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they cried： 〃How doth God know？ and is there knowledge in the Most High？〃
Psalm 73：11。
With blasphemous boldness almost beyond belief； one of the priests of the
new order said： 〃God； if You exist； avenge Your injured name。 I bid You
defiance！ You remain silent； You dare not launch Your thunders。 Who after
this will
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believe in Your existence？〃Lacretelle； History； vol。 11； p。
309； in Sir Archibald Alison； History of Europe； vol。 1；
ch。 10。 What an echo is this of the Pharaoh's demand： 〃Who is Jehovah； that
I should obey His voice？〃 〃I know not Jehovah！〃
〃The fool hath said in his heart； There is no God。〃 Psalm 14：1。 And the Lord
declares concerning the perverters of the truth： 〃Their folly shall be
manifest unto all。〃 2 Timothy 3：9。 After France had renounced the worship of
the living God； 〃the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity；〃 it was
only a little time till she descended to degrading idolatry； by the worship
of the Goddess of Reason； in the person of a profligate woman。 And this in
the representative assembly of the nation； and by its highest civil and
legislative authorities！ Says the historian： 〃One of the ceremonies of this
insane time stands unrivaled for absurdity combined with impiety。 The doors
of the Convention were thrown open to a band of musicians； preceded by whom；
the members of the municipal body entered in solemn procession； singing a
hymn in praise of liberty； and escorting； as the object of their future
worship； a veiled female； whom they termed the Goddess of Reason。 Being
brought within the bar； she was unveiled with great form； and placed on the
right of the president； when she was generally recognized as a dancing girl
of the opera。 。 。 。 To this person； as the fittest representative of that
reason whom they worshiped； the National Convention of France rendered
public homage。
〃This impious and ridiculous mummery had a certain fashion； and the
installation of the Goddess of Reason was renewed and imitated throughout
the nation； in such places where the inhabitants desired to show themselves
equal to all the heights of the Revolution。〃Scott； vol。 1； ch。 17。
Said the orator who introduced the worship of Reason： 〃Legislators！
Fanaticism has given way to reason。 Its bleared eyes could not endure the
brilliancy of the light。 This day an immense concourse has assembled beneath
those gothic vaults； which； for the first time； re…echoed the truth。 There
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the French have celebrated the only true worship；that of Liberty； that of
Reason。 There we have formed wishes for the prosperity of the arms of the
Republic。 There we have abandoned inanimate idols for Reason； for that
animated image； the masterpiece of nature。〃M。 A。 Thiers； History of the
French Revolution； vol。 2； pp。 370； 371。
When the goddess was brought into the Convention； the orator took her by the
hand； and turning to the assembly said： 〃Mortals； cease to tremble before
the powerless thunders of a God whom your fears have created。 Henceforth
acknowledge no divinity but Reason。 I offer you its noblest and purest
image； if you must have idols； sacrifice only to such as this。 。 。 。 Fall
before the august Senate of Freedom； oh！ Veil of Reason！〃
〃The goddess； after being embraced by the president； was mounted on a
magnificent car； and conducted； amid an immense crowd； to the cathedral of
Notre Dame； to take the place of the Deity。 There she was elevated on the
high altar； and received the adoration of all present。〃Alison； vol。 1； ch。
10。
This was followed； not long afterward； by the public burning of the Bible。
On one occasion 〃the Popular Society of the Museum〃 entered the hall of the
municipality； exclaiming； 〃Vive la Raison！〃 and carrying on the top of a
pole the half…burned remains of several books； among others breviaries；
missals； and the Old and New Testaments； which 〃expiated in a great fire；〃
said the president； 〃all the fooleries which they have made the human race
commit。〃Journal of Paris； 1793； No。 318。 Quoted in Buchez…Roux； Collection
of Parliamentary History； vol。 30； pp。 200； 201。
It was popery that had begun the work which atheism was completing。 The
policy of Rome had wrought out those conditions； social； political； and
religious； that were hurrying France on to ruin。 Writers； in referring to
the horrors of the Revolution； say that these excesses are to be charged
upon the throne and the church。 （See Appendix。） In strict justice they are
to be charged upon the church。 Popery had poisoned the
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minds of kings against the Reformation； as an enemy to the crown； an element
of discord that would be fatal to the peace and harmony of the nation。 It
was the genius of Rome that by this means inspired the direst cruelty and
the most galling oppression which proceeded from the throne。
The spirit of liberty went with the Bible。 Wherever the gospel was received；
the minds of the people were awakened。 They began to cast off the shackles
that had held them bondslaves of ignorance； vice； and superstition。 They
began to think and act as men。 Monarchs saw it and trembled for their
despotism。
Rome was not slow to inflame their jealous fears。 Said the pope to the
regent of France in 1525： 〃This mania ＇Protestantism＇ will not only confound
and destroy religion； but all principalities； nobility； laws； orders； and
ranks besides。〃 G。 de Felice； History of the Protestants of France； b。 1；
ch。 2； par。 8。 A few years later a papal nuncio warned the king： 〃Sire； be
not deceived。 The Protestants will upset all civil as well as religious
order。 。 。 。 The throne is in as much danger as the altar。 。 。 。 The
introduction of a new religion must necessarily introduce a new
government。〃D'Aubigne； History of the Reformation in Europe in the Time of
Calvin； b。 2； ch。 36。 And theologians appealed to the prejudices of the
people by declaring that the Protestant doctrine 〃entices men away to
novelties and folly； it robs the king of the devoted affection of his
subjects； and devastates both church and state。〃 Thus Rome succeeded in
arraying France against the Reformation。 〃It was to uphold the throne；
preserve the nobles； and maintain the laws； that the sword of persecution
was first unsheathed in France。〃Wylie； b。 13； ch。 4。
Little did the rulers of the land foresee the results of that fateful
policy。 The teaching of the Bible would have implanted in the minds and
hearts of the people those principles of justice； temperance； truth； equity；
and benevolence which are the very cornerstone of a nation's prosperity。
〃Righteousness exalteth a nation。〃 Thereby 〃the throne is established。〃
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Proverbs 14：34； 16：12。 〃The work of righteousness shall be peace；〃 and the
effect； 〃quietness and assurance forever。〃 Isaiah 32：17。 He who obeys the
divine law will most truly respect and obey the laws of his country。 He who
fears God will honor the king in the exercise of all just and legitimate
authority。 But unhappy France prohibited the Bible and banned its disciples。
Century after century； men of principle and integrity； men of intellectual
acuteness and moral strength； who had the courage to avow their convictions
and the faith to suffer for the truthfor centuries these men toiled as
slaves in the galleys； perished at the stake； or rotted in dungeon cells。
Thousands upon thousands found safety in flight； and this continued for two
hundred and fifty years after the opening of the Reformation。
〃Scarcely was there a generation of Frenchmen during the long period that
did not witness the disciples of the gospel fleeing before the insane fury
of the persecutor； and carrying with them the intelligence； the arts； the
industry； the order； in which； as a rule； they pre…eminently excelled； to
enrich the lands in which they found an asylum。 And in proportion as they
replenished other countries with these good gifts； did they empty their own
of them。 If all that was now driven away had been retained in France； if；
during these three hundred years； the industrial skill of the exiles had
been cultivating he