CAMBRIANS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2401, 8 March 1900, Page 29

CAMBRIANS.

March s.— The water supply is very small just now, compelling most of the claims to shorten the working hours to nearly half time. School— Mr Allen, of Kokonga, has been appointed schoolmaster of the Cambrians School in the place of our former teacher, Mr W. Appleby, wlio resigned a month ago, and is leaving the district. Sports. — The sports which took place op. the Ist of March, St. David's Day, went ofi^very quietly, being somewhat marred -by the death ■of Mrs T. Hughes, but apart from that everything went off smoothly. Refreshments were handed round by the ladies. The evening was spent in dancing, which, was kept up till about 2 o'clock, -when all went^home well satisfied. The St. Bathans Brass Band was in attendance. Obituary. — I have this week to record the death of one of the early settlers, in the person of Mary Hughes, wife of Thomas Hughes, who peacefully passed away 'on March 1, at her late residence, Vinegar Fiat. Deceased and her husband were married on the 4th of March, 1860, in their native town, Merthyr. on the boi-der of the County of Glamorganshire, South Wales. After they had been married a month, Mr Hughes decided to seek fields and pastures new, where he might improve his prospects in life. With that intention, he set sail, for Australia, and from there he came over to the West Coast, then in 1862 he came to Otago, finally settling down iv Cambrians, where he has resided ever since. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Ormond, followed her husband five years later, and was met by him in Dunedin, and then came straight to Cambrians. Mrs Hughes was loved and respected by all who knew her : she was always ready to give a helping hand where it was needed. Her life was somewhat saddened by the fact that she was an invalid, being partly paralysed since the birth of her first-born, Mr^ Ormond Hughes, pioprietor of the old Welshman's coal pit, and for tho last 20 years Jihe poor woman had Jbeeu confined to her house; but for all that her end came at last unexpectedly and suddenly, she being seized, with an .apoplectic fit, from which she never "jecoverecl consciousness. It is some consolation to Mr Hughes in his troiiblo to know that he -did all a husbaiKl could do to alleviate the sufferings of. his poor wife while she lived. Deceased leaves a husband and grown-up family of five sons and lv;o daughters to mourn their loss, and several grandchildren. Had she lived to see tlic Ith of March, the anniversary of their wedding, they would have been married 40 Years. lies:

mortal remains were followed on. the 3rd {<> the St. Bathans Cemetery by a large number of people, the Rev. Mr Gellie officiating at the house and the grave, and, as is customary with the Welsh people; they sang a hymn at the house and- another at the grave from Sankey's selection, "We are going homo" and '• By-ancVbye." I may say. that the bereaved family have the heart-ferfc sympathy of all who know them. Deceased was 63 years of age.

An Obituary Sermon. — On Sabbath, March 4, the Rev. James C. Gellie, 8.A., of Lauder, preached in the Cambrians School a funeral sermon on the late Mrs Hughes. He took for his text Second Corinthians, v, 1 : "For we know that if our earthly house of this taber T nacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." And at the close of his sermon he spoke as .follows: — I daresay, brethren, you will perceive that I have been, led to consider the subject of the text by what has recently taken place in this locality. One who for 35 yesrs lived in this immediate neighbourhood has been taken away by death, and this event, I think, may be the occasion of profitable reflection, and ought not to be let pass without being noticed. The late Mrs Hughes was dearly beloved by all who knew her. It pleased God to visit her with a long bodily illness. For the last, 20 years of her life she was unable to walk, "'and was for tho most part confined to the house. But she hail many alleviations in her illness. She had her husband and a loving family beside her, and ! she received all care and attention at their i hands. Though unable to attend public worj ship, she greatly enjoyed the. religious service ! which from time to time was held in her own house, and it is comforting to think she had this satisfaction on the Saboath previous to her death. Mrs Hughes was born at Merthyr, in, Wales, in 1337, and she possessed all the piety and religious fervour which characterise so . many of the Welsh people. She was_ early mr life married to one" who was- of " a "like mmcl with herself, and who has taken a great interest in the church in this place. Mr Hughes emigrated to the colonies in 1860. and he was joined by his wife from Wales in lEGS. Since .that time Mrs Hughes has lived in thiw place, respected and beloved by all. She had a generous heart, and was c\ er ready to assist m any good woik. She was a good wife, a loving mother, and an obliging neighbour. 1 hough lons ailine, her last illness came upon , her very suddenly, and she auietly passed away ; on the morning of Thursday, March 1, St. ■ David's Day, a day which is held in veneration, ,by all Welshman. She somewhat dreaded n J painful end, and prayed God, if it were His will, 'to let her depart in peace. Her prayer was granted, for she difd seemingly without | feeling any wain. The Psalmist sa'ith, "God j giveth His beloved sleep." And this sweei; | promise was fulfilled in her experience. She j fell asleep in Jesus. Though "a religious wo- ,' man, she was far from making a parade of her ! religion. There was nothing self-righteous j about her. On the contrary, she was very | humble, very deeply conscious of her unworj thiness. She felt all her demerits, and "put her trust entirely in Christ and His finished work. Often on her lips were the words of a "Welsh hymn, which breathe the same sentiment as the well-known English hymn : "Just as I am, without one plea, But that Thy blood was shed" for me, And that Thou biod'st me coipe to Thee, j O Lamb of God, I come." ] We nwd.iioS mourn excessively for her, but we ! deeply ieei for he.- sorrowing relatives, and ! pray God to comfort them in their grief. Men j and brethren, God is, rapidly removing the old ; residents from our midit. One by one they are disappearing. We may almost say, with ,' Charles Lamb:

'■ "All, all are gone, the old familiar faces." " 1 The few who remain must soon join those who have gone befoie. Fxoin their graves we , hear, a= it were, a voics saying, "'Be yo also ■ ready, ior in such an houi as ye- think not the Son of Man cometh." May we give heed 'to these warnings. Let no', death ccme uuon us unprepared. Let our loins be girt, and •our ligh J . s burning, and our souls at all times I watching for the coming of our Lord. "Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present/you faultless beiore the presence , of His gloiy with exceeding j'cy, to the only ' \ visc . < -7°^> °P r Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, boih now and ever. Amen. '