The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-08-17

SRs. ANN ~. HvDeiRs
{ By Geo. Gowen)


miles north of the Court House,
three weeks ago, after only a
a. brief and almost painless illRess.
She IS survived by her aged hus-
band who|is now in his ninetieth
year. Her maiden name was
Wright aud she was a native IS
I caroline county, Va. bat has
Been aresident Of Mathews since
her marriage to Thos. J. Hud-
gins fifty-seven years ago. Two
sisters in Caroline and one in
Richmond survive her. She has
also three sons-and three daugh-
tiers living TO mourn ti1e loss of a
truly greac and gracious and low
ling. mother. Mrs. Hudgins was
richly endowed with all the ele
lments'Of strohg. vigorous. Chris
tan womanhood. One could
never come In contact with her
without being impressed by the
Strength and robustness of her
character. AS a daughIen. sister.
wife. neighbOr,. friend and. Chris
tian her light eve. shown. She
was member of the Church of
Christ (Disciples}- and held her
faith IntellIgentlY. II was a faxed
and living pri1Ciple with. her and
trom such foundation. solidiY laid
away back IN her young woman
hood, she never departed 1t
.meant much to, embrace those
principles when' she was young
and TO COntend>tor them IN, much
I'Of her aften life, but ia this she
counted it all JOY to suffer, if
needs be. fon Christ sake. She
was tolerant yet firm, ferwent yet
intelligent in holding TO and main
tanning her Christians principles.
She was in her eighty third year
and during that long, rich life,
SO full gracious deeds, she was
a type and representative of all
that was best in fine old Virginia
l'womanhOod. The very Condi
tons of her earlier life tended to
develop inst such, strength aud
'plendor Of character. Who can
measure the influence of such
lie on the century which it near
lay pardlleleda. What, . mighty
measure OF the worlds progress
;loes suct:ia life represent. Meas
urej by economic. polite al so
cial and educational pTOgr ess the
'earlierdays of her life seem like
ancient history. Wh,a ( mum
0erless lives have been touched
and blessed by her life stretching
through all these stormy and fate
ful Years!; Yet all,of the good III
that life and all growing out of it
came from the Saviour. whom
she confessed and served and the
religion which she espoused. She
trusted in this Christ for life. ser
vice and Immortality. Is the
stream of such life lost in the
grave? Is her heart-longing, for
lioved ones gone before a delusion
land a mockery'f Is the prayer of
her aged companion for another
glimpse Of the face of his, wife OF
more than half a century. TO enl
in disappointment, l. do not SO
| believe. But If death be the end.
Iif the life~of sister Hudgins is ter
| minated upon this bank and shoal
of time, if no morning is.to dawn
upon the night IN which she
sleeps, then sorrow. has no con-
ISOLATION and this solemn service
has no more significance than
1.-THE painted pageant ofsthe stage
If her existence here were bat d
troubled dream, her death obliv
ion. what. avail these tears, and
words and service?. Neither ven
Grafton .Or,reverence are due the
sleeping if they are bat DUST. no
cenotaph should be reared to pre-
serve for posterity the memory OF
/ their achievements, if those who
come after them are TO be ONLY
their SUCCESSORS III. annahilation
and extinction.
Unless we survive the grave,
the ties of birth. affection and
friendship are a delusive mockerY
the structures Of law and custom: