"A rather amusing story comes from a morning service. On Sunday, January 4th, 1863, in a New Years sermon on I Samuel 7:12, 'Ebenezer', he thanked God for President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all slaves in the territory then actually in rebellion, and then prayed that blacks, whoever owned them might soon be free. At this a member of the church arose and stormed out of the house in tragic wrath. He had not been a very useful member for some time, and as he stamped down the aisle for the door, Mr. Taylor looked quizzically after him and said 'Good-day, good-bye, and good riddance.' The congregation burst into a laugh that took all the sting out of his going, and there was no more going out of church while Mr. T. was preaching.
    "There were many threats to Mr. Taylor's life from some of the young hoodlums about town. Many evenings these young 'half tipsy sons of belial' passed in front of his home, and sang the songs they had been singing for Sylvester Smith.
    'We'll hang Parson Taylor to a sour apple tree, as we go marching on'
    Mr. Taylor was elected chaplain of the Union League when it was formed on July 20,1863. He was asked to be the 'fighting chaplain' and be ready for duty at home should the need arise. He had his Whitney rifle handy and ammunition near his bed. He also had a hickory 'headache stick' within reach of each door and window. Without his knowledge, he was followed and guarded by at least two members of the Union League wherever he went during the three week period in July and August when riots were imminent.
   "These threats did not deter him. The Soldier's Aid Society had been formed on March 5,1863, with Mrs. Taylor and Mrs. Medad Tucker as leaders. Mr. Taylor drafted the brief constitution and wrote the resolution on June 13, at the time of the departure of the 20th Connecticut Regiment of Volunteers for service in the war. He aided the society in shipping boxes of supplies which were needed in the war effort," Johnson states.