in Salem, New York. Died June 18, 1838.
• Nathan Baker (II) – Born October 27, 1793, in Saratoga, New York. Died January 1862 in Burlington, Michigan.
• Lucy Baker – Born 1797 in Pompey, New York. Died July 3, 1803.

Lucy Baker’s tombstone can still be seen (2000) in Baker Cemetery on the west side of the Pompey Center Road, about three miles north of Pompey Center on Town Lot #30, Town of Pompey. Her epitaph can be plainly read: “In memory of Lucy Baker, only daughter of Elder Nathan Baker, who departed this life July 3, 1803, in the sixth year of her life.”

While three sons are indicated for Elder Baker, only one (Nathan) appears in the minutes of the church, which start on September 4, 1813, at which time Joseph would have been 28, Simeon 23, and Nathan 20 years of age.

The time that Elder Baker came to the Pompey-Manlius area is not certain. In 1796, according to information furnished by the Manlius Historical Society, he was buying property in the Town of Pompey. On May 31, 1796, he purchased 114 acres of land in the Southeast corner of Lot #9 in the Town of Pompey, close to the Town of Manlius. This may be the lot on which he built a home. On May 20, 1800, he purchased 50 acres in the Southwest corner of Lot #10 and 30 acres North of his purchase of May 31, 1797, and on September 11, 1809, 15 acres in the Southwest corner of Lot 49, close to the Village of Pompey. By 1797, Elder Baker appeared to be settled and ready to stay for a while, apparently committed to a relatively long tenure as pastor of the new Baptist Church in the Pompey-Manlius area. We do not know why Elder Baker came but his record of missionary work in the central and western part of the state during his stay in Manlius suggests that he might have been sent for the purpose of starting a church. We know of no other reason for his coming here.

There may have been some question in the beginning about where in this area Elder Baker was to establish a church. In the Onondaga Historical Association Collection of materials on the early Baptist gatherings in the Fayetteville, Manlius and Pompey area, there is a copy of one of the earliest records of the Baptist Church in Fayetteville (to confuse things called for a time the Manlius Baptist Church). Henry Knapp, an early clerk of the Fayetteville Baptist Church, wrote that “on a loose leaf in the Record Book is a letter or record slightly torn and faded ink but good handwriting, evidently the oldest minutes made by the clerk, or possibly a memo, made by a pastor, as follows: (The part concerning Elder Baker and the Fayetteville Church has been excerpted.)

“To accommodate the people we had our meetings in different places in which time Mr. Baker moved in and preached with us where our meeting was held. In the middle of the summer Mr. Baker left our meeting and preached in different places till he moved to Pompey. From the time he moved until he left us, we had a number of conferences to manifest a desire to join with us, but did not join or give any reason. After he moved to Pompey he set up a meeting in the place where he now lives. But we continued our meetings where they were before held, and there was some of our brethren that joined with him and we tried for a fellowship with them, and had a number of conferences, but could not attain to it. We desired to meet together at every fourth Sabbath, but we could not obtain that freedom.

After we had tried every reasonable means, we concluded it our duty to hold our appointed prayer for the blessing of God to attend to us (paper torn)… There being some minutes altho not in so correct a manner as they ought to be, having no former writings and still wishing for fellowship with our former brethren, we have not kept a record of all our proceedings til the year 1798, in which time God was pleased to condescend to visit with us his blessing, & approval for all, & as we hope, call some out of darkness unto light, & numbers manifested a desire to join in covenant with us.”

Since the first Baptist Church and Society in Pompey and Manlius has almost no meeting records until 1813, there is no information available on attempts to join the two groups. It is known that Elder Baker was very helpful when Brother Gershom Breed (one of the early leaders of the Fayetteville Church) was preparing for ordination in 1812, by baptizing new members and serving communion, two ordinances which only ordained ministers were allowed to conduct.

The first records we have of the early church are Incorporation Papers from July 1, 1812, when the church declared itself an official corporation. The papers were recorded in the Onondaga County Courthouse. The County Clerk, Jasper Hopper, on November 21, 1821, certified that

“The First Baptist Church and Society in the towns of Pompey and Manlius, considering themselves under the necessity of being incorporated as the law directs, and after notice being given according to the Law, the said Church and Society met on the first day of July, Eighteen Hundred and Twelve at the School House in Pompey where said Church and Society met for Public Worship and Elder Nathan Baker and James Warren were elected to preside at said meeting; the said Church and Society then elected the following persons to serve them as Trustees, (viz) Elder Nathan Baker, Isaac Ketchum, Joseph Williams, Willoby Millard, Samuel Edwards.”
Signed, Elder Nathan Baker
James Warren Presidents

The document was recorded on November 23, 1812, by Jasper Hopper, Clerk of the Onondaga Courthouse. The incorporation was not mentioned in any church notes or written history. There was no record of the Board of Trustees or any further action taken by that Board after the Incorporation. The Incorporation may have been required by law in preparation for building a church home, but that was put off until 1826. The church as a copy of the Incorporation Papers.

The first records of early church meetings and services are found in a leather bound ledger entitled POMPEY CHURCH RECORDS. The first entries are the Articles of Faith and the Church Covenant. The Articles of Faith told the early church members what they were to believe in if they were to be Christians and Baptists. The Covenant, which was an agreement entered into “in the presence of God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, angels and men”, told them how to behave if they were to please God and live in Christian Fellowship with their Brothers and Sisters in the Church. These guideposts were given to us by the leaders of the new church in Manlius and probably reflect what was being taught in Baptist Seminaries at that time.

Both documents are reproduced at the conclusion of the record of Elder Baker’s ministry. The early writers did not capitalize God, which we do, but capitalized other words, i.e., Special Lusts, Tavern Haunting, and Jesting, which we do not. They used very little punctuation and as a result the documents are difficult to read.

After the Articles of Faith and the Church Covenant there was a list of church members. The men and women are listed separately. There were 55 men and 105 women. The list was accompanied by a disclaimer by Nathan Weston, Clerk, entered on March 2, 1818, that “the above is no longer considered to be the list of the members of the Church.”

The first entry to record a church meeting was dated September 4, 1814. “Church met in love and union. Hannah Dickson Related her Experience and was fellowshipt by the church Polly Mack Related her Experience & fellowshipt”. The first Church Clerk was Thomas H. Gridley.

The early church met in barns, homes, and schoolhouses in the neighborhoods of Watervale, Oran, Eagle Village, and in the stone Academy Building in Manlius. There is some confusion about the location of some of the schools. The first schoolhouse mentioned was “the schoolhouse in Pompey”, the second one “by Brother Edwards in Pompey,” to be used one quarter of the time commencing November 8, 1813. Many school locations were identified by the name of the church member it was nearest to, i.e., the school by Brother Dodge in Pompey, the school near the home of Asa Brace, or the school next to Brother Hubbard. On August 18, 1816, it was voted that Brothers Cheesebrough, Weston and Hitchcock apply to the Trustees of the School in order to procure the Schoolhouse to hold meetings in the ensuing winter.

We believe the church was organized on December 8, 1797, for several reasons. The year 1797 is generally accepted by local historians. The month of December is probably correct since from 1797 to 1955 all annual business meetings were held in December. It was noted that a preponderance of the meetings took place on December 8, regardless of the day of the week. From 1830 until 1890, 41 of 50 annual meetings for which we have records were held on December 8. We feel that our ancestors were commemorating a special event at their annual meetings, the birth of their church on December 8, 1797.

Schools seemed to be the most popular locations for Sunday Services since they had more open space than homes and could be heated (as opposed to barns). Services were much longer than today’s churchgoers are used to. There was a morning service of approximately two hours, followed by a noon meal. After dinner there was socializing, another sermon, another meal, and an evening sermon. Many of the men must have had to go home between services and do chores. Many families walked but some of the people came in a horse and buggy (the schoolhouses, however, would not have had large facilities to shelter horses).

