the great controversy-第61节

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flower　of　the　nation　perished。

〃When　the　news　of　the　massacre　reached　Rome；　the

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exultation　among　the　clergy　knew　no　bounds。　The　cardinal　of　Lorraine
rewarded　the　messenger　with　a　thousand　crowns；　the　cannon　of　St。　Angelo
thundered　forth　a　joyous　salute；　and　bells　rang　out　from　every　steeple；
bonfires　turned　night　into　day；　and　Gregory　XIII；　attended　by　the　cardinals
and　other　ecclesiastical　dignitaries；　went　in　long　procession　to　the　church
of　St。　Louis；　where　the　cardinal　of　Lorraine　chanted　a　Te　Deum。　。　。　。　A
medal　was　struck　to　commemorate　the　massacre；　and　in　the　Vatican　may　still
be　seen　three　frescoes　of　Vasari；　describing　the　attack　upon　the　admiral；
the　king　in　council　plotting　the　massacre；　and　the　massacre　itself。　Gregory
sent　Charles　the　Golden　Rose；　and　four　months　after　the　massacre；　。　。　。　he
listened　complacently　to　the　sermon　of　a　French　priest；　。　。　。　who　spoke　of
'that　day　so　full　of　happiness　and　joy；　when　the　most　holy　father　received
the　news；　and　went　in　solemn　state　to　render　thanks　to　God　and　St。
Louis。'〃Henry　White；　The　Massacre　of　St。　Bartholomew；　ch。　14；　par。　34。

The　same　master　spirit　that　urged　on　the　St。　Bartholomew　Massacre　led　also
in　the　scenes　of　the　Revolution。　Jesus　Christ　was　declared　to　be　an
impostor；　and　the　rallying　cry　of　the　French　infidels　was；　〃Crush　the
Wretch；〃　meaning　Christ。　Heaven…daring　blasphemy　and　abominable　wickedness
went　hand　in　hand；　and　the　basest　of　men；　the　most　abandoned　monsters　of
cruelty　and　vice；　were　most　highly　exalted。　In　all　this；　supreme　homage　was
paid　to　Satan；　while　Christ；　in　His　characteristics　of　truth；　purity；　and
unselfish　love；　was　crucified。

〃The　beast　that　ascendeth　out　of　the　bottomless　pit　shall　make　war　against
them；　and　shall　overcome　them；　and　kill　them。〃　The　atheistical　power　that
ruled　in　France　during　the　Revolution　and　the　Reign　of　Terror；　did　wage　such
a　war　against　God　and　His　holy　word　as　the　world　had　never　witnessed。　The
worship　of　the　Deity　was　abolished　by　the　National　Assembly。　Bibles　were
collected　and　publicly　burned　with　every　possible　manifestation　of　scorn。
The　law　of　God

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was　trampled　underfoot。　The　institutions　of　the　Bible　were　abolished。　The
weekly　rest　day　was　set　aside；　and　in　its　stead　every　tenth　day　was　devoted
to　reveling　and　blasphemy。　Baptism　and　the　Communion　were　prohibited。　And
announcements　posted　conspicuously　over　the　burial　places　declared　death　to
be　an　eternal　sleep。

The　fear　of　God　was　said　to　be　so　far　from　the　beginning　of　wisdom　that　it
was　the　beginning　of　folly。　All　religious　worship　was　prohibited；　except
that　of　liberty　and　the　country。　The　〃constitutional　bishop　of　Paris　was
brought　forward　to　play　the　principal　part　in　the　most　impudent　and
scandalous　farce　ever　acted　in　the　face　of　a　national　representation。　。　。　。
He　was　brought　forward　in　full　procession；　to　declare　to　the　Convention　that
the　religion　which　he　had　taught　so　many　years　was；　in　every　respect；　a
piece　of　priestcraft；　which　had　no　foundation　either　in　history　or　sacred
truth。　He　disowned；　in　solemn　and　explicit　terms；　the　existence　of　the　Deity
to　whose　worship　he　had　been　consecrated；　and　devoted　himself　in　future　to
the　homage　of　liberty；　equality；　virtue；　and　morality。　He　then　laid　on　the
table　his　episcopal　decorations；　and　received　a　fraternal　embrace　from　the
president　of　the　Convention。　Several　apostate　priests　followed　the　example
of　this　prelate。〃Scott；　vol。　1；　ch。　17。

〃And　they　that　dwell　upon　the　earth　shall　rejoice　over　them；　and　make　merry；
and　shall　send　gifts　one　to　another；　because　these　two　prophets　tormented
them　that　dwelt　on　the　earth。〃　Infidel　France　had　silenced　the　reproving
voice　of　God's　two　witnesses。　The　word　of　truth　lay　dead　in　her　streets；　and
those　who　hated　the　restrictions　and　requirements　of　God's　law　were
jubilant。　Men　publicly　defied　the　King　of　heaven。　Like　the　sinners　of　old；
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　a