Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-04-12

strain of the Shasta daisy, much
larger and moe co1orful than the old,
and a new kind of fluffy giant aster.
II can say that l am satisfied with
my years work." he told visitors al
his gardens, "for I must be satisfied.
The years is done and it has been one
of my busiest. 1 have worked and en-
joyed every day of it and will go on
with the new year"
A few weeks later Burbank created
comment throughout the country by
declaring that "as a scientist [ cannot
help but feel that all religions are on
a tottering foundation" He also re-
peated former assertions that he was
IAN infidel in the true sense of the
! word"
Most of the comment was in oppo-
sition to the hortculturists statement,
a group of Chicago clergymen brand
ing his remarks as "unscientifc' ana
| nonsense" while Chauncey NJ. Depew,
in New York, said he regretted SIN
cere1y that such a prominent man as
Mr.. Burbank should adopt this attl-
tude. as it is contrary to the sentiment
of 80 per cent. of the American people
today"
Appearing in the pulpit of the First
CONGREGATIONAL church in san Fran
cisco Burbank declared he had NOM
mated himself an 'infidel' so as 10
cause people to think.
II reiterate: The religion of most
! people is what they would like to be
lieve. not what they do believe, ana
very few stop to examine it's founda-
ton" he said.
"The idea that a good God would
send people to burning hell is Ut
terlv damnable to me. The ravlngs
of insanity: superstition gone to SEED.
[ don't want to have anything TO 90
with such a God. l am lover of men
and Christ as man and his WORK, ana
all things that help humanity, but new
ertheless, Just as he was an in11dei
then, am an infidel today.
II prefer and claim the right 10
Worship the infinite everlasting al
mighty God of this vast universe as
revealed to us gradually step by step
bv the .demonstrable truths of our sa-
vior science.
DO you think Christ or Moham-
med, Confucius. Baal or even the
gods of ancient mythology are dead!
Not so. Do you think Pericles, Mar
Gus Aurelius. Moses. Shakespeare,
Spinosa. Aristotle. Socrates, Plato.
Empedocles. Humboldt, Darwin, Toll
stoi Franklin, Emerson, are dead? NO
Their very personality lives and VIII
live forever in our lives and all OF
! those who follow us. All Of them are
with us today. No one lives who Is
not influenced more or less by these
great ones according to the capacity
Of the cup of knowledge which they
bring to their ever-fowing fountains
| to be filled.
"An plants. animals and man are
already in eternity travelling across
the face of time, whence we Know
not. whittier who Is able to say. Let
us have one world at a time and let
! us make the journey one of JOY TO
our fellow passengers and just as
convenient and happy for them as
we can and trust the rest as we
trust life.
LET us read the Bible without the
| ili-ftting co1ored spectacles of the
ology Just as we read other books,
using our own Judgment and reason,
| listening to the voice within-not to
the noisy babble without"
Following this, the naturalist
claimed he had the power to cure
the ill by the laying on of hands"
"Why. many years ago my near
est neighbOr was dying" he was
quoted as saying. -Four doctors
had given him up. He sent for me
and l went to his bedside He told
me T am going to die tonight 1
told him You are going to get well.
Tomorrow morning / will see you at
your wood pile as usual He was
there the next morning. That is only
one of so many cases"
| Asserting the power" was not
supernatural, he added:
"And bear in mind that 1 will not
! allow the afflicted to be brought to
! me; I cannot have my door throng
J ed with natients / am far too hllSv