The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-01-09
IS DOOMED To
A SLOW DEATH
Cancer Cuts Off Hope of Life
in Former Religious
Worker Here.

a Massachusetts paper has the fol
lowing about Rev. John E. Dodge. Mr.
Dodge was a missionary on Maui il
the employ of the Hawaiian Board
His son, the Rev. Rowland B. Dodge
is now at Waikiki in general charge
of work at that important station fol
the Hawaiian Board:
Rev. John E. Dodge, founder and
first pastor of the Adams-square Con-
gregational church, one of the best
known ministers in Worcester county
can live but a few months.
| This was the sad intelligence that
reached The Telegram last night from
the hospital in Somerville where Rev.
| Mr. Dodge was operated on yesterday.
1t was found that he had cancer of
the stomach and bowels and his case
is declared incurable. The physicians
announced that any attempt to remove
the cancer by surgical operation
would mean instant death. All they
could do, they said, was to leave him
to his fate.
The exact nature of his trouble was
a great surprise to his friends and to
Mr.. Dodge himself, who had up to this
time been unable to definitely locate
the seat of his disease.
Mr.. Dodge only recently returned
from Hawaii where he passed year
in quest of health, but finding that he
did not gain as rapidly as he desired,
he decided to return to this country
1t was noticed that upon his arrival
in Worcester he was greatly fatigued,
but little was thought of this by his
friends, most of them attributing it
TO the long journey.
Soon after coming home he stopped
for awhile with his son, John Harold
Dodge, who lives with his father-in-
law, Prof. J. E. Sinclair, at 4 Northern
avenue, but feeling FESTIVE, Mr.. Dodge
began to travel about, visiting friends
in Westboro, and later going to West
Boylston, where for some time he has
been the guest of his brother, Rev.
George S. Dodge. But all the while
he had been failing.
Mr. Dodge decided to go to Somer-
vile last week to visit his sister. Mrs.
l. L. Halves, and it was while there
that he had a severe attack of sick
ness and it was found necessary to
call in a physician, who in turn called
in another doctor. They had a con-
ference and decided that it would be
necessary for him to go to the hospital
to be operated upon, in order to save
his life.
The operation took place yesterday
forenoon, and was undertaken for in
I11f III dicPnunrad
in the course of the operation that he
was afflicted with a large cancer in
his stomach and bowels. any interior
ence with which would be fatal. 1t
was said to be one of the largest cam
cerous growths that the physicians had
seen in long time The only hope
they can give him is that he is to
make himself as comfortable as pos
Sible and await the end.
His brother, Rev. George S. Dodge.
West Bolyston, said that when he left
the hospital in Somerville yesterday
afternoon at 5 o'clock Mr. Dodge was
just coming out from the influence of
the anesthetic and the doctors thought
he would recover the shock within a
reasonable time. His son is now with
him at the hospital and his brother
his bedside again today or tomorrow.
His brother is of the opinion that the
cancer has been of long growth and
has been so deep-seated in the system
as not to be suspected. Under the cir
eumstances, he says, it can be readily
seen why the climate of Hawaii did
not improve his health.
There have been a great many in
1i,.io IN, I'd 70 fc
since his return and there was much
disappointment recently when he was
unable to appear at the celebration of
the 10th anniversary of the church, at
which it was expected he would make
an address.
Mr.. Dodge is fffty-seyen years old
and has had pastorates in Paxton,
Sterling, Lake View and at the Adams
square church. His wife died about
seven years ago. Mr.. Dodge has re-
ceived great praise for the work he
accomplished in starting the Adams
square church, and by all the parish
toner's of that society his name is
greatly revered.
The committee that organized the
church consisted OF w. H. Blodget. w.
P. Rowen, s. H. Austin, c. s. Robbins
L. w. Smith, A A. Spaulding and F.
w. White
The committee had several meetings,
and in May, 1897, requested Mr.. Dodge
to make a neighborhood canvass and
learn how many were interested in the
work and would become members of
the church. The canvass was so sue
cessful that Rev. Mr.. Dodge was in
structed TO get rooms for services and
to raise $500 for the furnishings. This
was done, and in the following Novem-
Der Mr.. Dodge was engaged for six
months to take charge of the work.
Mr.. Dodge resigned as pastor in jan
uary, 1901.