The Washington times., 1926-04-12
Burbank s Death Laid
To Church RouU
Continued from First Page)

Continued from First Page)
grave Of the great agnostics
brother.
Friends believe the scientist wished
to leave behind him the suggestion
of Immortality contained IN Inger.
soils oration-'tIn the night of
Death hope sees star and listen
ing love can hear the rustic of q
wing"
DR.. Joseph II. Shaw. his personal
physician. said Mr.. Burbanlx's death
was due to an overstrained nervous
system.
This condition is believed by his
friends to have been brought on by
oVerexertion in connection with the
recent religious controversy he
started when he announced he was
an infidcl, like Jesus Christ was
an 1nfidel." and did not believe in
orthodox religion
Undesturbed BY Storm
Undisturbed by the storm u
controversy that broke over his
craving head because he stood be
fore the world unashamed and de
clared himself unable to accept the
Orthodox precepts of Christianity
there was no moaning Of the bar
as Luther Busbank put out t.
sea-
His grizzled, kindly head. whose
image will pass, down to posterity
In whitest marble. was truly bloody
but unbowed bloody in the
blows OF violent and abusive
SafeY,N 10 t.lna,. aIsr,fo0iNxa
OF his inability to accept the
theories Of the theologians: unbowed
because in the end he rejoiced that
his voice. raised for truth and
thought, had echoed and re.echoed
around the world.
The whole world, grieving for the
genius of plant, vine, flower, and
tree, wonders what caused his
death. Not the cold medical dag
nosis that describes this and that
physical ailment. but the under
lying, contributing cause. What
did cause Luther Burbank's death
at n, when he should have had
at least ten more years OF useful
life before him?
Retribution Seen BY Some
Ordinarily, the statement OF the
fattending physicians-an intestinal
disorder. aggravated by nervous ex
/ haustion and so on--would suffice
| But in the plant wizards case
strange situation arose. In view
| of the fact that his breakdown DC
CURED shortly after his expression
/ of his religious views. 1t was I'M
mediately broadcast that the con
troyersy created by his free ex
nression or his philosophy Of life
was the cause of his rapid decline
and final passing
| n was known that Immediately
after, his appearance in the pulpit
OF the First Congregational Gnurcn
Of San Francisco. when ne az,
mitted being so-called inIidel
and at the same time claimed
a godlike love for all hvmS
creatures and growing things, ne
was stricken with the illness Lnat
brought him at last face TO race
with whatever gods there pc.
Immediately it was assumed Dy
the world at Iarge-and first OF all
hv religionists who bitterly opposed
his yiews--that the discussion
raised bv his Admission and de.
finition of belief caused that
'brea kdown. In fact. there were
many who saw in his decline the
hand of retribution.
Change Of Thought Habits
Through close friend OF Bur,
bank and the family. one who STOOD
al the right hand of the great man
in his last days. and who ls even
now carrying on with the arrange,
ments for the funeral and burial
of California's foremost citizen. IT Is
possible to give the true story OF
Luther Burbank's last Illness, and
at the same time, TO furnish some
of the touching intimate pictures