The congregation did use some common sense and tempered their zeal for all day Church Services at times. At the February 1817 Church Meeting the members voted to attend but one exercise each Sabbath Day in the winter. In the early days they met on the Thursday before monthly Communion Services for a Covenant meeting. The members prayed, confessed sins, and prepared themselves to receive Communion.

The Church also met at least monthly for what were called “Stated Church Meetings.” These “Business” meetings were held during the day at a member’s home. The meetings were moderated by the Elder of the Church or one of the trusted male members of the congregation. The members took care of the business of the Church, which in the early years involved searching out and reforming openly sinning members, raising money, spending money, voting for Elders, appointing Deacons, choosing members to attend Association Meetings or Councils or to serve on Church committees, and anything else that might be of concern to the Elder or the Congregation.

The congregation had felt the need for their own church home as early as August 27, 1814, when they voted “to come into some agreement for building a meeting house.” According to Yettie Harris and reported by others as well, Azariah Smith, an influential and wealthy merchant in the village of Manlius, offered to build a house of worship in the village for the Baptists. Elder Baker, fearing that pride might be engendered by a village church, prevailed upon the members to remain in their schoolhouse quarters.

In February 1817, the subject was mentioned for a second time and the church voted to circulate subscription papers for the purpose of raising money to build a meeting house. No mention was made of the amount raised. In December of 1818 the church voted to meet on the Sabbath at the Schoolhouse by the old mill half of the time and then the other half at the west Schoolhouse.

While the first few gatherings of the Church for which the proceedings were recorded, the congregation was said to have met in love and unity. These words, unfortunately, became an inappropriate description for many subsequent meetings. One cannot read the minutes without being shocked and surprised by the seemingly endless number of members in trouble with the Church because of their sins. While most of the people were trying to obey the Church rules for personal behavior, as presented in the Articles of Faith, others must have found the strict rules offensive to their pioneer spirit, which they may have felt allowed them to think and talk and act as they pleased.

In following the Church Covenant the members agreed (among other things) to “deny ourselves of all undue worldly gains, mortify our evil affections and Lusts, Forsake all revellings, Tavern Haunting and vain Company Keeping, Idle vain and foolish Jesting and all other things contrary to the Doctrine of Christ.”

The members not only had to follow these rules themselves, but were obliged to help their brothers and sisters to live up to them also. The members agreed to “carefully watch over their brethren for good and not suffer evil to rest upon them.” This charge was probably why there was so much attention given to the sinners. One person’s sin soon became everybody’s business.

When a member was thought to be breaking the rules of the Covenant or expounding beliefs contrary to the Articles of Faith, the Congregation was obliged to undertake with the alleged sinner the Steps of Gospel Labor:

1. The first step was to send an emissary from the Church (usually the Elder or a Deacon) to visit the alleged miscreant and learn his or her version of the story.
2. If the Elder or Deacon found merit in the charges, the member would be asked to attend a Church Meeting and be questioned, and in turn would be allowed to defend his or her behavior.
3. After hearing both sides the Church could vote guilty or not guilty. If the guilty member showed sorrow and remorse for his sins, asked forgiveness, and promised to reform, the Church would usually accept the member back into the fold. If the member were rebellious and defiant, the matter would be brought up in a Church Service where the right hand of fellowship would be withdrawn and the member expelled from the Church.

Sins included neglecting religion, refusal to attend church services or “travel” with the Church, lascivious conduct and conversation or other covenant breaking. Later as new religious cults sprang up in the region, members were expelled for disagreements with the Articles of Faith and their strict Baptist interpretation of the Bible.

The first “out of fellowship” member mentioned in the Minutes was Sister Oles. Brothers Ford and Gridley were “to inquire the reason for her long absence from church.” Then Sister Mary Dodge was not acting properly. Brothers Cleveland, Ketchum, Jobs and Weston were sent to find out what her difficulty was.

