First Baptist Manlius

After Reverend Derwood Smith preached his farewell sermon on January 9, 1938, a Pulpit Committee (Mr. Leslie Burt, Mr. William Nightingale and Mr. Harry Fillmore) was chosen to secure new leadership for the Church. Some or all of these men had opportunities to meet Reverend Wheaton in his visits to Manlius and made up their minds quickly to present him to the Church as their candidate. Reverend Wheaton was invited to preach to the Manlius Congregation on January 23, 1938. A special Church Meeting was called after the morning service to hear the recommendation of the Pulpit Committee. Mr. Leslie Burt was elected chairman. He explained the purpose of the meeting and then asked the members of the Committee to give their versions of the character and abilities of Reverend Wheaton. Mr. Nightingale, Mr. Burt and Mr. Fillmore gave very favorable reports of their visit to the Oneida Baptist Church. Mrs. Ransier, although not on the Committee, knew Reverend Wheaton and spoke of the wonderful way in which he carried on his work. She also told of the abilities of Mrs. Wheaton. A motion was made by Mrs. Ransier, seconded by Mr. Randall that the Church accept the recommendation of the Pulpit Committee and extend a call to Reverend Wheaton. The call was made unanimous “upon a vote of uplifted hands.” Reverend Delos A. Abrams was hired for $120.00 to preach for six Sundays during the interim.

The Reverend Lawrence Albert Wheaton was born on December 31, 1896, in North Eaton, Massachusetts. He graduated from the Springfield, Massachusetts High School in 1915. After working three years as a public accountant, he entered the Coastal Artillery Corps, Co. A, 61st Ammunition Train, Boston, Mass. After leaving the Army he served as chief clerk of the Extension Service of the Massachusetts Agricultural College. He then entered the Colgate Theological Seminary. In his Junior year at Colgate he was given Phi Beta Kappa honors. He received the degree of Bachelor of Theology in 1923 and on July 3, 1923, was ordained to the ministry from the Park Memorial Baptist Church in Springfield, Massachusetts. During his senior year at Colgate, he gained practical experience by serving as Pastor for the Madison Baptist Church in Madison, New York. He received a M.A. degree from the Seminary in 1924, and in 1925 he was called to the Pastorate of the Hoosick Falls Baptist Church. During his Pastorate there the Church acquired a new parsonage, built an educational plant and installed a new organ. From Hoosick Falls he went to Oneida, New York, where he served the Baptist Church until 1938. The Church in Oneida reported that Reverend Wheaton had led in outstanding achievements, materially and spiritually. Mrs. Louise Wheaton was a graduate of Normal School and taught commercial subjects for several years. The Wheatons had two children, Hazel Janet and Howard Harvey.

On January 30, 1938, during the Sunday Morning Service, a letter was read in which Reverend Wheaton accepted the call from the Manlius Baptist Church. We do not have a copy of this acceptance letter, but on February 28, 1938, he sent another message to the Congregation. He wrote, in part: “You have been gracious to call me to the Pastorate of your Church. I thank you for your thought of me and desire your prayers that our fellowship together may be for the spiritual enrichment of many lives. The Lenten and Easter seasons are times of great worth in the life of every Church and we should make an effort this year to gather of their goodness. Be sure that whatever a brother’s fellowship, a friend’s comradeship, and a Pastor’ sincere devotion can do, I shall seek to enrich your life and enlarge your field of Christian Service.”

Reverend Wheaton began his Pastorate on March 11, 1938. On Sunday, March 14, 1938, a large Congregation greeted the new Pastor and his family. Reverend Lawrence A. Wheaton, Mrs. Louise Wheaton and their daughter Hazel Janet, were received into Church membership. (Their son Howard Harvey was too young for Church membership.)

On Tuesday, March 16, 1938, a special program of addresses, greetings and special music was presented in honor of the Wheatons in the Church Sanctuary after which twenty young people of the Round Table Class served ice cream and cake to 250 members and guests in Loomis Hall. The Manlius Thrift News described the reception as “one of the most successful events of its kind ever held in Manlius, and the most largely attended of any held in the Baptist Church.” The Reception Committee members were Mrs. H. E. Ransier, Chairman, Mr. Harry J. Fillmore, Mrs. Thomas Cleveland, and Mr. William Nightingale.

While Reverend Smith’s Pastorate was a time of consolidation and relatively few changes after the tremendous effort made in building the new church, it was during the Pastorate of Reverend Wheaton that the major transitions from the old Church organization to the new Church that we know today were made. During Reverend Wheaton’s Pastorate the Church was to have its first Constitution and By-Laws. The Diaconate was opened up to women, and the members were elected for three year terms instead of for life.

We are fortunate to have nine of his Bulletins in the Archives, 8 for the spring of 1938 and one for February 1, 1942.

For the Sunday Service on March 20, 1938, Reverend Wheaton prepared his first weekly bulletin for the Congregation. It was entitled simply “The Manlius Baptist Church Bulletin” and contained the usual information concerning the morning service and news of coming events. There was no Church secretary at the time and Reverend Wheaton (or perhaps Mrs. Wheaton) typed the Bulletins and mimeographed copies of them for the Congregation. In the first Bulletins it was mentioned that Reverend Wheaton was to attend a meeting on a Model Church Constitution in Syracuse and that the Philathea-Baraca, the Loyal Followers and Mrs. Perry’s Sunday School Classes were to have social meetings in March of 1938.

On March 29, 1938, an interesting and unusual meeting of the Deacons and Trustees was called by Reverend Wheaton. The two groups met at the Parsonage and their wives were also invited to meet separately with Mrs. Wheaton. The Deacons and Trustees organized themselves into an Official Board to keep an oversight of all Committees of the Church, and appointed three Committees to accomplish specific tasks:

1. Membership Committee: to prepare an accurate membership roll ( Mr. & Mrs. William Nightingale, Mrs. Yettie Harris and Mrs. Jessie Hefti).
2. Rules Committee: to consider a Constitution and By-Laws (Mr. Harry Fillmore, Mr. Leslie Burt, Mr. Charles Cathers).
3. Christian Education Committee: to promote a School of Missions, and the Church Vacation School and to study the duties appropriate for such a Committee (Mr. Harry Fillmore, Mrs. Herbert Ransier, Mrs. Thomas Cleveland).

In the April 3, 1938, Bulletin there was important news from the Ladies Aid Society. They announced their officers and circle leaders for the next year. Ladies Aid meetings were mostly for working on projects. The ladies sold produce in the fall, made quilts and handiwork for sale and cooked and served suppers. They were very effective in raising money for special Church projects (especially for remodeling the old church and building the new church.) When the Missionary Society and later the Baptist Women’s Fellowship divided their groups into circles, they gave them names in memory of ladies who had unselfishly served the Church; later names of outstanding (and upstanding) women of the Bible. The Ladies Aid Group named their circles W, O, R, K, and in 1938 they were led by Mrs. Towne, Mrs. Everingham, Mrs. Goodfellow and Mrs. Fowler.

On April 12, 1938, the Women’s Missionary Society held a supper in commemoration of its 60th anniversary of promoting interest in Missions. The Society left minutes of their meetings from 1918- 1927 and 1940-1951. A typical meeting included prayer, the singing of hymns, a study of one or more of the missionary fields, sometimes a skit or a short play, special music and “delicious” refreshments. Occasionally there would be an all day meeting and the women would do White Cross work or make garments for the children in the Onondaga Children’s Home. (In 1924 the women furnished a room in the Home.) There were membership lists given for only a few of the total years the group was in existence. (In 1920 there were 31 active ladies; in 1924 there were 40.) Most of the women were also members of the Ladies Aid Society. (There was a hint of changing life styles when in 1937 the Women’s Missionary Society decided to try having evening meetings in the future. Evidently more women were working and not able to meet during the day.)

On Good Friday, April 15, 1938, the Community Chorus presented a Cantata, “The Crucifixion” by John Stainer, in the Baptist Church. A series of Union Lenten Services preceded Easter. On Easter Morning the Baptist Youth, led by Sid Mawson, arranged for a Sunrise Service at the church and served a breakfast of bacon, eggs, toast, donuts, and coffee (all for 20 cents) to those who attended.

The Membership Committee of the Church was active in preparing an accurate list of the members. From April 1938 to the end of the year, 27 people were removed from the Church roll with the permission of the people affected. The Rules Committee prepared a Constitution and By-Laws which were to be presented to the December 3, 1938, annual meeting for approval of the Congregation.

On Sunday morning, April 24, 1938, Reverend Wheaton arranged for the Church a “beautiful service” to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the building of the Manlius Baptist Church. The theme was “The Gate of Heaven.” The hymns were the same as sung ten years previously.

The Baptist College Course (School of Missions), organized by the Christian Education Committee, was convened on April 28, 1938, and continued for five additional weekly sessions. The evenings began with a fellowship supper (of the usual covered dish variety.) There were four study sessions:

1. Better Baptist Churches (Adults)
2. World Tour of Christian Fellowship
3. A “Tour” - (Juniors)
4. General Bible Class (closing assembly)

This educational program was continued for every year of Reverend Wheaton’s Pastorate.

In the May 1, 1938 Mother’s Day Bulletin, Reverend Wheaton inserted an appreciation of the work Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Ransier were doing for the Church:

“This Church is very grateful for having in her fellowship, Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Ransier, pilots and god-parents of the Junior Church. For many years Mr. Ransier has been an able leader and teacher of our youth. We like to claim Mrs. Ransier as our own missionary-at-large as she visits many Churches and groups to relate her experiences and to show the remarkable pictures which she and Mr. Ransier have taken and prepared for showing.

They close the third year as leaders of the Junior Church the last of this month. We have rejoiced to see this group grow under their watch and care. We appreciate this splendid contribution to our work. We hope the Ransiers will be able and happy to continue this work in the fall.

Mrs. Ransier is the President of the Women’s Missionary Society of the Onondaga Baptist Association. We are happy to compliment her on her recent election in Buffalo to the office of Western Promotional Vice-President of the Woman’s Baptist Mission Society of the State of New York.”

In the summer the ninth annual Vacation Bible School was convened with Reverend Lawrence A. Wheaton taking Rev. Smith’s place as general supervisor. He was aided by the new Christian Education Committee. The School in 1938 averaged 120 children daily and ended with a parade and a picnic on the last Friday and a public exhibition and exercise the following Sunday Evening. The Vacation Bible School was continued for every year of Reverend Wheaton’s Pastorate.

In the Fall Reverend Wheaton announced to the Congregation that on Sunday, September 11, 1938, the church bell would not be rung and that the young women would have to serve as ushers. He wanted all of the men to attend the Laymen’s Conference to be held on the Colgate Campus from Saturday, September 10, to Sunday, September 11, 1938.

The Official Board was invited to meet at the Summer Home of Reverend and Mrs. Wheaton at Friendship Corner in Vernon Center on September 14, 1938. They enjoyed a basket supper and made plans for the fall and winter Church programs.

In September 1938 Reverend Wheaton started a new Men’s Sunday School Class. The men were advised that they could reach the classroom (the Church Parlors) without going through the auditorium by using the Pleasant St. entrance. Dennison Richburg was elected President. They named themselves “Everyman’s Baraca Class.”

On October 19, 1938, the Ladies of the Church served a chicken pie supper. Family tickets were sold for $1.00 , which would admit both parents and all of their children under 12 years of age. (Individual tickets were 35 cents.) The Deacons were planning their annual visitation of the membership with Mr. William H. Nightingale in charge of the calling lists. The home visitors were to leave special invitations to a Church social to be held at the church from, 7:30-9:30 on Saturday Evening, October 29, 1938. A “grand good time” was promised with games, programs and refreshments.

Deacons already elected for life would be allowed to maintain their status. William Nightingale was made an honorary Deacon emeritus.

The Official Board met on Monday Evening, November 21, 1938, and appointed a Nominating Committee to report on a slate of officers at the annual meeting. With the help of Reverend Saunders of the Baptist Missionary Convention, the proposed Constitution was examined and found ready for a one-year trial by the Church. At the 141st Annual Meeting on December 5, 1938, new officers were elected. Mr. George Reeves was recognized for serving 21 years as Church Treasurer, and William Nightingale for 20 years as Sunday School Teacher, 40 years as a Deacon, and 45 years as a choir member, besides holding many other important offices in the church. The Moderator explained the new Constitution and Bylaws and the Church voted its acceptance, qualified by specifying a one year trial. Several changes had to be made right away, the most revolutionary of which was to the Office of Deacon. Prior to the new Bylaws and according to the custom which was prevalent in most Baptist churches, Deacons were men and elected for life. There was no indication that they had acted as a Board before (no minutes, no reports, no reported chairman, no referrals, no pronouncements, etc.) Now under the new scheme of things, Deacons would be elected for set terms. They would also be expected to meet regularly and make annual reports to the Church. An even greater change, and one that would not have been possible 100 years previously, was the establishment of the office of Deaconess and the election of six women to fill that office. For a few years the Board would consist of six men and six women, assuring that men and women would be always equally represented on the Board.

