of conscience, of which religious liberty is the most ordinary and most
complete manifestation. This is only one of the points of the subject,
but it is a point which in reality supposes and includes all the rest.
This liberty--whence does it come?

It does not come from paganism. Paganism, with its national religions,
could only produce fanaticism or doubt. Each people having its own
particular religion, to exterminate the foreigner was to serve the cause
of the gods of the country. A war-cry descended from the Olympus of each
several nation--that Olympus which the gods quitted, in case of need, to
take part in the quarrels of men. Did reason perceive the nothingness of
these national divinities? Then scepticism appeared. The idea of the
supreme God being unsettled with all, and wholly obscured for the
crowd, when men ceased to believe in the gods of the nation, they lost
all belief whatsoever. For this cause doubt prevailed so widely at the
decline of the ancient world. Those pantheons in which all religions
were received, welcomed, protected, are the ever-memorable temples of
scepticism. Now you know what voice made itself heard, when the ancient
civilization was enfeebled by the spirit of doubt: "Henceforth there is
neither Greek nor barbarian, bond nor free. Ye are all brethren, and for
all there is one God, and one truth:" here behold the root of scepticism
severed. And the same voice added: "This only God is the lawful Owner of
His creatures; and when you presume to do violence to the consciences
which belong to Him, you know not by what spirit you are animated:" here
behold the fountain of fanaticism dried up. God is acknowledged; He is
the Master of souls: faith founds liberty.

The Witness to universal truth appears before Rome as represented by a
deputy of Cæsar. He is a fanatic, says the Roman; then he goes his way,
and leaves Him to be put to death. But ere long, a dull hoarse murmur of