TOLAR BAPTIST CHURCH

In a small building on the present church location, Rev. J.M. Earls and Rev. William Campbell conducted gospel services on May 16, 1897. In July of that year they led in the organization of the Tolar Baptist Church with 13 members. By the end of that associational year membership had increased to 31. In 1917 a new building was erected on the same ground. At that time the pastor was with them for one weekend each month. In 1920 Rev. John Measells was called for half time. Rev. J. Walter Williams served for eleven years for the longest tenure of any pastor. He left the church in 1935 to accept the call to the Birchman Avenue Baptist Church in Fort Worth. In 1945 Rev. L.H. Davis was called for full time, and a parsonage was built the next year. Rev. Max Morris led in erecting the present church plant in 1963-1964. Rev. Elbert Channell led in the erection of the present pastor’s home. Five persons serving the Tolar Church have been appointed to mission work by the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board while working with the Tolar Church. They are Wimpy Smith to Argentina, Dan and Mary Burt to Brazil, and James and Leola Ragland to Lebanon. The total membership of the church reported at the Centennial Session of Paluxy Association was 358.