In the new Bylaws there was no distinction between the duties of Deacons and Deaconesses. The Bylaws read, “They shall advise and cooperate with the Pastor in the spiritual activities of the Church and shall assist in the administration of the ordinances.” In practice, however, it would be many years before Deaconesses would be allowed to serve Communion.

The first Deaconesses were:

• Mrs. Yettie Harris 3 years
• Mrs. Thomas Cleveland 3 years
• Mrs. Harry Fillmore 2 Years
• Mrs. Charles Cathers 2 Years
• Mrs. H. E. Ransier 1 Year
• Mrs. F. Dennison Richburg 1 Year

The Deacons were:

• John Burt*
• George Reeves*
• Charles Cathers*
• Harry Fillmore*
• Ray Smith Term ends 1941
• F. Dennison Richburg Term ends 1941

* Denotes Lifetime Deacons

Another major change was the establishment of a revised Official Board, which was to consist of the Pastor (as Moderator), Deacons and Deaconesses, Trustees, Church Officers and Heads of Committees and Organizations. Their duty was to have general advisory oversight of all matters pertaining to the life of the Church. At this time Christian Education and Missionary activities were taken care of by Committees. Therefore, only the Chairmen of these Committees were part of the Official Board.

The relative independence of the Sunday School with its own constitution and control over its curriculum and finances was normal for Baptist Sunday Schools in the early 1900s. Later, Churches elected Boards of Christian Education which operated through the Sunday School Superintendent a Sunday School as part of a wide program of education for the Church. (The Manlius Church elected its first Board of Christian Education in 1956.) See The Third Fifty Years, The New York State Convention 1907-1957 by Glen Blackmer Ewell (specifically the Christian Education Story 1907-1957 by the Reverend Albert W. Sheckells.).

The Sunday School was a separate organization known as the Manlius Baptist Church School. The School elected its own officers (except for the Superintendent who was nominated by the Church School and elected by the Church at the annual meeting) and was governed by its own constitution and by a Church School Council consisting of all of the officers and teachers of the School. Classes of the Sunday School were allowed to organize with a name and officers, subject to the approval of the Council. Presidents of these classes were allowed to sit with the General Superintendent on the Official Board of the Church.

Pastor Macpherson had suggested that the Church needed new name. The old “The Baptist Church and Society in Pompey and Manlius” was cumbersome, out of date, and seldom used except in writing minutes of the annual meetings. In the new Constitution the name was changed to The Baptist Church of Manlius. This was not a legal change, however, and in all legal papers the older name was required to be used.

In 1958 the name was changed legally to “The First Baptist Church of Manlius.”

In late 1938 the Methodists and the Baptists planned for a joint Evangelistic Campaign beginning on January 30, 1939, and running for three weeks. The leaders were to be Reverend and Mrs. Virgil P. Brock (“The Musical Brocks”), who were at that time leading the singing and doing children’s work in the Elmwood Presbyterian Church in Syracuse. The campaign was thoroughly planned with special committees and a special chorus. There was no report given on the number of converts gained by either Church.

On February 2, 1939, the women of the Church were organized into three different groups or circles under the direction of the Board of Deaconesses. They chose to name the circles after women who had been outstanding leaders in the church, i.e., Louise Davis (still alive at about 83 years of age), Mary Broadfield, and Mary Woodworth. The Deaconesses sponsored three luncheon meetings to promote the new fellowships and by the 1939 annual meeting each group had met five times. The Ladies Aid group continued its activities as did the Women’s Missionary Society, which met for monthly meetings.

In March 1939 Reverend Wheaton was invited to conduct a Preaching Mission in the Chittenango Baptist Church, beginning on Sunday Evening March 19 and continuing through Sunday, March 26 (with the exception of Saturday, March 25.) This joint venture with the Chittenango Baptist and Methodist Churches cooperating. The Manlius mid-week service was held with the Baptists in Chittenango.

