Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-07-28
REV. THOMAS ]. SAWYER,
Grand Old Man of CnfyeFsalist
Denomination.

who Was a Native Of Reading and Who
Preached tm wsst Br.ttIsboro Years
Ago---Took Part in FOunaIag Lad
ing Esus@fISnaI InstItatisns-
Rev. Thomas J. Sawyer, 5. 7. D.,
IL D.. the venerable dean and Professor
emeritus os Tufts college. died NO1t2Y al
his home in Madford, Mass, aged e5. He
WAS born in Rea3ing. Vt, Jan. p lsu4-
After attending The public schools and
teaching school be WA A STUDENT AZ Chea-
ter academy and At MttLe5ulT college
giving especial zsieutio1 10 HletaPhYa5cS-
There was 10 Univers1liss theological
school AZ that time and be completed his
studies for the ministry under the flree-
tfon Of Rsv. ". L BAIch AZ Wtnchssserr
". Fl.
he was ordained By The New England
UntversAlis1 Convention - Ye2rz ago last
September. tud Of the ministers Of the de-
nomination Of that time OnlY two Others
are now Iiving-Reg- M2s@1n2 = B1uou
oF SsouzhsOu- M2ss-. and Rev. Lucila z
Paige Of CamoTidgeport- Mass One Of
Mr.. Savers pupEIs in she district school
Al Ps,ztfnz In bis early manhood was the
lase Isaiah BOTnsOu, II. A warm friend
shfu grew ous Of their kindred tastes and
both determined 70 enter The ministry.
Mr. SAWYER. Mr.. BOyn5On and Mr.. Balch
are named A. among the preachers ThO
were heard AZ West Brastle5OFO In the
ezrly GzTs q the denomination IN this
town.
Mr.. Savers frat passOrate vas in New
York ctsy. During his second pastorzie,
also in the metropolis, the great cholera
eutdeCnic took place but he opened his
church morning and evening and served
and cOufOrEed the suffering While IN
View York he made an extensive sandy Of
Hebrew aud Creek He was editor Of the
Christian Messenger seTerzl years, and in
Is45 vas called 20 the head Of the Clinton,
y. L. liberal institute, where be sstao-
Hshed the first Universzliss theological
school, which numbered among Iis pupils
some Of the moss prominent tiTines Of the
present time.
In ls44 be drew up plans fOr the gov
eminent Of the deuomi nation which we're
substantially the same a. those oy which
sle conventions are now controlled
He took the initiative in calling 4 special
convention TO make better educational pro
visions for the church, which resulted in
the establishment Of Tufts college, Oi
which he was one Of the original trustees
he also took an active part in the move
ment which terminated in the plans fol
the Canton theological school and 81. Law
renee university, Of which school he VA
for long time president Of the board o.
trustees.
His scholarship and zItzinments won TO
him the honorary degree Of 5. 7. D., con
ferred by Harvard in 1850. Tufts, st. Law
renee and Lombard university all wished hi
services a. president, but he decliped then
all. At this time there seems to have beef
no Office in the church to which he woult
not have done credit
He subsequently, preached in New Yorl
city until the outbreak Of the rebellion
in 1861. From that time on he de
voted himself to more Of literary life
acting a. editor Of the Christian Ambzsss
dor and writing religious works. In 1859
however, he came TO College Hill at tn
opening Of TUFTS divinity school, and va
afierEzrd made dean Of the faculty, Thicl
Office he held until quite recently.
During the s. years Of his life devote
to the church, he probably did more wit
ing, preaching and teaching than any 9th
CT person living, and, as a crOEning effOl
to his pure life Of labor and service, b
wrote the wonderful discourse deliveIe
before the United States Uniyersalist cor
Tention held in Washington, D. C., in o.
tOber.
His wife, who died in 1894, was Carolin
N. Fisher Of Newton, Mass, whose d.
nomiuational writings, as we'll as her yers
and TRANSACTIONS, made her well know
throughout New England.