In the early days of the Church many of the Elders were self-educated. The Pompey and Manlius Baptist Church always encouraged would-be Elders and gave them opportunities to practice preaching in regularly scheduled or special services. (With at least three services on Sunday the Church Elder must have welcomed some help in preaching.) If the aspiring Elder did well the Church would give him a letter which explained his standing in the Church and recommended his gift to the public, which could result in his being asked to preach in other Baptist Churches. With further improvement, both in preaching ability and understanding of the Bible and the Baptist interpretations of the Bible, the Church could issue a License in recognition.`

The final step in achieving the status of Elder was ordination. Licentiates were ordained by a Council of Elders from nearby Baptist Churches called for that purpose. They would meet formally, examine the candidate concerning his knowledge, understanding and commitment to the Bible and Baptist doctrines. They would then deliberate and vote. If the candidate were approved, a congregational service would be held. One of the distinguished Elders would preach a sermon and the new Elder would be welcomed into the ranks.

On September 4, 1813, Brothers Warren Scranton and Jonathon Hoit were recognized by the Church as having a talent for preaching and were voted to be allowed to “Improve their gift in the Church.” Brother Hoit left the Church, but Brother Scranton apparently did well and was given a letter recommending his gift of preaching to the public. Soon after, however, a complaint was made against him in a Church Meeting, accusing him a lascivious conversation and conduct. He acknowledged his guilt and was asked to give up his letter of recommendation. He was subsequently found to be a “disorderly walker” and the Right Hand of Fellowship was withdrawn from him. The “doings of the meeting” were read in public assembly on the Sabbath. Unlike many expelled or about to be expelled members, Brother Scranton repented his sins and asked for forgiveness. He later made a comeback. A Council of Baptist Churches helped restore him to the membership of the Pompey and Manlius Church. He was again voted to have gifts that were useful. On May 12, 1821, he was given a letter to join another church and he became a member of the Pompey Center Baptist Church. He appeared at a meeting with the Pompey and Manlius Churches as clerk of the Pompey Center Church.

Although Elder Baker was pastor of the First Baptist Church and Society in the Towns of Pompey and Manlius, he was at heart a missionary and spent a surprising amount of time on missionary trips to the western part of New York State. There was a meeting at Elder Baker’s home in Pompey, Onondaga County, on August 2, 1807, “to consider the propriety of forming a Society for the prosecution of missionary enterprise in the destitute regions around, in view of the increasing population of the county, their indigent circumstances and spiritual work and the multiplied call for ministerial labor.” Twenty people became members by paying a dollar each. They adjourned until October 28, 1897, and met in Hamilton, New York. They formally became the Lake Baptist Missionary Society, then the Hamilton Missionary Society, and finally covered the state as the Baptist Missionary Convention of the State of New York (from the Book: A Century of Baptist Missions in the Empire State by Dr. C.W. Brooks.) Elder Nathan Baker was a member of the Board of Directors of the Hamilton Baptist Missionary Society from 1811 to 1820. Benjamin Pearce, a future part time minister of the church was also an early member of the Society.

It is apparent from records that are available from the Hamilton Baptist Missionary Society that Elder Baker took extended absences from his duties as pastor of the Manlius Church to continue his missionary work in the central and eastern regions of New York State. The records of the Hamilton Missionary Society (1811-1820) indicated that he was away for many weeks for the years recorded:

Elder Baker kept a journal of his missionary journeys. Elder Peck, a colleague of Elder Baker, an occasional visitor to Manlius and a prominent Baptist Missionary, prepared abstracts of the Journals of at least three of Elder Baker’s trips for publication in the minutes of the Madison Baptist Association Meetings of September 8-19, 1813. These missionary journeys undertaken by Elder Baker were abstracted by Elder Peck as follows:

