The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-01-20


which was attended by a congregation
entirely filling the sacred edifice The
rector, Rev. W. 5 Curtis, had called
IL an Alumni service, intended thus
TO interest the old-time members of
the congregation ir look back over
the history of the parish and as a
part OF the service an address was
made by Hon. H. J Drane in when
the speaker, in a most interesting
way, told the story of the church's
life and history which covers period
OF about So years. Very few of the
congregation had any previous knowl.
edge of these matters of profound In
terest which attach to the church
since its first location at Acton, some
two miles east of Lakeland, its re-
moval from Acton when the village
passed out of existence, and during
the succeeding years following the
location of the little church (the same
original building with many added i'm
provements) on the present site.
Mr.. Drane spoke in a most feeling
way of the early pioneers and the
splendid contributions of material
and spiritual nature they had left
behind them and it is expected that
his address will be publish in PAM
phlet form for distribution so that
this interesting record may be gener,
ally held and preserved.
After the service the congregation
adjourned to the rectory and had a
social hour with the Rev. ana Mrs.
Curtis which was greatly enjoyed by
all.
Mr., Drane's address follows
Some time ago, when the rector, Mr..
Curtis, requested me to prepare a
brief address on the History of the
Church." my first thought was that
this would involve going back some
nineteen centuries to the beginning,
where we are wont to think Of that
church whose builder and maker
was Cod This involved theological
discussion and research far beyond
my ken and I was distinctly fright
ened. When | realized, however, that
he was asking for History of the
Church at Lakeland" it Immediately
appealed to me as labor of love and
| was glad to assume the responsible
ity. May be permitted, in the be
ginning, however to admOnish you
that for the data | am dependent sole
ly upon a rather defective memory,
having no written page to guide me
and If, perchance, error be made,
your kind indulgence is impl0red:
for memory is short and the thirty
five years which have slipped away
into the shadows of Eternity since
the man of God held the first service
here, is far greater time than mem
DRY may be relied upon with Ger
tainty.
The history of the church at Lake.
land may properly be devided between
the Church at Acton and the Church
at Lakeland, as will be disclosed as
this paper progresses.
The Church at Acton
In the early Spring of 1884 quite a
pretentious village was established in
the low lands to the east of us, be-
tween Lakes Boney and Parker. AL
most the entire population was com
POSED of natives of England, Scotland
and Ireland and was almost exclusive
ly men. 1t was an ill-advised venture
and destined to a very short life. The
village was called Acton, being named
for an old family in England, Of
which, at that time, Lord Acton was
the head, The large body OF land
comprising and adjoining the village
was owned by Hon. r. w. Hamburg
a member of the British Parliament
What more natural, therefore, than
that there should be desire for the
establishment of church where the
people might worship God according
as they had been taught by their fa-
theirs? Money was not plentiful, 81
Mr.. Piers f.. Warburton, the residen'
manager for the Hamburg estates up
en- the occasion of visit to England.
gave a series of lectures on FLORIDA"
charging an admission fee, 1.-THE pro-
ceeds to create a fund for the erection
of a suitable house Of worship at Ac
ton, Florida, U. s. A." A consider
able sum was in this way accumulated
and thus we have the beginning The
Princess OF Wales, afterward the
Queen of England, became interested
and gave to the little church certain
altar furnishings, consisting, as l re
member, of some brass vases and per-
haps some altar hangings. all OF
- a,aan.aa rna unr,, annn hy the