Physical Features

At the northwest section of the church is a memorial plaque to "Nicholas P. Randall for many years senior warden of the church died 3/7/1837 aged 56 years and to Sybil Dyer his wife died 8/3/1887 aged 87 years. Both departed this life in the communion of the church catholic and in the sure and certain hope of eternal life hereafter." Nicholas P. Randall was a noted Manlius Village attorney. Sybil Dyer was the aunt of Palmer Dyer who was rector of Christ Church, 1822-23.
At the southeast end of the church is a plaque dedicated "To the Genius and Worth of J. Nims, Artist 1842." Jeremiah Nims was born in 1818 at Manlius, N. Y. and died March 6, 1842 at Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies of consumption. He was the son of Lemuel C. Nims, fuller, and Phylinda Guilford. Jeremiah was a portrait artist of which the "Catalogue of American Portraits" says:

Nims, a self-taught artist of great promise, was born in Manlius, New York. He was living and working in New York by 1839 when he began exhibiting his work at the National Academy of Design; his ambition may be estimated from the fact that he sent no fewer than nine portraits to the annual exhibition of the Academy in 1840. The following year he was made an associate member of the Academy.

Nims' self-portrait, done in oil, used to hang in the New York State Historical Society. On the reverse of this canvas is a landscape, also drawn by Nims.

Memorial plaque: "To the Glory of God and in Loving Memory of Rev. George G. Perrine 1838-1923." Perrine was rector of Christ Church from 1907-1913 and from 1917-1919.
Memorial plaque: "In loving memory of Albert V. Slater b. 1905 d. 1989".
The pulpit was given to Christ Church by Christ Church, Oswego in 1891. It was restored in 1954 through the efforts of Russell Fudge, chairman of the 150th Year Restoration Committee. Christ Church in Oswego was organized in 1822, Rev. Amos Pardee, presiding. This Oswego church was built in 1828, and burned in 1862. The second Episcopal church was built in 1854. Whether the pulpit came from the first or second church is not clear.
The Baptismal font was given in memory of Neal F. Willcox, All Saints' 1899.
The glass cabinet in the narthex was given in memory of Donald Deaveraux Nims b. 1909 d. 1969.
The candle holders in the chancel were given to the glory of God the Day of Pentecost 1988 in memory of John Barnes Crosby.
The altar top was given to the glory of God in loving memory of Edward C. Franz and Harvey M. Randall by Steven F. Randall and family 1989.
The altar and chandelier are given to the glory of God and in memory of Alfred Thomas Jones by his family and friends (n.d.).
The portrait of Amos Pardee in the narthex loft was given by descendent Marie Webb in 1994. Pardee was rector of Christ Church from 1818-1821.
The bell is original, and was in the church by 1814. The bell cracked in April 1822, and was repaired at Auburn.
The first organ in the church was replaced in 1850 by a new organ. The organ was purchased, in part, through the fund-raising efforts of the Ladies' Benevolent Association.

Rector's Study

The Rector's study is dedicated to Mary Alice Wehrle b. 1922 d. 1985

Church Marker

The marker in front of Christ Church was accepted from the New York State Historical Society for the community by Manlius Village Mayor Charles Curtiss on October 29, 1939. The original application to the state for the marker was made by E. E. Clemons of Manlius who put it in place during the exercises held in front of the church. Following the exercises were addresses given by Dr. Paul M. Paine of the NYS Historical Society, Major Harry C. Durston, village historian; the Rev. Frederick C. Ransier, a former member of the Manlius parish, and the Rev. George Dudley Barr, rector of Christ Church.

The Stained Glass Windows

The first stained glass window was the Taylor memorial window above the altar. This window was made by William Meyers in Buffalo, and installed in the new chancel in February 1867. It is in memory of Dr. William Taylor, a noted physician who had an extensive practice in Manlius village. Taylor died September 16, 1865.

The stained glass windows for the body of the church were ordered in 1889. The church officers successfully endeavored to get the families who ordered memorial windows to select designs which were in harmony with one another. In 1890-1891, the installation of eight windows in the body of the church was completed. Six were memorial windows.

The frames for the windows were built by the Collin, Arnold and Sisson furniture company of Fayetteville. The frames were installed in 1889.

In January 1890, the first set of windows was placed in position.

In March 1890, two additional windows were placed in position. They were imported from England at a cost of nearly $1,000, and were said to be as fine as any in the state outside of New York City. One piece of glass was broken while in transit, and that was the one representing the head of a figure of the Savior. Although it was to have been replaced by a perfect piece, the crack over the Savior's head in the right window of the Hibbard-Gold memorial is still visible.

In October 1890 five more windows made to order in Munich and London were expected to arrive soon. These windows were detained in the New York custom house and not received until 1891. In March 1891, these windows were placed in position.

In Rev. Theodore Babcock's report submitted to the 23rd Annual Convention of the Episcopal Church held in June 1891, Babcock commented: "Within the past year the old windows in the body of the Church have been replaced by eight beautiful stained glass ones, six of them memorials, at a cost of nearly $2,000 to the donors."

The Nixon memorial window was placed in position in 1905. This window is the most northerly on the west side of the body of the church. The most southerly Flanders window on the west side was placed in position after 1932. Presumably these two windows replaced the non-memorial windows ordered in 1889. The 1889 memorial windows probably were moved to the narthex.

In 1911, the vestry approved raising $300 for repairs "and that the two stained glass windows be placed in front of the church and a new window be placed in South West corner of Church." The narthex windows were made by Mayer & Co. of Munich and New York, and were ordered in 1889. Possibly, these windows once were at the far north and south ends on the west side of the church, and later replaced by the Nixon and Flanders windows.

The stained glass window in the loft over the narthex is in memory of Lewis W. Babcock b. 1852 d. 1901, who may have been a son of Theodore Babcock. Theodore Babcock was a beloved rector of Christ Church who served from 1883 to 1900.

Originally, the windows in the church were protected by inside blinds for many years. Later, outside shutters were used. There once were two chimneys and two windows on today's north side (originally, its south side). Around 1845, a 7' x 8' room was added between these northern two windows. In 1866, new pews were installed in the vacant space where the pulpit originally was, and a new chancel was built at this time. The remaining pews and slips appear to be original.

The following notes include some data published in a pamphlet (n.d.) produced by Christ Church sometime after 1986. The windows are listed, starting in the narthex and continuing, counterclockwise, east to west.

1. The two windows in the narthex were ordered from Mayer & Co. in 1889 and came from Munich. Originally, they were installed in the body of the church.

2. May memorial window, ordered in 1889. This window came from Munich, Germany. It memorializes Elijah Eaton May, a warden and vestryman of Christ Church for many years, and Emeline Williams Stimson May. Emeline was a daughter of Nathan Williams, a noted Manlius village businessman.

3. The Hibbard-Gold memorial window was ordered in 1889 and installed in 1890. It came from London, England. The opalescent glass depicts Faith and Christ.

4. Van Schaack memorial window, ordered in 1889 and came from London, England. The opalescent glass gives texture and richness. Crown symbolizes Christ's sovereignty; wheat, Christ as the bread of life; lilies, purity; grapes and wines, "I am the vine; ye are the branches." Henry Van Schaack was a vestryman of Christ Church for many years, a much-beloved village attorney, and the author of The History of Manlius Village.

5. Twitchell memorial window. Ordered in 1889. Depicts birth (spring flowers) and death (fall colors, foliage). Curtis Twitchell was a noted farmer and businessman who lived on Whetstone Rd. The Twitchell home is pictured in Clayton's history of Onondaga Co.

6. Taylor memorial window, described above. Depicts St. Luke, the physician disciple. Winged ox is symbol of St. Luke. Dr. William Taylor had a large medical practice in Manlius Village, served in Congress, and also was a vestryman of Christ Church for many years.

7. Nixon memorial window. Installed in 1905. Called the Resurrection Window because it depicts open tomb with angel, Mary Magdalene, Mary, wife of Clopas, all witnesses to the Resurrection.

8. Remington memorial window, ordered 1889. Came from Munich, Germany. Figures in early Renaissance style. Illustrious Remington was a warden and vestryman of the church for almost fifty years.

9. Hughes memorial window, ordered 1889. Came from Munich, Germany. Memorializes mother and daughter who lived in house directly east of the church. Symbols include lamb carrying the cross (victory); pelican feeding young with her own blood (Christ's sacrifice).

10. Flanders memorial window. Maker not confirmed. Use of opalescent glass characteristic of Tiffany, but harsher in this window. Installed after 1932.

11. Babcock memorial window in the loft is in memory of Lewis W. Babcock d. 1901, and was installed around 1911.

References

Clark, Joshua V. H. "A History of Christ Church, Manlius" from the "Gospel Messenger," April 9, 16, 30, 1842. Utica, N.Y.

Hayes, Charles Wells. Diocese of Western New York. Rochester: Scranton, Wetmore & Co., 1904.

Journals of Annual Conventions of the Diocese of Central New York 1869 to 1912.

Journals of Annual Conventions of the Diocese of Western New York 1819 to 1868

Lowndes, Arthur (ed.). Archives of the General Convention, The Correspondence of John Henry Hobart." New York: Privately printed, 1912.

Storke, Elliot G. History of Cayuga Co. Syracuse: D. Mason & Co., 1879.

Van Schaack, Henry C. A History of Manlius Village. Fayetteville: Recorder Office, 1873.

Constitution

May 7, 1823

Art. 1. This society shall be known by the name of the Manlius Tract Society.

2. Its object shall be to purchase and distribute Tracts, Sermons, and other such publications, relative to the peculiar doctrines, rites and ceremonies of the Protestant Episcopal Church - tending to explain and defend her distinctive tenets and her Liturgy and to inculcate the principles of virtue and religion.

3. The officers shall consist of a President, two Vice Presidents, and a secretary, who shall also be Treasurer. The election to take place hereafter at the annual meeting in July, the minister of the Church to be President ex officio.

4. The names and number of Tracts to be purchased from time to time, as the funds may permit, shall be determined by the President: and all purchases and all distributions shall be made by him or under his direction.

5. Every person who will subscribe and pay twenty five cents per annum, and hereafter directed shall be a member of the Society, and every member shall be entitled to one copy of each Tract which shall be purchased.

6. The Society shall meet on the first Wednesday in Jan'y, April, July, and October as such hour and place as the President may appoint.

7. At each of the quarterly meetings, divine service shall be performed, and an address given by the President or by such person as he may appoint, and every member shall pay to the Treasurer one quarter of the amount of his annual subscription.

8. The officers of the society, and the vestry of Christs Church, Manlius, shall constitute a Board of Managers, whose province it Shall be, by a vote of two thirds, to alter the Constitution, and by a majority, to pass resolutions, and enact bye Laws.