demand liberty and digest the theory of it, there must be other men who
take it, and who suffer for having taken it. If liberty is consolidated
with speech and pen, it is founded with tears and blood; and the
sceptical apostles of toleration conveniently usurp the place of the
martyrs of conviction. "What we want," rightly observes a revolutionary
writer, "is free men, rather than liberators of humanity."[34]

In fact, liberty comes to us above all from those who have suffered for
it. Its living springs are in the spirit of faith, and not, as they
teach us, in the spirit of indifference. It is easy to understand, that
where no one believes, the liberty to believe would not be claimed by
any one.

Let us now endeavor to penetrate below facts, in order to bring back the
discussion to sure principles. Let us ask what, in regard to liberty of
conscience, are the natural consequences of faith, and the natural
consequences of scepticism.

Faith does appear, at first sight, a source of intolerance. The man who
believes, reckons himself in possession of the right in regard to truth,
and to God; he has nothing to respect in error. Thus it is that belief
naturally engenders persecution. This reasoning is specious, all the
more as it is supported by numerous and terrible examples; but let us
look at things more closely. Place yourselves face to face with any one
of your convictions, no matter which; I hope there is no one of you so
unfortunate as not to have any. Suppose that it were desired to impose
upon you by force even the conviction which you have. Suppose that an
officer of police came to say to you, pronouncing at the same time the
words which best expressed your own thoughts: "you are commanded so to
believe." What would happen? If you had never had a doubt of your faith,