THE
P RTAL
August 2012
Page 13
David Lewis:
A Welsh Hero
of The Oxford Movement
by Br Sean
The Oxford Movement is rightly associated with its three main protagonists: Newman, Keble
and Pusey. These Oriel dons provided the movement with the leadership, enthusiasm and intellectual rigor
which would ensure its success, so much so that by the mid 1830s the influence of the Oxford Movement
began to eclipse the hugely popular Evangelical Movement. Yet despite their greatness, the genesis, progress
and consequences of the Oxford Movement cannot be reduced to Keble, Pusey and Newman alone.
The movement is indebted to many men, who in
their own particular way, contributed to its cause.
Here we will try to thrown light on some ‘men of the
movement’ who have long since fallen into obscurity
and seem to have been forgotten by history. One such
man was David Lewis.
Lewis was born in Llanddeiniol, Ceredigion,
Wales in 1814. Lewis was educated locally and in
Twickenham where his father’s brother, David Lewis
D.D. (Oxon), had founded a grammar school. He came
up to Oxford in 1834, a year after the movement had
begun. Naturally as a Welshman he was an alumnus of
Jesus College, where he graduated in 1837. Lewis was
followed by his brother, Evan Lewis, who matriculated
at Jesus in 1838, and who would also become a leading
Tractarian figure in Wales.
Newman trust and affection for Lewis is seen
through their correspondence. In 1847 Newman
informed him, in advance, that he and a group of his
friends were to become Oratorians. The following year
when Newman published anonymously the novelLoss
and Gain, he turned to Lewis, asking him to act as
intermediary with the printers.
In 1849 Lewis married the Hon. Jane Meuthen.
As a layman he wished to do his part for the legacy
of the movement, particularly for converts. He was
instrumental, together with the Duke of Norfolk
and A. Fullerton, in the founding of the first London
Oratory, in King William Street, the Strand in 1849.
From 1860 he settled in Arundel where he devoted
the remainder of his life to the study of Canon Law,
Church history and the lives of the saints. Throughout
his life he maintained close ties with the Oratorians of
Having taken Anglican Orders after graduation, Lewis the Brompton Oratory, always making it his custom to
became curate of a proprietary chapel in Roehampton, dine with them on St. Philip’s Day.
which was then a centre for Tractarianism. In 1839
He died at Arundel in 1895. To Lewis we can certainly
he was appointed a Fellow of Jesus College, later
becoming Dean and Vice-Principal. During the end of apply Newman’s words: ‘Blessed are they who resolve –
Newman incumbency at the University Church Lewis come good, come evil, come sunshine, come tempest,
come honour, come dishonour, that he shall be their
served as his curate from 1842 until 1843.
Lord and Master, their King and God.’
Newman’s Letters and Diaries attest to their frequent
With special thanks to Rhidian Jones
walks and dining together. Lewis was in fact a valuable
support to Newman in the difficult months following
the publication of Tract XC in 1842, which ultimately
heralded Newman’s retirement to Littlemore and
resignation of his beloved ministry at St. Mary’s. While
Saturday 15 September 2012
Lewis did not live at Littlemore Newman greatly
admired Lewis’s intellect, and made him his friend
National Pilgrimage to Walsingham
and confidant. Inspired by Newman, Lewis followed
The Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of
him into the full communion of the Roman Catholic
Walsingham is organising a National Pilgrimage
Church on 31 May 1846, having earlier resigned his
to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham on
Fellowship at Jesus College.
Saturday 15 September 2012.
On Pilgrimage - 2