Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-09-15
OBITUARY.


Rev. j. J. Lewis.
The Rev. J. j. Lewis died at his sum-
mer home at Queen City Part at 23O
o'clock yesterday afternoon, aged 70
years.
John Jay Lewis was born July 6, 1910,
in Montpelier. He was seventh In descent
from George Lewis, who landed at Ply
mouth In 1880. His father, well-to-do
farmer, was Orlando f. Lewis, NJ Mont
pelier, and his mother. Cecilia y. (Nash)
Lewis. came Of an old English family that
settled In Rehoboth In 100.
His early training was received in the
district school OF his native town. He
fitted for an academic course in the Or
leans Liberal Institute at Glover. and In
1888 entered the Barre Academy, from
which he graduated in 1859. The follow
Ing August he entered Tufts College from
which he graduated MS valedlctorian. July
8. 1868, and the ensuing September Became
principal Of the Green Mountnin Liberal
Institute, at South Woodstock. remaining
there two years. The succeeding year
found him financial agent for Goddard
Seminary, Barre.
He preached his first sermon In Lvce,in,
hall before the old Fourth t-nlvcrsallst
ately afterwards he received two calls to
settle as pastor--,ne from the above So
ciety, and one from tho Tniversalist So
ciety OF Williston. The latter was ac-
cepted. After serving one year he went
to Boston. and preached again at South
Boston. in July. 1851. This resulted in a
second call from the old Fourth society.
ana he became It's pastor in December OF
that year. Rev. a. a. Miner preaching the
ordination sermon. The society had been
orsa nized In 1890 as the Fourth Universal
list society. II subsequently changed its
name 20 the Broadway Universalist so
cioty. and when 1t dedicated its new
church edifce two years after Mr. Lewis
took charge.
He married in 1863 Ahbie Goodwin Davis
OF Montpelier. During the years OF the
South Boston pastorate, Mrs. Lewis be-
came well known ms a writer for children
in the Wide Awake, the Ladies' Home
Journal, the Youths Companion, and
other periodicals. Mrs Lewis died In
New York city in November, 1856.
In 1891, Mr. Lewis saw tho Passion Play
In OberammerEau. His interest In the
famous religious festival became so strong
that he began to lecture on the subject
in and about Boston. Gradually calls
came from distant points, and in 1893 he
resigned at South Boston and devoted
himself exclusively to lecturing on the
Passion Play. the Canadian Rockies, Old
New England. ard on "arious European
countries As a lecturer he was heard in
most of the States OF the Union. Because
of the strongly religious motive which
swayed Mr. Lewis in his presentation of
the Passion Play. lie became known rs
the apostle of the Passion Play in
America" He visited Oberammergau agaiu
in 1850 and continued through the fol
lowing decade his lecturng work. Again,
In the present year, no made the trip to
Oberammergau and saw the first two or
three performances of the play there. On
the return trip, Mr.. Lewis was violently
i'll with what was supposed to be sea-
sickness. After an Illness Of three weeks
at the Aston House In New York city.
he was brought to his summer home N
Queen CITY Park. At first the change was
entertained But steady decline has been
observable in recent weeks.
Mr. Levi. ia survived by his second
wife. Louisa Fl. Piecha of New York.
whom he married in 1905 and by two sons.
Leo II. Lewis, professor OF music At Tufts
College. and Orlando +. Lewis, now cor
responding secretary OF the prison as
ISOLATION Of New York city. formerly
professor Of Germanic languages at the
University of Maine.
The funeral arrangements are not yet
completed.