Connecting Past and Present monthly column by Sylvia White connecting Pilgrim's past with Pilgrim in the 21st century The Early Church Families living in the north part of Taunton had thought for a long time that the distance from the church was too far to travel, especially during stormy weather. So, in 1711, led by Nicholas White, they founded the town of Norton and its Trinitarian Congregational Church. (I’m reminded of the old conundrum: “What came first, the chicken or the egg?” In early New England, there could not be a church without a town or a town without a church. Which came first?) Incidentally, Nicholas White’s saltbox house is still there in Norton, with a commemorating plaque on the front wall. In 1792, a group from the first church organized in the west part of town and by doing this nearly crippled the mother church, leaving it with only four members, one man and three women. We know this church today as the Westville Church. Nearly thirty years later, the Rev. Luther Hamilton, a pronounced Unitarian, was called to serve as pastor of the old church. Seeing no hope of change, and since the Society owned the building, twenty five women and four men, met in Taunton to organize a new church. The planning started with meetings at the home of the Widow Bush. (Can’t you see these determined ladies in their bonnets and full skirts sipping tea while meeting to make a decision about how to handle this difficult situation?) The idea of establishing a new church grew until we read in the records: “September 29, 1821. The first meeting of the Trinitarian Congregational Society was this day holden (sic) in the Town House in Taunton and the Society was organized by election of officers.” The word Trinitarian was used to indicate the particular point of difference. When doing research it is fairly easy to find records of things, but seldom do we find stories about people, their opinions and how they expressed them. But we do have a recorded story about one of the founding mothers, a Mrs. Sarah Shepard. Her husband was not a Christian and saw no hope of success in what he called “this female foolishness”. I tell you husband, this is not foolishness. We can and will do our duty and leave the results to God.” She replied. The tale continues that he soon became a follower and an influential member of the church. They first met in the town House and later in the Court House. Money was raised to buy land and construct a building opposite the Inn on the very busy northeast corner of Taunton Green where stage coaches changed horses and weary travelers paused to rest and refresh themselves. Lumber was floated down the Taunton River from Middleboro and left on the Green to the inconvenience of the militia who issued an order requesting “all persons remove any encumbrance” so that they might drill on the Green. The first house of worship was a classic white painted spired structure 55 feet by 75 feet with two entrance doors in front and five large arched windows on either side. The pews were individual boxes with waist-high doors. I once asked why they had doors on the pews and was told that during the cold months, worshipers would bring with them containers filled with coals; little portable stoves. The pew doors helped to contain the heat that gave some measure of comfort during the hour-long sermons. A bell weighing 1,435 pounds, arrived from Holbrook in 1822 by a team of oxen and was installed in the belfry. This bell is in the present church and still summons people to worship.