“On the 21st of October 1812, he set out on a missionary tour, and rode to Camillus and preached in the evening—and passing from thence through Lysander, he came to Oswego falls, crossed the river into the town of Volney, and preached in the evening. 24th, returned across the river, and rode to Oswego village, spent the afternoon and evening in visiting the soldiers and inhabitants, among the former found a number of brethren. Lord’s day, 25th, preached at the village – after meeting crossed the river, to the town of Scriba. Next day visited the garrison in the forenoon, in the afternoon, preached to the people; here appears to be some inquiring souls. After meeting crossed the river. On the 28th rode home in a severe rain.
April 23rd, 1823, set out again on a missionary tour, and on the 24th came to Lysander and met a number of the disciples of Jesus, who had lately experienced the Grace of Life, and had come together for conference, having previous notice of this coming – had an agreeable time with them – spent the evening and morning in visiting the young professors. 25th, after preaching, they walked one mile and a half to the water, to attend to the ordinance of baptism. Then returned and brake bread to about twenty disciples, the greatest part of them young professors – a delightful season, it being the first time the Lord’s supper was ever administered in that town. On which he observes, “Brethren, you who have witnessed the like scenes, can realize the feelings of my heart when leaving this band of brethren in the wilderness, invaded by the enemy, who is trying to divide them by delusive doctrines.” -- On the 26th he rode home, wearied in body, but blessing God for His goodness to him.
June 22nd, 1813, he again left home and rode to Camillus, and met a number in conference, the season agreeable. 23rd, preached to the people a goodly time. 24th, at Lysander, preached, the blessing of the Lord attended – spent the evening and morning in visiting. The enemy still trying to divide the little band. He then passed on, crossed the Oswego river on the 26th, and preached on the fourteenth town, Scriba’s Patent – the second sermon ever preached in this town. –27th, returned and preached on the fifteenth town – the people collected from a distance, delivered two sermons; the season was solemn, and the power of the Lord seemed to be present. –He then rode to the Falls and met an appointment: --Here is some attention to the word of life. He then on account of a severe cold, which greatly affected his lungs, on the 29th returned home.”

Little mention was made of Elder Nathan Baker’s extended absences from the church, but it was evident that he was not always, if ever, a full time Elder. His salary was only $50.00 per year and seldom paid on time and in totality. Elder Baker was supported in his Church Work by a group of Deacons, some of whom were no doubt a part of the Church since its beginning. Deacons prepared and served Communion, visited the sick and the backsliders. The first mention of a Deacon was on June 4, 1814, when the Church voted an extra meeting to make an appointment of Deacons. Later on June 18, 1814, the Church voted to elect Deacons by ballad (sic), but after that it was mentioned again that the Deacons were to be appointed. Deacons (men only) were appointed or elected for life. While the Deacons were mostly concerned with Heavenly Pursuits and the unheavenly behavior of many of the members, the congregation voted it the Deacon’s responsibility to see that “we are provided with wood” for the winter of 1816-1817.

Some of the earliest Deacons mentioned were Nathan Weston, Elijah Weston, Jacob Jobs, William Hitchcock, J. Gates and Isaac Ketchum. There was no mention of a Board of Deacons, meetings, or a head of the Board of Deacons in the early days of the Church. The church was led by its Elder (minister) who preached on Sundays (usually 2-3 times), led the Covenant meetings, and was often Moderator for business meetings. The Deacons, the Church Clerk and the Treasurer were the only named officers. There were no Trustee, Mission or Christian Education Boards at that time.

Money was raised for church expenses when needed. There were no recorded budgets or Treasurer’s reports. When money was needed to pay the Elder’s salary or to buy wood, or to help the poor or to pay communion expenses, lists of names (called a Subscription List) were circulated and members were to subscribe to a portion of the expenses. On February 14, 1815, two lists were circulated for the purpose of “making some provision for Elder Baker.” The money was to be turned over to the Church Treasurer, who in turn would pay Elder Baker. On June 24, 1815, the church met and voted that Elder Baker continue to preach “as God, in His providence may permit” and to pay him what money we have collected ($15.00) out of the $50.00 we have agreed to give him.

At times the members were not allowed to decide what they would pay. On April 13, 1816, the church voted to pay Brother Jobs $11.50 for arranging care for Sister Margaret White in her last sickness. Three Brothers were assigned to make an average on the members for the money (each member was assessed a certain amount).