On Sunday, June 11, 1939, there was a Special Evening Service. Children from the Onondaga Orphan’s Home were guests of the Church and participated in special exercises. This had been an annual event for many years.

In the summer of 1939 from July 30- August 5 the Round Table Sunday School Class enjoyed a delightful vacation on DeRuyter Lake. Reverend and Mrs. Derwood Smith and daughter Ruth of Vineland, N.J., were guests for dinner on Friday, August 4. The class motored to Lake George on Saturday, August 5, and stayed overnight there as guests of the Smiths. The Church was closed for Sunday Services from August 7- September 3, 1939, while Pastor Wheaton and his family took their vacation.

In 1939 President Roosevelt, with his New Deal legislation being enacted by Congress, was still making revolutionary changes in the lives of people and one of the most recent was the introduction of the Social Security Act. The Trustees were upset, and, in one of the rare instances where a Church Board would be concerned enough to write letters to Washington, a motion was made and carried to send a message to our Senators and Congressman, and to Robert D. Daughton, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, asking them to oppose the Social Security Act and to exempt religious bodies from taxation for old age pensions, and for unemployment compensation. Needless to say, their plea was not successful. (The New York State Baptist Convention in recognizing the problems of the aging supported Social Security.)

In 1939 The Diaconate Board reported a revision of the Church Covenant. The Church has a copy of the previous Covenant which was published as part of a pamphlet previously given to new members of the Church during Reverend T. Byron Caldwell’s pastorate and of the new Covenant which was published in Fellowship, A Year Book of the Manlius Baptist Church (mimeographed at the parsonage as a token to bear Christmas Greetings and Best Wishes for a Happy New Year to the Fellowship, which is the Church) and given to the members in the 1941 Christmas season. Both versions are printed in the appendix. One of the major changes was that the new version leaves out the admonition against tattling, back-biting and excessive anger and abstention from the sale and use of intoxicating drinks as a beverage.

At the annual meeting of the Church on December 4, 1939, the Constitution and Bylaws, by then in effect for one year, were accepted. There were no dissenting votes.

On Sunday, December, 31, 1939, during the Church Service, the Deacons presented Reverend Wheaton with a bouquet of rose buds. At the close of the official Board Meeting on Sunday Evening, the members brought out a birthday cake with a full complement of lighted candles (43).

In March of 1940 the new Evangelistic Committee campaigned for the Renewal of the Covenant. They got 128 of 268 members to sign the Covenant. The Committee stated that “in carrying our the campaign it looked up to God to see what to do, out to see

what was needed to be done and in to the heart to see what was the matter with the individual.” In the Spring of 1940 a beautiful table was given to the Church for the vestibule by Mrs. Rosa Martino in memory of her son Matthew, who died on June 1, 1936. (In 2004 the table is still beautiful and used constantly in the Narthex.)

Reverend Wheaton was Chairman of the local committee to place New York City children in homes in Manlius for two weeks in the summer under the auspices of the Tribune Fresh Air Fund. He urged the homemakers of Manlius and vicinity to consider inviting a small boy or girl.

In the Summer of 1940 it was the turn of the World Wide Guild Girls to enjoy a week long house party at Friendship Corner, the Wheaton’s summer home. There were morning classes daily in Guild Background and personal Christian Living, but afternoons were free for recreation or special events.

In August Rev. and Mrs. Derwood L Smith and daughter Ruth visited Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cathers and preached at the Manlius Baptist Church to a large gathering of friends. The Church was then closed until the first Sunday in September.

Sunday, September 29, 1940, was “Homecoming Day” for the Baptists. A special dinner was served the Congregation. Over 100 people attended. The Sunday School was now publishing its own newspaper and a special edition was distributed. (No copies were saved for the Church Archives.)

Released time religious instruction was available to sixth grades of the public schools (they needed consent cards signed by their parents) on Tuesday afternoons. On Wednesday afternoon Rev. Wheaton was the leader for the High School students who had permission to attend.

For the 1940 Annual Meeting there was a great improvement in the presentation of annual reports. There was a typed report from the pastor (the first), a typed order of the business of the annual meeting, a typed page of the Church Officials, a typed Treasurer’s Report and a suggested budget for 1941.

