re origin, became
powerful and cruel under the Christian emperors, who, driven by a holy
zeal, spread it marvelously in their empire by sword and fire, and
founded it upon the ruins of overthrown Paganism. Mohammed and his
successors, aided by Providence, or by their victorious arms, succeeded
in a short time in expelling the Christian religion from a part of Asia,
Africa, and even of Europe itself; the Gospel was compelled to surrender
to the Koran. In all the factions or sects which during a great number
of centuries have lacerated the Christians, "THE REASON OF THE STRONGEST
WAS ALWAYS THE BEST;" the arms and the will of the princes alone decided
upon the most useful doctrine for the salvation of the nations. Could we
not conclude by this, either that the Deity takes but little interest in
the religion of men, or that He declares Himself always in favor of
opinions which best suit the Authorities of the earth, in order that He
can change His systems as soon as they take a notion to change?

A king of Macassar, tired of the idolatry of his fathers, took a notion
one day to leave it. The monarch's council deliberated for a long time
to know whether they should consult Christian or Mohammedan Doctors. In
the impossibility of finding out which was the better of the two
religions, it was resolved to send at the same time for the missionaries
of both, and to accept the doctrine of those who would have the
advantage of arriving first. They did not doubt that God, who disposes
of events, would thus Himself explain His will. Mohammed's missionaries
having been more diligent, the king with his people submitted to the law
which he had imposed upon himself; the missionaries of Christ were
dismissed by default of their God, who did not permit them to arrive
early enough. God evidently consents that chance should decide the
religion of nations.

Those who govern, always decide the religion of the people. The true
religion is but the religion of the prince; the true God is the God whom
the prince wishes them to worship; the will of the priests who govern
the prince, always becomes the will of God. A jester once said, with
reason, that "the true faith is always the one which has on its side
'the prince and the executioner.'"

Emperors and executioners for a long time sustained the Gods of Rome
against the God of the Christians; the latter having won over to their
side the emperors, their soldiers and their executioners succeeded i