On January 1, 1817, the Church voted for a committee to evaluate the church members according to their best judgment (with regard to their family circumstances and debts they are owing). The expenses of the church were to be assessed according to the ability of the family to pay. (Any member who felt over-burdened by the assessment could apply to the church for a reduction.)

Although no mention was made of support for Missions in the early church, they did have concerns for the poor in their neighborhood. On February 1, 1817, the Church voted to call on such as have not paid their portion of the money for supporting the poor. If by refusal or neglect, those members who did not pay their share or assessments were called to account by the church in Church Meetings. Three Brethren were appointed to raise money for Elder Baker by making out a tax (assessment) on the members. Joseph Williams was appointed collector.

On April 6, 1816, Nathan Baker (son of Elder Nathan Baker and Lucy Baker), Joseph Watkins, Sally Mooney and Lydia Meacham related their experiences and gained fellowship (membership) with the church. Nathan Baker was to become very active in the church and was given many important responsibilities. He was referred to first as Brother Nathan Baker, but when a third Nathan Baker appeared, was called Nathan Baker, Jr or Brother Nathan Baker, Jr.

On July 19, 1816, the church voted to sing by rule and Brothers Nathan Baker, Jr. and Josiah Chatfield were appointed to serve as leaders. In the early church there were no hymnbooks. The leaders would read a line, which the congregation would sing, and this would continue until the hymn was completed.

In the following years, Brother Nathan Baker, Jr. was in charge of choosing singers, appointed to a committee to choose a minister, and acted as Moderator. He apparently was a loyal, active, well-behaved member of the church.

On January 1, 1817, the beginning of Elder Nathan Baker’s 19th year as Elder, the Church voted to call him “to preach with us next year, commencing January 1, 1817.” However, Elder Baker was to be spending at least 28 weeks in the Mission Field in 1817. On March 15, 1817, Brothers Isaac Ketchum, Joseph Williams, Elijah Weston, James Jobs, and Nathan Weston were voted a committee to “get a minister,” the first time in the minutes the title “minister” was used instead of Elder. On May 3, 1817, the Church was able to scrape together $4.62-1/2 to pay Elder Baker part of what was owed him. The men also agreed to supply him with some wood for his fire.

On May 31, 1817, at a meeting of the Manlius and Pompey Church and Society in the Schoolhouse near Brother Hubbard’s, it was voted that “sisters have equal rights with the brothers to speak and vote in the church in all church matters in which they wish to act.” This was a remarkable step for the church to take one hundred and three years before the passage on August 18, 1920, of the Constitutional Amendment, which guaranteed women the right to vote in public elections. This was an especially brave move for the brothers, since according to the first list of members, there were nearly twice as many sisters as brothers in the congregation. Any arguments that were made for or against women voting and speaking in the church were not recorded and there was no information given on the vote itself. Later it was found that most of the Elders and leaders of nearby Baptist Churches were obstinately opposed to women voting on church matters and quoted New Testament Scriptures to back up their position. The results of later Councils, in which Elder Baker was a participant, indicate that he, too, was opposed to sister’s voting rights. It is possible that he was away on a missionary journey when the enabling vote was taken. In addition to allowing women to vote in Church affairs, the Church also at that time voted that “it is in the opinion of the Church that confessions of faults committed by members of this Church aught to be made in the church only.” This statement also offended Elder Baker and other leaders of the Councils. They felt that public offenses should be publicly confessed as well as in the Church.

The Committee to find a minister must have had some success as Elder Elhanah Comstock started preaching half-time in November 1817. From Elder Comstock until 1827 when Charles Morton became a full-time ordained Elder, a succession of part-time Elders helped take “watch-care” of the church. On May 16, 1818, the church voted Elder Comstock a letter expressing satisfaction with his preaching. They wrote that they thought him “a man of sound principles, a faithful preacher and from the best information, a man of good moral character.” Elder Comstock apparently left the church at this time.

