Weekly Trinity journal., 1857-11-07
Lamartine the Religion Of Re oIutiona ry
MeH.

knuN-I sigh when l think of it-that hith-
erto the French people have been the least religi-
Gus of all the nations of Europe. Is it because
the ideas of God-which arises from ali the evi-
dences of nature an from the depth of reflection
being the profoundest and weightiest idea of
which human intelligence is capable and the
French mind being the most reflective of all
European races, this mind has not the force and
severity necessary to carry far and long the
greatest conception of the human understanding?
Is it because our governments have always
taken upon themselves to think for u.s. to believe
for us, and pray for usf Is it because we are
and have been military people, soldier nation
led by kings, heroes and ambitious men, from bat
tle-held to battlefield, making conquests and new
er Keeping them, ravaging, dazzling charming
and corrupting Europe and bringing home the
manners, vices, bravery, lghtness and impiety of
the camp to the freside of the people
know not, but certain it is that the nation has
an immense progress to make in serious thought,
if she wishes to be free. If we look at the char
acters, compared regards religious sentiments
OF the great nations of Europe, America, even
Asia, the advantage is not for us. The great men
Of our country live and die. forgetting complete
ly the only idea for which it is worth living and
dying they live and die looking at the specta-
tor or at most at posteritY.
Open the history of America, the history of
England, and the history of France read the
great lives, the great deaths; the great martyr
doms, the great words at the hour when the rul-
ing thought of life reveals itself in the last words
Of dyng-and compare.
Washington and Franklin fought. spoke, suf-
fered, always in the name of God for whom they
acted and the Liberator of America died con-
fding to God the liberty of the people and his
own soul.
Sydney, the young martyr of patriotism, guilty
Of nothing but impatience, and who died to expi-
ate his country's dream of liberty, said to his
jaior Il rejoice that die innocent towards the
king, but a victim resigned to the King on High
10 whom all lite is due.'
The republicans of Cromwell only sought the
way of God even in the field of battle. Their
politics were their faith, their reign a prayer
their death psalm Que hears, sees, feels that
God was in all the movements of these great peo-
pie.
But cross the sea, traverse La Mancha, come
to our times, open our annals, and listen to the
great words of the great political actors of the
drama of our liberty. One would think that God
was eclipsed from the soul, that his name was un-
known in the language. History will have the
air of an atheist when she recounts to posterity
these annihilations rather than death of celebra
ted men in the greatest year of France The
victims only have a God the tribune aud ctors
have none.
Look at Mirabeau on the bed of death Grown
me with flowers said he, intoxicate me with
perfume. let me die to the sound of music.'-
Not a word of God or of his soul Sensual phil
osopher, he desired only supreme sensualsm,
last voluptuousness in his agony.
Contemplate Madam Roland, the stronghold
ed woman of the revolution on the cart that con-
veyed her to death. She looked contemptuously
on the besotted people who killed their prophets
on SYPHILIS. Not glance towards heaven! Only
one word for the earth, o Liberty!
Approach the dungeon door of the Girordins.-
Their last night is banquet the only hymn, the
Marseillaise
Follow Camille Desmoulins to his execution
A cool and indecent pleasantly at the trial, and
n long mprecation the road to the guiotine.
were the two last words of this dying man on his
way to the last tribunal.
Hear Danton on the platform of the scafiold at
the distance of line from God and eternity. l
have had good time of it--let me go to sleep
Then to the executioner, you will show my head
to the people-t is worth the trouble His
faith, ambition his last sign vanity. Behold the
Frenohman of this latter age.
What must one think of the religious senti-
mcnt of a free people whose great figures Sc EN-
thus to march in procession to annhilation, aud
to whom that terrible minister, death, itself re-
calls neither the threatenings nor promises of
God
The republic of these men without a God has
quickly been stranded. The liberty won by so
much herosm and so much genius has not found
in France conscience to shelter it, God to
avenge it, people to defend it against the atbe-
ism which has been called glory. All ended in
a soldier and some apOstate republicans traves-
tied into courtiers. An athestic republicanism
cannot be heroic. When you terrfy it, it bends;
when you would buy it, tt would sell itself Who
would take any heed The people ungrateful
and God non-existent So finish atheistic revo-
lutions.