"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God."(402) And the Lord
declares concerning the perverters of the truth, "Their folly shall be
manifest unto all."(403) 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."(404)

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 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."(405)

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