There was no indication of when a Pompey and Manlius Church Female Society was established, but one was in existance in 1818 and probably much earlier. In 1818 Elder John Peck reported that the Female Society of the Pompey and Manlius Baptist Church “has laboured under many discouragements, but now seems much encouraged.”

In the early Spring of 1818 reports respecting the moral character of Deacon Elijah Weston began circulating through the congregation. On August 1, 1818, Elder Nathan Baker and Brothers Isaac Ketchum and Nathan Weston were named a committee to look into rumors and allegations respecting his moral character and to make a report to the Church at its next meeting on August 19, 1818.

Deacon Weston was profiled in The History of Onondaga County, New York by Professor W.W. Clayton, 1878. Deacon Weston was born on January 23, 1778, in Vermont, moved to Pompey in 1795, married Betsy Cotton on November 1, 1796. The Westons had nine children. Betsy Weston died on September 18, 1816. Deacon Weston later remarried and fathered six more children. He was a farmer in Pompey and died on May 15, 1867, aged 89 years.

Deacon Weston was a faithful, active and respected member (as expected of a Deacon) of the Pompey and Manlius Baptist Church. As a Deacon he was often asked to visit members in disfavor with the church. He circulated subscriptions for provisions for Elder Baker, helped arrange for Schoolhouse housing for the church in the winter of 1816-1817, served on a Council in Manlius, attended an Association Meeting in Woodstock, and on March 15, 1817, was a member of a committee appointed to “get a minister.” In 1818, however, there was a dramatic change in the status of Deacon Weston, who was now asked to explain his own transgressions.

The records show that Elder Baker continued his missionary travels in 1818 and was away at least eight weeks. The status of Elder Baker came up in an August 29, 1818, meeting. No doubt the church was concerned about his long absences from the ministry. The church voted to have free conversations on the subject of a preacher and it was requested that members should express their minds whether they thought it best considering every circumstance that Elder Baker be our minister. (In the early days of the church ministers were engaged for a year at a time.) After discussion the members voted. This is the first vote recorded in the minutes with the names of the voters and how they voted, the questions being put individually, the answers were as follows:

(Note that Nathan Baker voted against his father.)

Elijah Weston and David Williams were will to have Elder Baker but would agree to what the church thought best. Seven women and eight men voted and their rejection of Elder Baker was unanimous. Adding insult to injury, the church followed up their vote of “no confidence” in Elder Baker with an invitation to Elder John Nichols to preach with us “whenever it is convenient to him.” The unanimity of this vote must have hurt the founder of the church, Elder Nathan Baker, very badly. Ordinarily when an Elder was rejected by vote, he would move on to another Baptist church. Elder Baker owned his own home, however, and was spending much of his time in the Mission Field. He apparently decided to stay in the Manlius Church for the time being.

Elder John Nichols was a significant part of the leadership of the church from 1818 through 1827. He had a distinguished history and had come to this area later in lfe. He made himself available for pastoral work. He was born in 1739 at North Kingston, Rhode Island. As of 1767 he had a wife and children. He served on British ships in the “old French and Spanish Wars” and was captured twice. He later became a captain, mate and master of a vessel. He served as an officer in the Revolutionary War Army for two additional years. He became a member of the Massachusetts Legislature. He was ordained a Baptist Minister in Washington, Massachusetts, and preached there until 1794. From 1794-1817 he was Pastor at Great Barrington, Massachusetts, and came to Pompey and served the Manlius Church between 1818 and 1827. He came to the area at the age of 78 and died on July 6, 1829, in Pompey at the age of 89.

At the same meeting (August 29, 1818) the Church voted to have the statements of evidence prepared by the Committee investigating Deacon Elijah Weston read to the Church in a Church Service and voted its satisfaction for what the Committee had done. The written records do not totally explain the sins of Deacon Weston, but it is apparent that he was calling on Sister Burse, and on occasion staying the whole night with her. At the meeting several witnesses spoke for the Church and some defended Deacon Weston. Deacon Weston read a statement in his own defense. He said that he was aware that it was wrong in the eyes of the world for him to keep company so long with Sister Burse. The Church voted that Deacon (now called Brother) Weston had sinned in the matter of Sister Burse and “that his visiting her so long and going to bed with her” (exact words from the minutes) were part of what he had acknowledged to be wrong. He apparently mentioned his intentions for marrying Sister Burse and his reasons for not doing so.

