1

The family were staunch Methodist church-goers.

2

Downtown Alliston, after the Great Fire of 1891.
1891
Alliston, Ontario
TEXT ATTACHMENT


3

The spire of the then-Methodist Church is visible in the background.

Interestingly, in the Great Fire of Alliston, the flames only came up as far as the Wesleyan Methodist Church (now St. John's United). Members of the Church talk of how the Church was miraculously "spared."

Marie (Shields) Banting says: " It was the only thing, the fire came just as far as it. It was the only building on that side that didn't burn in the big fire."

4

Wesleyan Methodist Church.
1891
Wesleyan Methodist Church (now St. John's United), Alliston, Ontario
TEXT ATTACHMENT


5

Another look at the Wesleyan Methodist Church, where the Bantings attended, after the Great Fire of 1891. The pole on the left is actually a tree that was damaged in the fire.

6

The interior of the Wesleyan Methodist Church.
1919
Wesleyan Methodist Church (now St. John's United), Alliston, Ontario
TEXT ATTACHMENT


7

Robert Douglas Banting and Marie (Banting) Shields remember how the Sabbath was sacrosanct:

Bob: And that was the Law [on Sunday].

Everybody took a day of rest, period.

Marie: Yes. They didn't do any more than they had to on Sunday. It was just necessities. And you weren't to do this and you weren't to do that. And he'd [her brother Edward] just be up in his room, fiddling away at his stamps or his collections, whether we used to take bikes and go for a ride, we'd go to Sharp's Hill, or we went different directions. Helen [her sister] and me, we weren't supposed to knit, and sew on Sunday.

B: What was wrong with knitting and sewing?

M: I don't know. It was something that wasn't necessary. Do you remember Joe Fife? They would go one farther. She had to prepare all her meals for Sunday the day before. All of them. Really, Mother would have all pies made, so she wouldn't have to bake or anything like that on Sunday, but she'd still cook the meal. And he shaved before midnight Saturday night. See, they were old Methodists, and I think they were pretty strict old Methodists.

8

Interior picture of the Wesleyan Methodist Church.
1919
Wesleyan Methodist Church (now St. John's United), Alliston, Ontario
TEXT ATTACHMENT


9

Family members recall that the Banting boys participated in Church, and loved to sing in the choir.
Marie: "If there was anything going on at the Church, we were all there. All suppers…"

10

The Banting window inside the Methodist Church.
1950
Wesleyan Methodist Church (now St. John's United), Alliston, Ontario
TEXT ATTACHMENT


11

This window inside St. John's United Church was erected by the Banting and Knight families. (Lena Knight married Thompson Banting, and they lived on the Banting Homestead.)

The text under the window reads:

"He took them up in his arms ... and Blessed them.

William Symes Knight August 2, 1857 - April 23, 1935
And Bertha Hender, his wife November 2, 1857 - August 7, 1946

William Thompson Banting March 31, 1849 - March 3, 1928
And Margaret Grant, his wife April 14, 1854 - December 2, 1946

Erected by their families."

12

Manse brick.
1910
Wesleyan Methodist Church (now St. John's United), Alliston, Ontario
TEXT ATTACHMENT


13

Frederick Banting was known as a prankster in his youth. This brick bears witness to that.

"This brick was taken from the old parsonage of St. John's when it was demolished in 1973. It bears the boyish signature "Fred Banting," who became Sir Frederick Banting M.B., co-discoverer of insulin. Fred was the son of Mr. And Mrs. William Banting, faithful members of this church. Fred thought of this as his home church and contributed to it long after he had left Alliston."

14

Bell tower brick.
1904
Wesleyan Methodist Church (now St. John's United), Alliston, Ontario
TEXT ATTACHMENT