Edward Manning

Manning, Edward

Edward Manning, Baptist minister (b in Ireland 16 Oct 1766; d at Upper Canard, NS 12 Jan 1851). Manning came to Nova Scotia with his Irish Catholic family about 1769. Greatly influenced by the New Light movement begun by Henry ALLINE, he was converted on 27 April 1789 and shortly thereafter became a New Light Congregational minister, as an itinerant and then as pastor of the Cornwallis, Nova Scotia, church. In 1797 he was baptized by immersion and by 1807 was pastor of the Cornwallis Baptist Church, which he founded. Over the next 40 years he was responsible for establishing BAPTIST churches in all 3 Maritime colonies. In 1800 he was a key organizer of the Nova Scotia Baptist Association, the forerunner of the present United Baptist Convention of the Atlantic Provinces. Although possessing little formal education himself, Manning's pressure for a denominational school resulted in the founding of Horton Academy (1828) and Acadia College (1838), both in Wolfville, NS. He was also a driving force behind support for foreign missions, the TEMPERANCE movement and home missions. Poorly supported by his congregation, Manning farmed and doctored his neighbours to augment his uncertain income.