On October 31, 1818, Elder John Nichols was received as a member of this Church by letter and experience. On December 19, 1818, at a meeting with Elder Baker as Moderator (still active and influential in the Church), the Church reversed its earlier rejection of Elder Baker and voted to invite both Elder Baker and Elder Nichols to preach and administer to the Church as they shall feel it their duty and both accepted the call. The Church also voted that “we the Baptist Church of Pompey and Manlius do freely bare and bury all past difficulties that have been in respect to the travels of the Church and go forward in travel as the Church of Christ.” It was reported that the meeting closed with prayer, thanksgiving and shaking of hands. On January 9, 1819, the church voted to come to Sacrament, and Elders Baker and Nichols were to administer it.

The next recorded vote was from a meeting of the Church on March 20, 1819, concerning the behavior of Elijah Weston. Attempts to discipline Brother Weston and his maneuvers to avoid the same, split the church and caused serious problems for Elder Baker. Brother Weston presented the church a confession. The church voted on accepting the confession on March 20, 1819.

Those satisfied were: (10)

Rebecca Jobs

• Elder Nathan Baker
• Joseph Williams
• Betsy Weston
• Augustus Foster
• Thomas H. Gridley
• David Weston
• Christopher Foster
• Sister Gridley
• James Jobs

Those dissatisfied were: (4)

• Nathan Weston
• Elder John Nichols
• Jacob Cleveland
• Jonathan Ball

This is the second vote where votes were recorded. Eleven men and three women voted. The two Elders of the church, Nichols and Baker, disagreed. The vote was re-opened at church meetings on April 13, 1819, and May 1, 1819. The final tally was 16 dissatisfied, 11 satisfied. Seventeen men and ten women voted.

Baptist Churches were, and still are, quite independent churches, though they belong to regional, state and national Baptist organizations. The local churches own their lots and buildings. In the early days one way of helping near-by Baptist Churches keep on the straight and narrow path was the use of a Council. When a problem arose concerning the practices of a single Church (which the Elders did not want to spread to their own Churches) or controversies between Churches, a Council was called. Invitations were sent to Elders and leading members, male, of their congregations to join with representatives of the convening congregations to act as a court. The members met, listed to evidence from both sides, deliberated, and then issued a set of resolutions to cover the problems discussed. Second Councils were often called to see if the recommendations of the First Council had been carried out.)

On June 1, 1819, Elijah Weston requested that the Church arrange for a Council to judge him guilty or innocent of the charges against him. His request was postponed, then apparently refused. Only July 3, 1819, the Church voted that Elijah Weston’s proceedings with Sister Burse, according to the evidence before them, was a plan of deception form the first to the last. This vote was reconsidered on July 3, 1819, but no results were given. On September 4, 1819, the Church voted not to send a representative to the Association meeting because “the Church is not in a proper situation,” probably because the Elijah Weston problem was causing a division in the Church.

At this time Elder Baker was voluntarily seeking to join another Church (the Pompey Center Baptist Church), and Elijah Weston was about to be discharged against his will from the Manlius Church. The Church noted that it had come to an end of labor with Elijah Weston. Eleven brothers and seven sisters voted in the affirmative and two in the negative. This should have been the end of the Elijah Weston problem but he was a very proud and stubborn man and determined not to be forced out of the Church.

At the November 6, 1819, Church meeting Elder Baker requested a letter to join another Church. His request was taken into consideration on November 20, 1819, but after much conversation, nothing was done. On December 2, 1819, his request was again taken into consideration. The Church was still reluctant but indecisive, and a vote found six members free to give Elder Baker a letter and six not free.