On Sunday, December 29, 1940, the Congregation was pleased to welcome Reverend Paul Conrad as guest minister. Paul was the son of Reverend Elbert Henry Conrad, pastor of the Manlius Baptist Church from 1907-1909. At that time he was the “boy” of the Parsonage.

Santa Claus was very much in evidence at the 1940 Manlius Baptist Christmas Party. Two hundred members and friends ate supper together, sang Christmas Carols, and watched Santa Claus come tumbling in through an open window “bringing merriment and glee to all who saw him.” He was said to have been in “fine fettle” as he distributed scores of gifts. His aerial blitz of candy boxes brought the audience to an uproar. Gifts included a beautiful coffee table, given by the Church to Reverend and Mrs. Wheaton.

Roller skating was becoming a popular indoor sport for young people. The Baptist gym was open for skating each Friday after school. The Church charged each skater 10 cents and had eight pairs of skates available for those who did not own a pair. The Methodist gym was also open for skating but only for members. Reverend Wheaton estimated that over 1000 hours of roller skating were enjoyed by individuals and groups in the Baptist gym in 1940.

For the Lenten season in 1941 the Sunday Evening Services were revived and alternated between the Methodist and Baptist Churches. For the Easter Evening Services a Pageant “The Altar and the Cross” was presented by a group of young Church ladies.

At a Trustee Meeting on November 10, 1941, it was reported that the Eagle Rock Wall Insulation Company offered to insulate the church for $597.00. They estimated that the Church would save 10 tons of coal yearly (annual use approximately 35 tons per year at $7 - $10 per ton. ) At their December meeting, the Trustees voted for the insulation of the church and parsonage for $766.00.

The Annual Meeting for 1941 was held on December 8, one day after the attack on Pearl Harbor and the news overshadowed all else at that time. Reverend Wheaton wrote, “We meet on a historic day marking the outbreak of war with Japan. The confusion of the world is reflected in our lives, but God is faithful and just and we must keep out faith pure and hold steadfast in our trust as we labor for the Master in the coming year.” At the meeting the Congregation voted to name the Prayer Room the Yettie Harris Memorial Chapel in recognition of the helpfulness and inspiration of Mrs. Harris to the Church through many years. A vote of appreciation was also given to Mr. Clarence Pease, who was redecorating the Chapel at the time. The Congregation concurred with the Trustees’ decision to insulate the church and parsonage, not only to save fuel but to protect the church roof from icicles and to save the interior from water and sweat marks, which had disfigured the plaster . (When John Baker arrived he thought the walls had never been painted, because they looked so discolored.)

In January 1942 the Women’s Fellowship entertained their husbands at supper. Nearly 100 people attended to hear Mr. Fix-it (Mr. Charles Macks in real life) of radio fame tell about his experiences and problems in carrying out his most helpful assistance to the needy in Syracuse.

In February of 1942 a new silk Service Flag was unveiled in the general assembly of the Manlius Baptist Sunday School. Mrs. Charles Cathers, youth counselor in charge of the service and maker of the flag, read the names of the soldiers from an Honor Roll:

• Corporal James Couden
• Raymond C. Chapman
• Officer Candidate Loyal M. Pease
• G. Roscoe Smith
• Kenneth Goodfellow
• Clyde H. Judge
• Robert O. Brown

A red rose was presented each serviceman’s mother who was present. (By the time the war was over there would be 40 stars, only one in gold.) One star was for former pastor Lt. Derwood Smith, who served as a chaplain stationed at the Laurinburg Maxton Army Base in Maxton, North Carolina, another for nurse Letitia Robbins.

A tribute to Mrs. Yettie Harris and a history of her life (thus far) was written for the occasion by Reverend Wheaton and printed in the February 1, 1942, Bulletin. (A copy is printed in the appendix.) Mrs. Harris , although 87 year old, was still active in the Church.

In the summer of 1942 it was decided to hold Union Services with the Methodists instead of closing the Church during the Pastor’s vacation. The Services on July 28 and August 2 and 9 were held in the Baptist Church; those on August 16, 23, and 30 were in the Methodist Church.

