On Tuesday, October 22, 1895, Mr. H. H. Perkins, Church Clerk and official greeter for Reverend James Hall Benedict and his wife Ida C. Benedict, met them at the station and escorted them to their boarding place for the weekend. There is no information on what transpired but very likely Reverend Benedict preached as a candidate to the Manlius Baptist Church on Sunday, October 27, 1895.
On December 15, 1895, at the close of the sermon the Church Clerk, Mr. H. H. Perkins, made a motion that the members proceed to vote for a Pastor. The vote was taken and Reverend James Hall Benedict was declared the unanimous choice of the Congregation. Brothers F. A Barton, H. E. Ransier, and G. W. Tripp were appointed a Committee to wait on Reverend Benedict and inform him of his call, which he accepted. There was no record of his starting date in Manlius, except that he was in Manlius and preached at a Methodist revival meeting on January 17, 1896. Pastor Benedict and his wife Ida C. Benedict were received as members of the Church by letter on January 30, 1896. He was given the Right Hand of Fellowship on February 2, 1896, by Deacon Nelson Mills. On February 9, 1896, the Presbyterians canceled their Sunday Evening Service and Pastor and people walked across the street to the Baptist Church to welcome the new Pastor.
We do not know how many members there were on that 7th day of December, 1797 when the Baptist Church and Society of Manlius and Pompey first met. Approximately 100 years later in the Fall of 1897 there were 102 Church members, 142 scholars, and 19 officers and teachers in the Sunday School. The church property was valued at $4200.00. The expenses of running the church during the 100th year were:
$900.00 Current Expense (Salary, Building, etc.)
0.00 Improvements
2.00 Minutes for Onondaga Association
50.00 Miscellaneous
$952.00 Total
The Church gave $94.84 to Mission projects:
$25.42 American Baptist Publication Society
10.33 Mission Debt
7.00 Armenians
5.62 Home Missions
1.25 Chittenango Church
13.07 Education-Hamilton
9.00 Berea College
10.87 State Convention
12.26 Publication Society
$ 94.84 (Mr. Nightingale's Arithmetic)
While we were hiring a new minister for the Manlius Baptist Church, one of our own brothers, George Casler, was starting the process of becoming a minister and would eventually become ordained and have a Church of his own. Two days before Reverend Benedict was voted Pastor, on December 12, 1895, at the close of the regular prayer meeting, Brother George Casler requested that the members of the Church grant him a license to preach. A vote was taken and the license was granted. Brother Casler was the ninth known member of the Church to have an interest in preaching the Gospel. The form used by the Church as a license is as follows:
"To all whom it may concern: The Baptist Church in Manlius, Onondaga County, Send Christian Salutations. The bearer hereof, our beloved brother __________, being a man of good moral character, real piety, and sound knowledge of divine things and having been called to the exercise of ministerial gifts of which we have had considerable trial both private and public we have judged him worthy and do therefore hereby license and authorize him to preach the Gospel whenever he may have a call not doubting but that in due time circumstances will lead on to a more full investiture of his ministerial office by ordination. In the meantime we recommend him to favor and respect praying that the Lord may be with him and abundantly bless him."
In September, 1897 it was reported that Mr. and Mrs. George L. Casler had left for Hamilton, New York, where Mr. Casler will attend the Theological Seminary preparatory to entering the ministry. On April 15, 1899, it was reported that Reverend George C. Casler has accepted the pastorate of the Baptist Church in Unadella, New York, and with his family would shortly take up residence in that town.
At the same time we were greeting a relatively young minister (41 years old) to replace an older man (Rev. E. M. Barber), some of our Diaconate leadership was also moving from one generation to the next. Deacons were appointed or elected for life. It was inevitable that some of these men would find difficulty in fulfilling their duties in their later years. In 1896 Deacons Rufus Dunham (70 years) and Nelson Mills (64 years), fell into this category. H. H. Perkins, Clerk on January 30, 1896, in a Church Meeting moved that "whereas the infirmities of age are
creeping steadily but surely upon the bodies of our dear brothers Deacon Rufus Dunham and Deacon Nelson Mills thereby hindering them in their official capacity and whereas we do not believe it to be for the best interest of the cause of Christ to allow them to resign the position they have so long and faithfully filled, wherefore, be it resolved that we select two younger men to the office of Deacon with the express understanding that they are the assistants to our present Deacons, that our Pastor, the Reverend J. H. Benedict, together with our Deacons Dunham and Mills are hereby appointed a Committee to nominate candidates to be voted as such Assistant Deacons at the next Covenant Meeting, if they choose, to be held February 27, 1896.
