The Irish standard., 1889-01-19
UPON WORTHY SHOULDERS.
Sketch CT the Newly Elected Supe
ricr Of the Paulist Society,
Rev. A. F. Hewitt.

r Rev. A. F. Hewitt.
CONVERSION TO CATHOLlCITY
He Graduated from Amherst College a
the Age Of Nineteen and Began
the P.,actice of Law.
No better man could be selected f0l
, succession TO the late Father Hecker
says the Boston Republic OF the 18Th
inst, than the man upon whom his
brethren of the Paulist community cor,
ferred their suffrages at the specid
election held last week, Rev. Angus
tine T. Hewitt. who was chosen Father
Hecker's successor, is one of the oldest
members of the Pauiists, having Joined
hat body with Father Hecker when
the latter left the Reoemptorsts. BY
birth a native of the Nutmeg State, his
history has been cllequered one. His
father was a minister Of the Congrega
tional denomination, and had for his
charge church Of that sect at Bridge
port. It, was at Fairfield. in Connects
cut, however, that the future Paulist
- as born sixty nine years ago next No.
vember 27. Father Hewitt father sent
him to Amherst College to be educated,
and in his nineteenth year the young
man graduated from that institution,
aud began the practice Of the law.
That avoc:ltion not being to his liking,
and probably inheriting his father s
love for the ministry, he shortly after
wards undertook the study Of theology,
and after making his course in that, he
was ordained for the Episcopal church.
another denomination from that III
which his father served, though it is On
! record that the latter changed from
Congreg ationalism to PresbYterianism
in the closing years Of his life Rev.
MIR. Hewitt, the younger, soon attracted
attention by his nigh church tes,denc,es
in the Episcopal fold, and following
those up, and with an honest desire to
know the truth aud recognize it, it WAS
not long before his conversion to Cath
olicitY was announced. The event in
Father Hewit's life occurred about
forty three years ago, aud it was short
ly afterwards followed by his ordina-
tion to the priesthood. Naturally of
recluse nature, he sought in the Re-
demptorist order those opportunities
for study and meditation lie coveted,
but when Father Hecker, also at first d
Redemptorst, conceived the idea OF the
Paulist community, cne of the first to
join him was Father Hewitt. who re-
manned to see his first superior called
away by death and also to succeed him.
In the work Of building up the Paulist
community to its present recognized
prosperity and success, Father Hecker
found in Father Hewitt an able and ac--
complishsd worker. Especially SER
viceable was his work in the literary
labors Father Hecker undertook, and
his pen has often contributed able arIi-
cles to the Catholic World. In fact it
may be said that for the past quarter
of century Father Hewit's contribu.
tions to Catholic literature have been
almt st unceasing, and when it is borne
in mind that in addition to this work
he has performed the duties that de-
volved upon HIM as one of the profess
ors in the seminary that his order
maintained for its ecclesiastics the
busy nature of his life can be better
judged. Among his published books
are Problems of the Age y The Kings
Highway" 1.-The Life Of Princess
Borghese' and others. But, perhaps, a
uetter idea of his ability than eau be
given by mentioning the works he has
written can be CLEANED from the fol-
lowing extract from one OF his latest
articles IN the Catholic World, his SUBJ
ject being ''Hawthorne's Attitude
Toward Catholicism. Father Hewitt
says: 1--WE Americans may congratu-
late ourselves that writer's Of the first
rank in our literature, those who may
be called its authors and chiefs. haye
been 80 refined IN their imaginatlons
and pure in their moral sentiments.
In the walk of our lighter prose COM
position, it is enough to mention the
names of Washington Irving and James
Fenimore Cooper, and then dx our at
tention exclusively on their worthy sue.
cessor. the subject Of our remarks,
Nathaniel Hawthorne. His personal
character, and the way in which his
own individual, domestic and social
"reminiscences delightfully."- blend with
the texture of his writings, have made
him likewise favorite and d common
friend as a man. Even the members of
his family shared in this, and now that
MIR. Julian Hawthorne, whom every
body had know as boy, his fathers
constant companion, and who, in his
manhood, has earned fame by his own
writings. has given US the charming
,hxy .,f io1s II