The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-07-21
BISHOP GRAY'S MINISTRY IN
SOUTH FLORIDA

Fifty-two years in the ministry,
with eighteen years spent amid pio-
ener conditions of southern Florida is
the record which Bishop William
Crane Gray, at the age of seventy-fiye
years, can now call to mind. During
his services in Florida, Bishop Gray
has seen little villages grow into cit
les and the clergy and communicates
of his church doubled in numbers.
He has confirmed 5000 people, and
has seen church property values grow
from S150,000 to more than half
million dolalrs.
Bishop Gray came to Fort Myers
yesterday. Today he will hold SER
vices at st. Lukes and Wednesday
evening he will hear the nuptial vows
of Miss Bessie Thorp, whom he has
known since childhood, and Dick Will
son Boyd. 1t was because he was
such an old time friend of the Thorp
family that he has consented to Off
ciate at the wedding. In order to do
so he has deferred an important trip
east and made a long trip here from
Tennessee, where he was engaged in
business for the church.
There is no question about the
wonderfully rapid development of The
southern part of Florida" said the
bishop yesterday. when l came
here eighteen years ago Tampa was
a town of 5000; now it has popula-
ton of over 10000. On the east coast
| held the first service where the town
of Miami now stands, and built the
first church there Miaim now claims
an all-year population of 10000, and |
suppose it's winter population is dod-
bic this figure"
The jurisdiction of southern Florida
which is yet a missionary district,
contains nearly 10000 square miles,
with 1000 lies of seasoast. During
the earlier years of his ministrations
Bishop Gray covered much of his ter
ritory by OK and mule teams, riding
sometimes hundreds of miles to serve
his people. He has established twelve
churches in places where the Episcc-
palian is the only denomination.
MANY a time Mr.. Baucom and
have camped over night in. the Ever
glades." said the bishop. because the
water covered our trail, and we did
not dare to venture further in the
darkness"
Bishop Gray's work among the In
dams is already historic. To these
strange, reserved people, amenable to
nothing but their own laws and Gus
toms, he stands as a personal friend.
He has Established two missions
among them, and it is significant of
his spirit that he named one of these
Immolakalee, the Indian word for
home"
It is now the bishops purpose to
secure for his Indian friends home,
a reservation from the United states
government. Not that these red men
desire any concession from their
white brothers or to become a part of
their government, but because Bishop
Gray sees that with the development
of southern Florida the time is net
far distant when they will not have
foot of ground they can call their own.
It is to provide palce for them when
they find civilization encroaching too
closely that the bishop is now max
ing this effort. He has been to
Washington several times, and slso
sought to interest the state legis!a-
ture. He desires to have the govern
ment set aside about 100000 acres of
land for this reservation. and he be-
Iieves that ultimately this will be
done
This talk about the Seminole In
dian dying out is nonsense, he said.
when the wars were over there were
about 200 left III tie Businesses of the
Everglades I know positively that
there are now 500 Indians there -
Fort Myers Cor. to Sundays Times
Union.