Done by order of the Church
Jan. 30, 1896 H. H. Perkins Clerk"
The Covenant meeting was held. Deacon Mills reported for the Committee and Brothers H. H. Perkins and O. W. Moulter were nominated and elected unanimously to the office of Deacon of the Church. Nothing further was said about their status as assistant Deacons. At the same meeting, Mrs. Jennie Curtis was elected Clerk of the Church, the first woman in this position and the first woman elected to a Church office. For unknown reasons, she resigned after recording one meeting. William Nightingale was elected to take her place on March 6, 1896.
In 1896-1897 another major improvement (the subject of Reverend Barber's poem "Improvements") was made to the exterior of the church building. The addition of the parlor to the east side of the church was under consideration for some time since in April of 1896 the Ladies Aid had already raised $275.00 of the $500.00 estimated cost. The Trustees accepted the money (no surprise) but stipulated that the Trustees raise the balance. Reverend Benedict was named to be a Committee to raise that amount (and allowed to ask anyone to help that he chose.) Reverend Benedict's Committee reported on May 26, 1896. Apparently the ladies had raised $200.00 more. The women were given an unusual opportunity by the Editor of the Manlius Eagle to use his type and press for a special edition the last week in May, 1886. The editing of the newspaper proved very successful for the ladies. They netted over $200.00, an amount sufficient to complete the payments for the new addition.
A Committee made up of Reverend Benedict, Mr. Barton, and Mr. Tripp was appointed to build the new parlors. The parlors were completed and used for the first time on October 18, 1896. The ladies of the Church served a chicken pie supper in their new rooms on Election Day in November from 4-9 P.M. The cost was 25 cents. Election Day in 1896 was said "to have passed off quietly." Hotel and saloon keepers were required to keep their doors locked while the polls were open, which pleased the "peaceable" people of the village.
The Church and its organizations continued to offer entertainment and fun for its members as well as worshipful and inspirational experiences. The Ladies Quartet of the First
Baptist Church of Syracuse gave an entertainment for the Baptist Young Men's Prayer Band at the Opera House on February 5, 1896. The Junior Christian Endeavor Society enjoyed a sleigh ride on February 12, 1896. The Senior Christian Endeavor Society was to have a Valentine Social on February 14, 1896, and on March 28, 1896, the boy orator, Ralph Bingham, held forth at a Baptist Church Service.
In May, 1896 the Manlius Editor for The Fayetteville Recorder took a swipe at the Presbyterian (and probably Baptist, also) farmers. It was a rainy morning and the Congregation was small. He complained that the farmers prayed to the good Lord to send rain to save their crops and when their prayers were answered the good farmers in gratitude for His blessing stayed home from Church.
The Trustees, while acting normally in working for the addition did a curious thing. They elected Frank Barton and William Nightingale Chairman and Secretary of the Board Of Trustees for their natural lives. We do not know if they were serious or jesting. William Nightingale was a Trustee for most of his years in the Church, but he had to be re-elected every three years, only Deacons were elected for life.
In the October 1, 1896, edition of The Fayetteville Recorder it was reported that Mr. H. E. Ransier, local druggist and active member of the Baptist Church, gave his Boy’s Sunday School Class a treat on Saturday, September 26, 1896, by taking them on a “romp in the woods.” He feasted them with good things and took many pictures. (He was a gifted photographer.) He was reported as being able to feast and teach them Biblical Subjects on Sunday and have them report a good time on that day as well.
On October 22, 1896, the envelope system was adopted for collecting monies. The number of offerings requested for benevolences was increasing steadily and the Church attempted to establish some order to the process. On December 3, 1896, the Congregation voted to take up the collections in the following order:
Foreign Missions October and November
Education Society December and January
State Convention February and March
Home Missions April and May
Publication Society June and July
Minutes and Ministers Home August and September
The Church has been a member of the area Association of Baptist Churches since they were established. At first it was the Sullivan Association, then the Onondaga Association. It was the duty of the Clerk to write reports each year describing the state of the Church and to submit statistical information. The Secretary of the Association condensed the letters to a short
paragraph and this in addition to the statistics were printed in the annual report. Although the minutes often recorded appropriating a dollar of two for a copy of the proceedings, only a few were kept. No copies of the original letters were saved, but in 1897 Clerk William H. Nightingale started the practice of copying the annual letter and vital statistics into the minutes of Church Meetings. This was continued until 1907 (and once more in 1917).
