The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-03-25 00:00:00

THE LATE REV. DR. HEWSON.

[The following sketch of this eminent divine, which we
take from a Swansea paper, will, we have reason to be-
lieve, be acceptable to many of our readers.]
It becomes our painful duty to record an event, which
may justly be deemed, as it will unquestionably be consi-
dered by this large community, a deep calamity. Swansea
has lost one of her best friends, one of her most sincere
Christians, one of her most upright magistrates, and one
of her most accomplished and highly-gifted residents, in
the death of the Rev. Doctor Hewson, who has, during a
period of upwards of thirty years, been the vicar and
resident minister of this parish.
The melancholy event took place in London, whither
the reverend gentleman had proceeded, in the hope of
recovering his health ; but, alas! he had scarcely reached
the metropolis ere the hand of death closed his mortal
career.

It will be generally admitted that few individuals could
have been placed in a situation, such as the Rev. Doctor
Hewson occupied in this extensive parish, more capable
of successfully competing with the difficulties by which
he was surrounded, and of satisfactorily performing the
onerous duties imposed on him. The minister of an ex-
tensive district, densely populated, a great proportion of
whose inhabitants differed trom him in religious opinions,
he was, nevertheless, the friend of all, and by all was
equally respected and beloved ; not only members of the
church establishment, but dissenters alike regarded him
with affection, frie•idship, and esteem : for whilst he en-
tertained the tenets of what is called the " high church,"
he so comported himself as to call forth the animosity of
none. It may indeed truly be said of him, that he pos-
sessed zeal, tempered with discretion ; and religion, wisely
and charitably mingled with Christian toleration and mild
forbearance.

As a preacher, Dr. Hewson's eloquent and lucid dis-
courses will long be remembered and cherished by his
flock, whilst his earnest and persuasive Christian appeals,
whether in the pulpit or in the sick room, or in the way
of consolation or reproof, will never be effaced from the
minds of those who enjoyed the advantage of hearing 11,s
able expositions and religious exhortations.
Strictly orthodox in the creed of the established church,
he never failed stoutly to stand forth, and efficaciously to
maintain the truth of her tenets, nor fearlessly and faith-
fully to preach her doctrines in his congregation; whilst
his example, both in private and public life, fully testified
that the religion he possessed and maintained before the
world, was the guide, support, and study of his own
blameless life and conversation.
In public life, as a loyal subject and an upright and in-
dependent Magistrate, he was justly looked up to and
highly esteemed ; he also contributed much to the comfort,
welfare, and happiness of the needy poor, not only by his
private and unostentatious charity, but as Chairman of
the Swansea Poor Law Guardians, which position he held
from the first fcrmation of the " Union" up to the time
of his decease :—fulfilling the duties of that highly im-
portant office to the entire satisfaction of the public,—of
the guardians over whom he presided, and also to the
advantage of those who either in the course of law or ne-
cessity became the objects of parochial care. In him his
oppressed or poverty-stricken fellow-man ever found a
ready advocate, and powerful friend, whilst the public
interests were benefitted by his strict and impartial
scrutiny, and his able superintendence of the trusts com-
mitted to his care.
In social and private life he was the ornament of the
circle in which he moved, the friend to be depended on,
and the accomplished and highly educated gentleman,
whom all admired and esteemed—a kind and affectionate
husband and parent—a lenient and considerate master,
and, though last, not least, a truly honest and upright
man.

Such is the imperfect sketch we have drawn of the
character of the accomplished clergyman whom it has
pleased Divine Providence to remo‘e from amongst us.
His loss will be long and painfully felt by all classes of
the community, and his memory deservedly cherished
and dearly venere-d, not only by his family and circle of
friends, but by the p Nic at large.
The regret telt at dec calamity which has, in the hands
of the Almighty, befallen us, may, however, be well sof-
tened in the recollection that our kind Mend and pastor
was well prepared to meet his end, and that he has
departed this life in sincere and Christian hope, and in
humble, though firm, assurance of inhabiting a better
world. " For we know that if our earthly house of this
tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building of God, an
house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."