The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1894-01-13
A NOTED CONV ERT
An Interesting Biographical Sketch
!. OF Very Rev. Father Hewitt.
Written by Himself.
THE HEAD OF THE PAULlsTs,

He Passed From Congregational
ism 20 Bpiscopalianism and
Then Became Catholic.
ssome years ago Father Hewitt. the
head Of the Paulist order, consented to
write an account of has conversion to the
she Catholic faith which is now pub
lashed in Volume entitled "From the
Highways ct Life" from which the fol
lowing is taken:
My father inherited his patropymic
naIoe from. an honest English marine r
who, though not Puritan, was an early
ssettler in New England. My mother in
herited hers from an Irish Presbyterian
minister who came over TO Connections
about the year 1877 and married lineal
descendant Of the Puritan Captain John
Mason. I was bred in the Congrega-
tional sect and In the strictest Calvanis-
tic doctrine + ava New Englander in
heart as we'll as by birth and descent,
snd I have sincere respect for my an
cestors and the other foretathers Of my
own country and people, SO far as their
civic and social virtues deserve it. Their
religion also / honor, inasmuch asit was
based on belief in the Bible, in the di-
vinityof Christ and on sound morality.
am grateful for the goodly natural her
itaQs they have left to their otfspring,
and also for tbs Christian tradition, al
belt defective one, which they have
transmitted. There is no claim, how
sver which parents eau have on the reli
gious allegiance ot their offspring after
the period Of homage, except SO far as
they represent q higher and divine an-
therity. Allegiance to ancestral religion,
so far ss it is in any way due, ought to
be given to the original Christianity of
tonr Catholic forfathers in England, who
were converted from heathenism by the
missionaries OF the Roman Church.
never felt any sympathy with Puri-
tanism. A spontaneous repugnauce OF
mind and heart to this narrow, harsh
and dreary system Of religion sprang UP
in me as soon as began to have thoughts
and sentiments OF my own. This was
fostersd by my reading, which / began
at very early age,in history and general
literature. Besides this, ( was fre-
quently conversing with relatives and
friends whose religion was OF a milder
and more genial type, particularly with
the Episcopalians. A thaw had set in
among the orthodox Congregationalists,
under which their Calyinism was melt
ing away. This did not effect me much,
except as it weakened the moral influ-
ence which is exerted by common
consent and agreement in doctrine. I
was attracted to the Episcopalian Prot
estentism from childhood, aud to no
other. I was familiar with it from read
ing English history and literature, often
attending it's services, and even perusiDg
some Of its able works of controversial
divinity. Think that il I had been edu-
Gated ander the High Church discipline,
or had even been permitted to exercise
the right of private judgment by choos
ing roy religion for myself, might have
been practically religious during my
boyhood and youth. As it was, only
made occasional and ftful efforts in that
direction. un,er the influence OF the
emotional excitement to which young
people in the evangelical sects are at
tin es liable, especially during what they
call 'srevivals." At twelve had finished
the course at Phillips Academy, An
dover, and before was fifteen was en-
tered at Amherst College. lnever4 made
what is called profession OF religion
until some months after my graduation.
During my college life [ was inclined to
look Tor q philosophy purely rational and
not specifically Christian, after the
manner of Carlyle. I had no expectation
OF joining any kind of church. muoh less
of entering the clerical profession. I
: .
was looking forward to secular profess
sion, to gaining all honorable worldly
advantages and ENJOYMENT, to acquiring
wealh and fame, and, in short, was build
ing castles in Spain Of great magniti. !.
cence. III .5.i fg5 ,sj rs 81
81. I was convinced BY study that the
Protestant sects which had organized
.themsel ses on the Presby yterisn basis had.
Departed altogether from the apostolic
and primitive order Of episcopacy, IS
that their claim tosI Be recegn ized asI
sohurnhes was questionable and thesiir-
regularity of their constitution was oer-|
tain. !.
ron this time |u,s Ipect tor the Re-
laationSa u general snnoysinsn and
I q u u snd1a