Mr. Nightingale as Church Clerk wrote for the 1897 Association Meeting: "Another year has rolled and we meet in annual convention to compare notes as to God's dealings with us and our dealings with God. We are very apt to be encouraged or depressed according as God has poured out blessings upon us and especially as we have seen addition to our Churches. If this is to be the standard, our hearts will be made sad; for we have received five by letter, none has been received into the Church by baptism. Special meetings were held during the early first part of the year and we were very agreeably assisted by Brethren Naylor and Richmond. The life of the Church was renewed and a number professed to have found Christ as their Savior, but not as yet willing to follow Him in His appointed way. We are not willing, however, to call the year one of entire failure. Our morning and evening Congregations have increased in number and our Prayer Meetings are alive and full of the spirit. We have completed our church parlor and now have pleasant and commodious quarters for our Primary Department and for Prayer Meeting."
Reverend James H. Benedict's stay was to be another of the short variety. On Sunday, September 5, 1897, a letter was read. Mr. Nightingale only reproduced part of the letter in the Church Minutes. He left out Reverend Benedict's reason for such an early departure. Fortunately the original letter was saved and is reproduced here in full:
September 1, 1897
To the Deacons, Trustees , and
Members of the Manlius Baptist Church.
Dear Brethren,
About three years ago I suffered a financial loss which took away every dollar of my savings and left me in debt nearly two thousand dollars. Since that time, I have been reducing that indebtedness all that I possibly could each month. I have accomplished something in this time, but not enough to suit part of my creditors, who are now crowding me and I feel it my duty to them, as well as to myself and family to try and speedily liquidate my debts.
I have under consideration a proposition from a responsible business concern whereby I can earn nearly double the amount this Church is able to pay me.
I therefore, herewith, tender my resignation as your pastor, to take effect October 1, 1897, at the same time praying that God may wonderfully bless you as a Church and as individuals.
As ever your affectionate pastor.
J. H. Benedict
At the meeting it was moved and carried that the Church lay the matter on the table for one week. On Sunday September 12, 1897, the letter at hand, (the Congregation) moved and carried that H. E. Ransier be Chairman of the Meeting. A motion was made and carried to accept the resignation of our Pastor (J. H. Benedict) to take effect on October 1, 1897. It was moved and carried that a Committee of three act as Pulpit Committee. The members were William Nightingale, Chairman, Mrs. Jennie Curtis and Guilburt Tripp. This is the first time a woman was chosen to be a member of the Pulpit Committee. (William Nightingale was now Church Clerk, Chairman of the Pulpit Committee, Secretary of the Board of Trustees, and about to become Superintendent of the Sunday School. He also taught a Sunday School class and sang basso in the Church Choir.)
The Church, now without a pastor, met for its Annual Meeting on December 9, 1897, but only temporarily. Someone had forgotten that the call for the Annual Meeting had to be read from the Pulpit for three consecutive Sundays prior to the meeting. It was therefore moved, seconded, and carried that "inasmuch as the call had only been read twice, we adjourn for one week that the call might be read again." The Church met on December 16, 1897, elected officers and there being no further business, the meeting adjourned. There was no recorded mention of the historical significance of the time and no recorded 100th anniversary celebration. There was to be no celebration until 35 years later when the 135th anniversary was modestly commemorated. This is surprising because the Church and its organizations in these years often made up reasons to have a dinner or picnic or party or "social". Indeed the Presbyterians, the Methodists, the Episcopalians, and our friends in the Fayetteville Baptist Church celebrated their 100 years with homecoming, speeches, dinners and impressive articles in the newspapers. The Fayetteville Baptists celebrated their 100th anniversary in style with a special commemorative book complete with pictures of former pastors and prominent members, a history of the first hundred years and a copy of the celebration day program with excerpts of speeches. Rev. E. M. Barber gave one on the development of the Sunday School.
