James Lewis Prescott

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Feb 25, 1915

James Lewis Prescott

JAMES LEWIS PRESCOTT was born in Epsom, N. H., March 8, 1828, and died in Washington, D. C., Jan. 30, 1915, aged 86 years, 10 months, and 22 days.

The parents of Father Prescott, as he has been known to many, lived on a small farm, and there he spent his early years, receiving his education in the common schools of the town. Dec. 22, 1847, Brother Prescott was married to Harriet M. Tripp, of Epsom, who survives him. Of their nine children, four are now living, and were all present at the funeral.

Brother Prescott's father and mother were religious persons, who trained him up as a Christian lad. He was early converted and became a member of the Baptist Church. He and his father attended the meetings conducted by William Miller in the early forties, and after hearing his exposition of the prophecies concerning the second advent they accepted his views, and were among those who looked for the visible appearing of the Lord, Oct. 22, 1844. The crops in their fields were left unharvested that year till after the passing of this date. Although quite young, Father Prescott experienced the bitterness of the disappointment and of the reproach which followed, but he did not lose confidence in God or his Word. He, with others, waited for an explanation of the disappointment. In the meantime he retained the advent hope, and was in attendance at the camp meeting in Exeter, N. H., where the first public explanation of the subject of the sanctuary in heaven was made, and the nature of the event which was to take place in 1844, according to the prophecy, was explained.

Although Brother Prescott never gave his full time to the gospel ministry, yet he joined with others in conducting public meetings in various places, giving the Biblical reasons for the views which he entertained concerning the second advent.

In 1858, while traveling in Vermont, he stopped with a family of Sabbath keepers, and then for the first time became acquainted with the Scriptural reasons for the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath. Following his life-long principle of obeying the truth as soon as it came to him, he observed the very next Sabbath, and was thus a Sabbath keeper for nearly fifty-seven years.

During this time he watched the rise and progress of this second advent movement, and was personally acquainted with many of its leading representatives. Elders J. N. Andrews, J. N. Loughborough, and M. E. Cornell were frequent visitors at his home, and with his cooperation, held services in the towns where he lived.

During his whole life, Father Prescott took an active interest in public affairs; but he gave his most earnest attention and support to the progress of the advent movement, which he had known from its beginning. During his later years, not being able to engage in active business, he spent much time in reading, it being his habit to read the Bible through in course at least once every year.

Brother Prescott's married life covered a period of more than sixty-seven years, his fiftieth wedding anniversary having been celebrated in 1897 in Battle Creek, Mich., and his sixtieth anniversary in 1907 in Washington, D. C. He continued in unusual good health for a man of his years until June, 1914, when he was thrown violently to the ground while leading his horse in the field. While recovering from the injury and shock which he had received, a trouble due to old age came upon him, and he was obliged to undergo a minor operation in the Sanitarium, where he remained several weeks. Returning to his home, he was, by careful nursing, kept in a reasonably comfortable condition, although never able to leave the house and very rarely leaving his room.

During his declining years, and particularly during his prolonged sickness, he was the object of tender solicitude and loving care on the part of both his resident and his nonresident children.

All that willing hands and loving hearts could do in supplying him with material comforts and in ministering to his necessities, was gladly done. The immediate cause of his death was heart failure, due to an abnormal pressure on the heart caused by enlargement of the stomach.

Father Prescott possessed an unwavering faith. He believed the Word of God with childlike simplicity, and acted upon its instructions. For him to see and recognize the right, was to do the right. Affectionate in his family relationships, his long life embraced a large and constantly widening circle of friends. Thousands knew him to respect and love him for his godly life and Christian endeavors. Toward the sick and afflicted his ministry was particularly devoted. Many were the discouraged sufferers he pointed to the Source of hope. Many were raised up from beds of affliction in answer to his fervent prayers.

In the hour of darkness the anchor of his faith held fast. Death to him had no terrors, because he had committed the keeping of his soul to the One who holds the keys of death and of the grave. During his final sickness, both at the Sanitarium and at home, his thoughts were of others and not of himself, thoughts of others' welfare and comfort, of others' salvation, thoughts of love and joy and peace in believing. He looked beyond the tomb, and with no dimming veil to obstruct the trusting faith, grasped the realities of the glory land.

Among the scriptures which he quoted in his closing hours, was the triumphant expression of faith uttered by the apostle Paul as he was about to close his earthly career: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” These words, we believe, are descriptive of our brother's experience in this life, and prophetic of his reward in the eternal ages.

And so he sleeps. Wearied from the conflict, he lies down to rest awhile till Jesus comes. He rests in the arms of eternal Love. Who would call him back to physical suffering? We grieve, but not in darkness. Hope and faith bridge the gulf which death has caused. Beyond, a little way from this, is the day of glad reunion. For it let us live and labor. May our brother's faith and devotion to God prove incentives by God's grace to bring us to the eternal reward awaiting him and awaiting all who will live godly in Christ Jesus.

Brother Prescott leaves to mourn a wife, a sister, three sons, one daughter, four grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren.