What historical and personal significance does the First Baptist Church have for the Cross family in the novel, Visitation of Spirits?

First Baptist Church has historical and personal significance to the Cross family and its Fundamentalist Christian background. The lands it was built on were donated by Ezra Cross, whose son Thomas Cross became the first member of the deacon board. Ezekiel is Thomas' grandson and also a deacon at the church. Ezekiel is the community's last connection to slavery of its past, as Thomas had passed down stories of life before Emancipation to his grandson. James Greene's decision to become a reverend was significantly influenced by the family legacy associated with the church.