James Marion Gray

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James Marion Gray (1851 – 1935), was a bishop in the Reformed Episcopal Church, Bible scholar, school administrator, editor, preacher, and poet.

Gray was born in New York City on May 11, 1851 as one of eight children. His father, Hugh Gray, died shortly after his birth. He was raised in the Episcopal church, and after undergraduate studies, he began training in the Episcopal Church for a career as a priest. He believed that it was his calling to dedicate his life to communicating the Bible through his writings and his speaking. In 1870, he married Amanda Thorne, who died in 1875 while giving birth to their fifth child (who also died). In June, 1864, he was awarded an honorary doctor of divinity degree by Bates College, Lewiston, Maine.

Gray was ordained in 1877, and took over as Pastor at the Church of the Redemption in Brooklyn, New York. In 1879, he began serving as Pastor at the Reformed Episcopal Church in Boston, where he remained for 14 years. While there, he also became involved with Adoniram Judson Gordon in founding of the Boston Bible and Missionary Training School, which would later become Gordon Divinity School. From 1903 - 1904, he taught as a professor there. He married Susan G. Gray, who also served as a faculty member at the school.

Throughout the 1890s, Gray worked alongside D. L. Moody in the latter's evangelistic campaigns in New York, Boston and Chicago. Through his association with Moody, he became involved with the Moody Bible Institute for over 34 years, with positions ranging from summer guest lecturer (staring in 1892) to dean, executive secretary, and president (the third, after D. L. Moody and R. A. Torrey) from 1904 to 1934. He also held the position of editor for the Christian magazine Moody Monthly. He also preached at Moody's Chicago Avenue Church (later known as the Moody Church).

In 1929, Gray was awarded another honorary degree, a Doctor of Laws from Des Moines University. On November 1, 1934, he resigned as President of MBI at the age of 83, but continued to serve the school as President-Emeritus. He died of a heart attack on September 21, 1935. The Torrey-Gray Auditorium at the Moody Bible Institute is named in honor of Gray and his predecessor, R. A. Torrey on November 1, 1955.

Gray was one of the seven editors of the first Scofield Reference Bible in 1909. In all, he authored 25 books and pamphlets during his life, some of which are still in print. He also wrote a number of hymns, perhaps the best known of which is Only a Sinner, Saved by Grace[1].

[edit] Bibliography

  • The History of the Holy Dead. New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1896.
  • Bulwarks of the Faith. Elgin, IL: Brethren Publishing House, 1899.
  • Synthetic Bible Studies. New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1906.
  • The Antidote to Christian Science: How to Deal with It from the Bible and Christian Point of View. New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1907.
  • Scofield Reference Bible, editor, 1909
  • Satan and the Saint: The Present Darkness and the Coming Light. Chicago: The Bible Institute Colportage Association, c1909.
  • Great Epochs of Sacred History and the Shadows They Cast'. New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1910.
  • Progress in the Life to Come. New York: Fleming H. Revell, c1910.
  • Salvation from Start to Finish. New York: Fleming H. Revell, c1911.
  • Bible Problems Explained. New York: Fleming H. Revell, c1913.
  • Christian Worker's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments. New York: Fleming H. Revell, c1915.
  • Prophecy and the Lord's Return: A Collection of Popular Articles and Addresses. New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1917.
  • Picture of the Resurrection. New York: Fleming H. Revell, c1917.
  • A Textbook on Prophecy. New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1918
  • Spiritism and the Fallen Angels in the Light of the Old and New Testaments. New York: Fleming H. Revell, c1920.
  • Teaching and Preaching that Counts. New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1934.
  • The Holy Spirit in Doctrine and Life. New York: Fleming H. Revell, c1936.
  • How to Master the English Bible. Chicago: Moody Press, 1951.
  • Mountain Peaks of Prophecy. New York: Christian Herald Bible House, N.d.
  • The Story of My Conversion. Chicago: Moody Bible Institute, N.d.
  • The Concise Bible Commentary, Hendrickson Publishers (current edition) ISBN 1-56563-393-8

[edit] References