Professor Joseph Henry Thayer, D.D., Litt.D., Bussey Professor of New Testament Criticism and Interpretation Emeritus, died at his home at 67 Sparks street, yesterday morning at two o'clock at the age of seventy-three. He had been ill for several months and in order to regain his health he spent last summer abroad. He returned this fall somewhat improved, but about three weeks ago he suffered a relapse and gradually grew worse until his death yesterday morning. A widow and four daughters survive him.

Professor Thayer graduated from Harvard in 1850 with the degree of A.M. and from the Andover Theological Seminary in 1857. Later he accepted the pastorate of a church in Salem, Massachusetts, which he kept until 1864, when he became Professor of Sacred Literature at the Andover Theological Seminary. In 1884 he was made Bussey Professor of New Testament Criticism and Interpretation in the Divinity School. This position he held until last spring, when he resigned on account of failing health.

Professor Thayer was the author of several works, the most important being "The Change of Attitude Toward the Bible," "Books and Their Use," and "A Greek-English Lexicon of the New important translations of New Testament Grammer, and has contributed numerous articles to magazines on theological subjects.

In 1873 he received the degree of D.D. from Yale and received the same degree from Harvard in 1884 and from Princeton in 1896. The degree of Litt.D. was conferred upon him by the University of Dublin in 1892. He has been a Fellow of Harvard University since 1877, and was also a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.