July 13, 1942, was the 50th anniversary of the wedding of Mr. & Mrs. William Nightingale. All of the Deacons, Deaconesses and Trustees of the Church met to help them observe the occasion. “A history of the Church was read and many pictures of the past were brought to light, names, faces, places, and events being called to mind with interest.”

The Manlius School Campus was the site for the Ninth Annual Baptist Laymen’s Conference from September 12-13, 1942. Over 250 Baptist men attended. During 1942 and until the war was over the women were especially busy with scheduled White Cross Meetings. Because of the war, there was a huge demand for bandages.

The Church at this time did not have an elected Moderator who would lead the business meetings for a full year. The usual practice was for the Clerk to open a meeting and preside over the election of a Moderator for the evening only. The Moderator usually would be a prominent male member of the Church or the Pastor. For the December 7, 1942 , it was neither, as Mrs. Thomas Cleveland was elected Moderator, the first woman to hold that position..

On April 11, 1943, the Church showed its appreciation to a member who was approaching his 59th year of continuous membership in the Church which would be a record for the time. (He made the record having lived until November 29, 1943.) Herbert E. Ransier led the Junior Christian Endeavour for 30 years, the Junior Church for 5 years, was Church Treasurer for 17 years and taught a Sunday School Class for 30 years. (See the appendix for “An Appreciation” which tells of his “most useful and helpful life” and assures him of our appreciation of his Christian ‘service to his Church, his community and the world.) Fortunately, Mr. Ransier was honored in April, 1943. He died suddenly of a heart attack in his home on Smith Street in Manlius on November 29, 1943. He did complete his 59th year as a member, which was a record for its time.

We are fortunate to have the memories of one of our Church members who enjoyed Mr. Ransier as a youth leader. Rev. Paul Bailey talked with Bessie Todd Miller on March 18, 1997, and this is what Rev. Bailey shares from that meeting:

We are indebted to Mr. Ransier for sharing with the Church his talents as a photographer. We have many excellent pictures of both the Seneca Street and the Pleasant Street Churches and activities therein which he took developed, printed and gave to the Church.

Mr. Ransier played a very important role in the Church, as well as in Bessie’s life. He ran a drugstore in town, but was also a great naturalist and photographer. He led the JCES at 4:00 P.M. on Sundays. The program would include singing, a Bible lesson, prayer, and an activity. Ransier was known for his many slides, movies, and stereography of places around the world. For many years he kept a pet woodchuck in the store. He frequently played the coronet. A favorite event was when he would lead the 20-30 young people to the trolley. Ransier would carry his coronet and a bunch of red bananas. Bessie would carry the songbooks. They would stop at Cherry Springs near the orchard (near Sherbrook Drive), have an outdoor meeting and afterwards catch the trolley back to the Church on its return from Syracuse. Ransier was a bachelor most of his life, but married Anna Nelson in 1918. Anna helped out in the meetings. She had been a missionary to the Hopi Indians and was most remembered for her pictures and stories of the couple’s trip to Alaska. One day the radiator on their car ran out of water and they had to use juice from canned pineapple to keep going. Reverend Wheaton wrote of Mr. Ransier, “In things seen and unseen, in lives, in offerings, in interest and in many good works, he stands among the men who have done the most for this Church.”

During the 1943 Memorial Day services, Reverend Lawrence Wheaton was awarded the American Legion Medal of Honor for civic service in recognition of many services outside the profession, which he rendered to the community. Of special mention was designing and carrying through the building of Service Men’s rolls of honor. He also lead in the collection of old records, served as an observer at the aircraft observation port, was chaplain of the special police, served as emergency mail carrier during the holidays, and for several years headed the Tribune Fresh Air Program in Manlius.

In his report to the December 6, 1943, Annual Meeting, Pastor Wheaton reported writing a December 1942 Christmas Letter to Soldiers and Sailors and over 100 letters to them throughout the year. He found the times “troublesome” and “urged each one to make a special effort with extra patience to prosper the Church and Christ’s Kingdom.” He specifically commended the Choir, the Missionary Society, the Fellowship Groups, the Deacons and the Trustees for making splendid progress in face of unusual problems brought about by unusual times.

On April 4, 1944, Howard H. Wheaton, son of Reverend and Mrs. Wheaton, was baptized and became a member of the Baptist Church of Manlius. On December 4, 1944, in his 7th annual meeting with the Church, Reverend Wheaton submitted a typed report as usual. He had continued writing letters to “our people” in the armed services, averaging fifty a month. The mid-week prayer services were still held and were well attended. The Church Vacation School and the Church College were both very successful. The Junior Church program was continuing and young people were still enjoying rollerskating in the Social Hall. In a reference to the times, he again used the opportunity of his report to thank the Diaconate, Trustees, Church Choir and officials who have helped carry the burden in trying times when helping hands had been few. At this annual meeting the Diaconate suggested an amendment to the Constitution “relative to setting up Associate Memberships.” Any person already a member of some other Church and desiring to associate themselves with this Church and worship may do so by approval of the Diaconate and the vote of the Church, it being understood that such Associate Members shall not serve on the Diaconate or vote on matters pertaining to the settlement of a pastor. This amendment was accepted by the Church (but has been altered since). Seven people immediately joined the Church as Associate Members.

On December 17, 1944, Reverend Lawrence A. Wheaton, pastor for nearly seven years, read his resignation to accept the call to the Hyde Park Baptist Church of Cincinnati, Ohio. (His letter is reproduced in the Appendix). His resignation was accepted on December 31, 1944, to be effective after January 29, 1945. Although Reverend Wheaton planned to leave Manlius for Cincinnati very soon after January 29, 1945, Mrs. Wheaton became ill and was hospitalized for several days. She returned to her home on Tuesday, February 6, 1945. The Family then planned to leave for Ohio on February 20, 1945. Reverend Wheaton closed his ministry with a farewell sermon on February 18, 1945. Fuel (coal) must have been in short supply in February of 1945. In Reverend Wheaton’s Baptist Church column for the February 9, 1945, edition of The Eagle Bulletin, he announced that the weekly program of the Church would be determined by the fuel supply and would be announced in the Weekly Bulletin.

On March 8, 1945, the Church voted to dismiss Reverend and Mrs. Wheaton and son Howard to unite with the Hyde Park Baptist Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. Janet Wheaton was dismissed by letter to the Baptist Church of Wytheville, Virginia, on August 15, 1948.

After Reverend Wheaton and his family left for the Hyde Park Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, the people of the Village of Manlius and the Baptist Church did an unusual thing which indicated that Reverend Wheaton’s relationship with the people of Manlius as well as the Church must have been an unusually strong and warm one. They sent a message to the Hyde Park Church which was read at a reception for the Reverend Wheaton and his family in the Hyde Park Church parlor. The message read in part:

“After seven years of distinguished service to our people as pastor of the Manlius Baptist Church and fellow citizen during which he has earned the respect and friendship of all, the time has come for us to say good-bye to our pastor and friend and to commend him to you” and was signed by over two hundred people. (The total message from The Eagle Bulletin Newspaper, March 16, 1945, is reproduced in the appendix.)

A list of his works in the community and in the local and state Baptist organizations as reported in the Syracuse newspaper is as follows:

1. He was cited two times by the Archie Van Patten Post of the American Legion with the Legion Citizenship award for unusual service to the community outside of one’s profession.

2. President of the NYS Baptist Conference

3. Local Chairman- New York Tribune Fresh Air Committee

4. Chaplain- American Legion

5. President- Manlius Youth Council

6. Leader in collection of old records and waste paper for the war effort

7. Scout Leader

8. Supervised the construction of honor rolls in seven villages in addition to Manlius

9. President of Onondaga County Baptist Pastor’s Association

10. Member of Evangelistic Commission of the Baptist Missionary Convention.

Some financial and membership statistics for Church years 1937-1945 are given

in the Appendix.

Paying the bills was difficult during the years following the depression. It was quite common for the Treasurer to visit the Bank of Manlius after the bills had been presented at the Trustee meeting to take out a note, add to a note or extend payment on a note. For some examples, on June 20, 1938, the balance on hand in the General Fund (our operating fund) was $39.53; on December 12, 1938, the balance was $63.51 but with $214.75 owed. In October of 1941 there was $119.56 in the General Fund with $444.00 owed (for wallpaper, paint, a note with the bank, etc.) By 1943 times in the country were better and so were Church finances. In June 1942 the Treasurer reported a balance of $256.53 with all bills paid.