Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1898-09-08
A Good Mans Death.


A Good Mans Death.
DR.. C. II. Meldrim, the attending
physician, gives an interesting descrip-
ton of the last hours of Rev. Anson
Green Phelps Dodge, Jr., who died in
Frederica, st. Simon Island, Ga, last
week.
The utter absence of fear at dying
made Mr.. Dodge a strong man in the
face of death. He had requested DR..
Meldrim to inform him frankly when
the end was near. The afternoon Of
the night he died DR.. Meldrim IN
formed him he could not recover. The
shades of night were darkening the
room, and the shadows of the moving
beings near by crossed the dying min
isters bedside as his physician bent
over and uttered the words that told
him his life on this earth would be for
but few moments longer. An ex-
preston of ineffable Joy frightened his
features when the sentence was fin
ished, and he sank back with a look Of
supremest contentment in his eyes.
Calling those around him to his bed
side, he said
Doctor, examine me and see If l
am strong enough to write my name,
and if my brain is working clearly.
Nanette, Ito his wife, please see that
table and good, strong light are
placed near the bed. Then, please,
get me some paper, good pen and
some ink. Now, wish to dictate a
codicil to my will.
"This codicil, states DR.. Meldrim,
twas long, covering over two pages OF
foolscap paper. Mr.. Dodge dictated
every word with punctilious exactness
as to the legal form and phrases.
When it was finished he directed that
l sign as witness, and calling for
George and John L. Stevens, he d.
rected that they also sign. Having
finished debating, he asked for the pen
and paper. Holding it before him
with a good, strong grasp, and the
palm of one hand for desk, he signed
his name as legibly as in the days of
his vigorous young manhood. He
then called for his wife and two Of the
little girls who were part of the house
hold. They came to him, and he be-
gan to counsel them for the future.
We withdrew from the room while he
delivered to them sermon, together
with an admonition as to their lives
for the future. The sermon and ad-
monition over, Mrs. Dodge read the
Episcopal prayer for the dying, while
he made the responses in clear, firm
tones, concluding with an outburst Of
hymnal song that was grandly elo-
quent in its Christian simplicity. At
its conclusion he blessed them all and
in doing SO delivered a benediction
upon their heads as noble and as glori-
GUS as human mind can conceive Of.
Calling me back in the room, bent
over him and he asked Doctor, how
long?' l did not answer and he spoke
again: Fifteen minutes ? To this |
said: No, perhaps not that soon.
Then thirty ? he said, and | replied {:
Perhaps Place the clock on the ta-
bic beside me, doctor, was his next re-
quest, and We did so. He lay there
suffering and watching the minutes go
by. As the hands Of the clock reached
| 10 he looked at me with those intense
black eyes cleaning reproacbfully and
said: Now, doctor, you told me at 10.
turned away. Such absolute fear
Iessness in the face Of death seemed
incomprehensible. thought of him
in connection with that expression,
Would to God that every infdel could
zee this Christian die. The minutes
passed on and he tossed restlessly,
breaking out in snatches of song to re-