East Hall’s Harbour United Baptist Church

On January 10, 1842, Elder Jacob B. Norton preached at the home of Sylvanus Whitney. The first mention of a meetinghouse was in 1843. When the Regular and Free Baptists joined in 1905, the people of Hall’s Harbour repaired and repainted their church. In 1945, the church conducted its one hundredth anniversary of service in the community.

A condensation of early minutes from pages of the record book of the Second Free Baptist Church of Cornwallis depicts the beginning and reality of the Baptist Church in Hall's Harbour. The record states "In the midst of the spiritual trials and difficulties of 1845, a small group of ten men and women, met together at the home of Daniel Porter for a cottage prayer meeting; and after stating their experience of faith were received by baptism into the Habitant Free Christian Baptist Church by Elder B. Norton. Five months later the vision of these pioneers had broadened into a desire to have a church of their own. A protracted meeting was called for that purpose. Brethren Benjamin Parsons and Sylvanus Whitney were sent apart as deacons." The original church building, known of old as "the meeting house" still stands solidly overlooking the picturesque fishing village of Hall's Harbour on the Bay of Fundy.

This church is a rather plain building and in the meeting house style, a common style among Baptists in early to mid-nineteenth century Atlantic Canada. This style is often characterized by its small and rather plain facility, with no steeple, and gothic embellishments. The front entrance was often on the gable end, with either two entrances, one on the left and right sides of the front façade, one meant for the men and the other for women; or a centrally placed doorway.

This church was typical for its time in terms of style and is an early example of Gothic Revival style influenced architecture with straight point gothic windows. Early examples of Gothic revival architecture have this type of straight pointed window, with later examples usually having a more rounded curve and point. Some of the most eye-catching features are the three-bay

front façade on the gable end, and the straight pointed windows situated on either side. The interior of the church has remained relatively unchanged since it was built, and still retains its original stained wood, pews, and many other fixtures. A later addition to the building is the wooden cross, found above the front door.

The West Hall’s Harbour and East Hall’s Harbour Baptist Churches currently share a pastor under the Hall’s Harbour United Baptist Church pastorate. Weekly services are held in the West Hall’s Harbor church, with services held in the East Hall’s Harbour Baptist Church on the last Sunday of each month, from May to October.

Information from Nelson Labor and Linda Hart, Kings County Churches, Kentville: Kings Historical Society, 2014, and the church.