Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-12-04
Obituary.
Athens Post.

James Lindsay Matt hews, son of E. H.
and E. A. Matthews, died at Athens, Ten
nessee, On Wednesday night, November 23d,
1881, after illness of thirty-one days, Of
typhoid fever, aged 19 years and four
months.
And thus the flowers are cut down, wither
and pass away. The subject of this notice
was born at Ten Mile Stand, Meigs County,
Tennessee, July goth, 1862, and moved with
his fathers family to Athens on the 9th of
October, 1877 His was indeed an exem-
plary charaeter-upright and most promis-
ing. He has not yet passed the years of
youth, but in moral thought and bearing he
was none the less well-de-
veloped man. Scrupulously correct in
habit, kind and civil in disposition,
his department toward others was of thai
exalted type which commands the respect
and esteem of acquaintances and wins the
affections of classmates and associates. He
was not identified by membership with any
church organization, but his constant atten-
ton to devotional works and his daily walk
gave ample evidence of Christianity in his
heart, the most cheering testimony towhich
was his high sense of honor and his love of
the good and noble in lfe-forcibly empha-
sized by thought and deed. His precept
was above and beyond the reach of criticism,
and the beautiful young manhood which he
at all times exemplifed is priceless legacy
left those who knew loved and must follow
him. 1t is always sad when the season of
death comes round, but how peculiarly
touching the hour when the yigor of
youth which is SO bright and full of
promise for future usefulness and good is
cut down. Jimmie Matthews was the en-
bodinent Of all that is worthy in life, and
the distinguishing traits of his character
| were such as to render his memory doubly
sweet to his mourning friends and kindred.
| As his precious life ebbed peacefully ava y
| the acclaim was heralded that though gar
nered in early years the world was better
| for his having lived in it. He possessed an
| intellect of unusual strength and which
| poised itself above the unworthy things OF
| earth and laid hold upon and grasped with
| quickening warmth the useful and elevating
lessons of purity and truth. The very ap-
pearance of evil he avoided, and if he ever
thought or uttered aught reprehensible in
the sight of Heaven it is not known among
men to mar the harmony of our pleasant
recollection of his being here. The sketch
of his life cannet be properly written by an
imperfect pen, but the fullness and richness
| of his nature will be as fondly cherished by
those who mourn him most and as perpet-
| ually remembered, admired and revered as
! if chiseled in imperishable stone. Tho
light of his life has faded and gone out
| from our midst Death has triumphed
over his body, but the grave holds
not his spotless soul. Too good and pure,
too truthful and upright, too gentle and
modest to longer mingle with the rougher
| clements of earth. God called him to a
peaceful place above. The stricken family
may all be comforted with the assurance
| that his departure hence was happy tran
| sit:on from gloom and darkness to the inef-
fable light and glory of GODS own presence
! compared with which all ON earth is sorrow
and nought is here enticing. j.