The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-06-19
THE NEW PRESIDENT.

Rev. THOMAS HAMILTON LEWIS, A.
NJ. d. D.. who was elected to the Presi-
dency of Western Maryland College by the
Board of Trustees in January last, and will
assume the duties of his new position at
the close of the present scholastic year, was
born near Dover, Delaware, December 11th,
1852, of Thomas H. and Sabra A. Lewis.
He spent his childhood and early man.
hood there, and in Caroline and Talbot
counties on the Eastern Shore of Maryland,
where he received the rudiments Of the
education which was subsequently, pursued
with high credit to himself and satisfaction
to his instructors, in the institution OF which
he now becomes President.
His career has been remarkable one.
Few men of his age have filled so many
places of honorable distinction, and each
successive position to which he has been
called, has been the result of the ability
which has marked his course in the pre-
ceding one. So that, not by single bound,
but step by step, by the resistless force OF
rare natural endowments, and hard and
patient toll, has he come, by the unanimous
choice of the Trustees, to preside over the
destinies of his Alma Mater.
In his nineteenth year, he entered the
Freshman Glass of Western Maryland Col
lege, and having taken the full course in
literature and science, and also the Theo-
logical course, making grade which has
not been attained by any other student, in
the history of the College, he graduated
with the decree of A. B. in June, 1875
As the Valedictorian of his class, his ora
ton upon the "Life and Career of David
Livingstone" was mastery presentation
of the subject
In August, 1875, he was appointed by
the President of the Maryland Annual
Conference, to take charge of the Metho
dist Protestant Church at Cumberland,
Nd. His ministry at this place was at
tended by marked success, and prior to the
assembling of the Conference in March,
1876, at which time he became formally
member of that body, one hundred and
fifty persons we're, under his ministry, ad
ded to the Cumberland Church. He re-
mained in that charge until March, 1877,
when at the request of ST. Johns Indepen-
dent Methodist Church of Baltimore, he
became co-pastor with the venerable and
learned Rev. Augustus Webster, ID. d.
This appointment was renewed for five
successive years, during which time he
availed himself of the opportunity Of tax
ing course in Hebrew and Syriac in the
Johns Hopkins University.
During two of these years he was pastoro Of
the Church; DR. Webster having resigned,
end being made Pastor Emeritus. In De-
cember, 1877, he married Mary M. Ward,
daughter of President Ward, of Western
Maryland College.
Obtaining the consent Of the Maryland
Annual Conference in March, 1879, he
published, in connection with the minutes
of that session, most valuable Historical
Record of all the sessions fthe Conference
from 1929 to 1879, making volume of
135 pages, s vo.
In March 1880, he was elected Secre-
tary of the Conference and continued in
the Office until the session of 1886, when
his election to the Presidency of the Col
lege, compelled him to resign the Secretary
ship.
Immediately at the conclusion of his
pastorate of st. Johns Church in Baltimore
in 1882, he was chosen by the Board Of
Governors, Principal of the School of Theo-
logy, since Incorporated under the title Of
'eThe Westminster Theological Seminary,
and continued President of that institution
until the close of the Seminary year in May
last.
In this position he was clothed with the
full authority of the Board, not only to
organize course of study for Theological
Students, but to direct all the measures
looking to the successful establishment of
the institution His plans to this end were
wisely conceived, and carried forward with
much energy and skill, and the Seminary,
as its stands to-day, fully founded and free
from debt, reflects the highest credit upon
his administrative abilities.
He was one of the representatives from
the Maryland Annual Conference to the
General Convention which met in Balti-
more in May, 1884, and took prominent
! part in the work of that body. He was