Page 9 - Bulletin 3 1999

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Sub-Division of the See

Gray “suggested [the] formation of Universities’ Mission in Central Africa, and added five

new sees to the S. African Church.” (Venn.) The five dioceses (with their dates of
foundation) were Grahamstown (1853), Natal (1853), St. Helena (1859), Orange Free State

(afterwards Bloemfontein, 1863), and Zululand (1870).

“He would often talk to us about the future prospects of the Church, not only in South Africa,

but in the whole vast continent. He loved Africa. He told me one day that he believed the time
would come when there would be a chain of bishoprics from Cape Town to Cairo. But when

he had mentioned such a thought to some of his friends ‘they regarded me,’ he said, ‘as
almost a lunatic.’ He had himself forged the first link of that chain in 1861 when he

consecrated and sent forth Bishop Mackenzie to be the first Bishop of Central Africa. It was a

bold thing to do, since it was well known that the great ecclesiastical lawyers of England
shook their heads when he proposed it and strongly doubted its legality. But time has amply

justified his action. He broke the ice, and since then many bishops have been consecrated and
sent forth to heathen countries outside the British Empire.” (Widdicombe, p. 178.)

Nomadic Pastor

Gray made formal visitations throughout his diocese at least 21 times, as well as five visits to
the United Kingdom. His first visitation commenced six months after the Bishop first arrived

at the Cape - on 25 August 1848. From Cape Town he travelled to Eerste Rivier, then via Sir
Lowry’s Pass to Bot River, Genadendal, Caledon, Swellendam, Riversdale, Mossel Bay,

George, Plettenberg Bay, via the Langkloof to Humansdorp, Uitenhage, Port Elizabeth,

Grahamstown, Peddie, King William’s Town, Fort Beaufort, Somerset East, Cradock,
Colesberg, Graaff Reinet, Beaufort West, back to George, Port Beaufort, Swellendam,

Worcester, Tulbagh, Wellington, Paarl, Stellenbosch, Malmesbury, Durbanville. He returned
to Protea on 21 December 1848, having travelled almost 4 800 kilometres, and confirmed

some 900 persons.