Middletown transcript., 1921-06-18
F MAL WORDS OF F: K. LANE
By REV. EDWIN WHITTIER CAsWEIL

F. 'anklin K. Lane, who recently pass
ed rom earth, was considered a faith
full Secretary of the Interior under
Pres idenA Wilson, and did we'll in his
other appointments in official life. He
seemed more devoted to the interests
of the individual man rather than to
great organizations. One sentence ut
tered just before the surgeons opera
ton was most excellent. He said, Il
hope to be able to live long life, doing
good things for others without thought
Of money
His celebrated address about the mis-
sion of the flag attracted large atten-
ton. He made the. flag to speak as
person in a sollloquy, saying, Il am
not the real flag; am but its shadow.
| am what you make me, nothing more.
| am your belief in yourself; your
dream OF what people may become. |
am all that you hope to be and have the
courage to try for. l am the Consti-
tuition and the courts, the soldier and
the battle, the drayman and the street.
sweeper, counselor and clerk. | am no
more than what you believe me to be-,
and am all that you believe can be.
| am smybol OF yourself; my stars
and my stripes are your dreams and
your labors. They are bright with
cheer, brilliant with courage, firm with
faith, because you have made them so
out of your hearts.
Is not this wonderful testimony to
the principles Of liberty in the Repub-
lie, epitomized and represented by the
banner OF the nation? The Christian
world could not but wish that one so
gifted with his pen, when approaching
the close of his earthly career, could
have portrayed the principles of the
flag of the Cross of Christ, the flag Of
Christian profession. He might have
said, with John the Baptist, 81 am not
the Christ" | am only His shadow,
His forerunner, crying, "Sehold the
Lamb of God" Or, with Peter, who,
! when Jesus asked, "Whom say ye that
| ann" replied, i" Thou art the Christ,
| Ibe Son of the living God,'
Our Lord virtually said, Il am what
you make Me to be, what you believe
Vie to be; am all that you hope and
| declare Me to be. | am the Word OF
| God, the end OF the law, the constitu-
ton of the Almighty, the Judge, the
| Creator and savior of lost men. 4e
are my witnesses; 60 We into all the
world and preach this Gospel to every
creature. You are My flag, My symbol
NV reflection; am the Light of the
| world, when you shine for Me-
Secretary Lane did make profession
inst before he entered the shadows ol
death. He said, "Now l am to know
the great secret about the future.
had often thought would like to sum
mon to my mind some words tina
would be somewhat of a synthesis O.
my philosophy, and | adopted thu
the words, Il ACCEPT or conform
| to the laws of nature. But how coul'
| he do otherwise than accept the inevi
table. Does not such testimon.
appear stoical and cold when one j:
changing worlds? He has room to men
tion Socrates but no words for the Sol
of God, the Fatherhood, the Hol
Spirit or the Gospel. If we could hav
whispered in the ear of the dying man
as he was writing his creed for man
kind to read, we would have said Wha
; the Scotch mother remarked to her Sol
in the ministry-"Say guild word 70
lJesus Christ" Mr.. Lane did sa
LEAD, kindly light when he was abou
: to make the great adventure, bu
light is impersonal. To be led mean
7 | to have the Guide, Who is tn
Light of the world, Who is the Way
the Truth and the Life. Why not oy
the Name above every name just b.
$ fore entering into His glorious Pre-
e ence? Christ, the only One who opene
$ the gates of the grave on the HEAVIER
ward side, Who blazed the way
glory for mankind, should
!, recognized, espoused and embraced
! His lordship, Saviourship and judgshi
when one is about to enter His eve
lasting courts.
r The Book of God says "rhe spir
Y shall return to God Who gave it, - bl
J. our friend Mr.. Lane only anticipate
returning to the ocean of spirits, wher
/ as many think, evolution evolved tt
/ spirits Of mankind without the aid {
n the Creator. where individuality is 10
or swallowed up in other forms, devo
|, | of responsibility or personality.
|. We write these words regretfull
i hoping that the departed one mea
!. more than he said in the closil
+ moments of his life Our words are fl
the living, with no reflections upon t