Saint Philip's Episcopal Church

The establishment of an Episcopal Church for Black people in the Missionary District of Western Texas, later to become the Diocese of West Texas, began in 1877 with the dream of the Rt. Rev. R. W. B. Elliott, Bishop of the Missionary District. The Bishop envisioned the day when there would be Episcopal Churches in the Missionary District where Negroes could worship God in the great Anglican tradition. He appealed to the clergy and laity of the church to labor among the Negroes to establish Sunday Schools for them. He recognized that at that time were would be those who would look upon such efforts as idealistic, fanatical, silly sentimentalism, designing priests, and hirelings. Yet, said the Bishop, it is also true that the regenerative spirits that raised from the dead ancient society, came through the preaching of men who were called fools, babblers, crazy men who were pointed out as pestilent fellows who were besides themselves. Heirs to the succession, it is to be expected we should be heirs also to the reproaches. He admonished his hearers to be daring in their work, audacious in their undertaking, venturing much for Christ’s sake; to be fools in Christ’s cause. Bishop Elliott’s retirement, however, prevented him from seeing his dream for Negroes come to fruition in his Missionary District.