GREAT THINGS HE HATH DONE

Many of these converts joined the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church (organized in 1894) or the Antioch Baptist Church (organized in 1858). Walking being the common method of transportation to church in 1913, these two churches proved to be at a considerable distance from what was to become the Toast community. Local converts began to show interest in establishing a new missionary Baptist church at a location known then as the Crossroads.

On Saturday, December 13, 1913, these local converts met in the Spainhour School, located behind the present Snow's Garage building, and under the leadership of a committee from the Surry Baptist Association, organized a missionary Baptist church in their community. According to early church minutes, "the body was found to be orthodox and was recognized as a Baptist Church." Thirty-five charter members were received, and the Reverend J. H. Haynes was chosen as pastor. Merrimam B. Phillips, James A. Nichols, and Ed Nichols were the first deacons with S. C. "Coke" Freeman serving as the first church clerk. A committee was appointed to choose a name for the new church. It selected the name Calvary Baptist Church. Services were held once monthly in the Spainhour School House until a church building could be constructed.

The congregation began plans for a new building. A lot was bought in April, 1914, from Mr. Charlie P. Creed, who had just purchased the farm land from Mr. Boss McGee. The lot was located where Johnson and Rachel Phillips now live, and the original church was where the Phillips' garden is now. According to the original deed, which was not filed for several years, the trustees of the church paid $50.00 in 1914 for the land. The following article appeared in the Mount Airy News on January 14, 1914:

Mr. D. H. Cook has contracted to build the new Baptist Church a mile west of the city and to have the work done by the first of May. The new church will be called Calvary and the new house will be 22 x 40 feet. The building committee has secured nearly enough pledges to pay the cost of erecting the building and they think they see their way clear to secure all the funds by the time the work is done.

The building committee found that the old frame Presbyterian Church on South Main Street in Mount Airy was being replaced with a granite structure and purchased the old doors, shutters, windows, and bell from this church for use in the new Calvary building. This bell, which was first used by the Presbyterian Church in 1876 is still in use in the 1948 bell tower of Calvary Church.