French, it is human) the believer recognizes one of the manifestations
of the supreme Will, and immortal hope enables him to support the evils
which he does not succeed in destroying. But this is not enough for
impatient reformers. Ignorant of the profound sources of evil, they
think that institutions can do everything, and that a change of laws
would suffice to reform men's hearts; they believe that the organization
of society alone hinders the realization of good and of happiness. The
resignation of believers appears to them a stupid lethargy, and in their
patient expectation of a judgment to come they see only an obstacle to
the immediate triumph of justice on the earth. What if the nations were
persuaded that there is nothing to be looked for beyond the present
life, so that all that is to be done is to make to ourselves a paradise
as soon as may be here below! If they were persuaded that all appeal to
the Judge in heaven is a chimerical hope, with what ardor would they
throw themselves into schemes of revolution! Thus it is that certain
political innovators are led to seek in the negation of God one of their
means of action.

Two views, therefore, essentially diverse, govern the labors of the
renovators of society. The one class desire to realize, in an ever
larger measure, justice and love; religious convictions are the
strongest support of their work. The other class would uproot from men's
minds every principle of faith, in order the more readily to obtain the
realization of their theories. These two classes of men seem at times to
be fighting all together in the _mêlée_ of opinions. They meet, as, in
the doubtful glimmer of the dawn, might meet together laborious workmen
who are anticipating the daylight, and evil-doers who are fleeing from
the sun.

In order to form a just estimate of the labors of the socialist schools,