The San Francisco call., 1897-07-04

Paulists, tie head of that organization,
died at 9:l3 P. NJ. yesterday in New York.
Information OF the sad event was received
at The local 'house" by telegraph shortly
after the passing away of the distinguished
priest.
Father Hewitt was born in Fairfield,
Conn, November q, 1920. His career was
a remarkable one. His father was Ma
thaniel Hewitt, Congregational minister
Hewitt when he was II years OF age,
went to Phillips Academy at Exeter,
Mass, to prepare for college He entered
Amherst College when he was l5 years of
age and graduated in 1889 After that he
studied law for one year with his uncle
When 20 years of age he entered the theo-
logical institute at Windsor. After study
ing there two years he was licensed to
preach as a Congregationalist, but in 1S43
was ordained deacon in the Protestant
Episcopal church. His health became
very precarious at this time and his physi-
clan tod him that he could not live or
more than one year.
Thinking that trip to the Old World
might be OF benefit he was selected to
accompany Bishop Southgate, mission
ary TO the Greek church in Constants
nopie. But the missionary committee
refused to ratify the appointment on the
ground that Mr. Hewits beliefs were too
decidedly Catholic. He was then living
In Baltimore under the jurisdiction of
Bishop Wittingham. Leaving Baltimore
he went to Charleston, S. c., in l842 and
was received into the Catholic church
there one year later.
After two years study under Bishop
Reynolds, the Catholic Bishop of Charles
ton, he Was ordained by that prelate in
March, 1S47. Three years later he joined
the Rede ptionist order in Baltimore
Father Hewitt worked in the diocese of
Charleston.
He began his work as a missionary in
tie Uniied States in 1851 in the city of
New York. He, with Fathers Hecker,
Deshon, Walworth and Baker, establis I'd
the Iirst Catholic mission that was ever
given in the United States He continued
a Redemptionist until 1858 when Father
Hecker founded the Pauiist order, which
organization Father Hewitt then joined.
An interesting account OF the mission
aly la abors of these seven years is to be
found in a book written by him entitled,
: "The Memoirs of Rev. Francis Baker"
. He contn ued the work OF establishing
missions until 1865. Since that time until
the last two years, when he was Ill, he was
engaged in theological studies and literary
work, teaching almost constantly in the
temlnarleS OF the GaullSl Il dtheiS Ah Nc"
York and al Washington.
=. He has written numbe OF books, but
i best known by the articles which he has
contributed to all the Catholic magazines
and reviews in the United States ana to
:SOme of those of Europe. He was editor
OF the Catholic World from 1869 TO 1874
and professor Of philosophy and theology
in the Paulist Seminary. His opinions
on Scripture. questions have been highly
esteemed among theologians and received
with the greatest respect by those who
differed from them. HIS linguistic ac-
quirements were extensive.
About fifteen y"ars ago mherst Col
.lege, in recognition of Father Hewits
literary and theological abilities. conferred
upon him the degree of Doctor OF Divinity,
a strange fact when one considers that
most of Hewit's theological writings are
directed poin tedIy against the theologi-
cal views taught at Amherst. Eleven
years ago Leo XIII conferred the degree
OF D. ID. upon hum.
T.. His death was due to a complication OF
troubles attendant on old age.
There are but two organizations, or
houses, as they are called, of the Paulists