medical practice. How different is the God of nature from the God
of the priests! I know of nothing which is so much like atheism as the
religions they have manufactured." Already, in the Constituent Assembly,
Robespierre wanted to prevent the father from endowing a child. "You
have done nothing for liberty if yours laws do not tend to diminish by
mild and effective means the inequality of fortunes." (Hamel, I., 403.)]

[Footnote 2129: Decree of Frimaire 18, year II.--Note the restrictions:
"The convention, in the foregoing arrangement, has no idea of derogating
from any law or precaution for public safety against refractory or
turbulent priests, or against those who might attempt to abuse the
pretext of religion in order to compromise the cause of liberty. Nor
does it mean to disapprove of what has thus far been done by virtue of
the ordinances of representatives of the people, nor to furnish anybody
with a pretext for unsettling patriotism and relaxing the energy of
public spirit."]

[Footnote 2130: Decrees of May 27, and August 26, 1792, March 18, April
21 and October 20, 1793, April 11, and May 11, 1794.--Add (Moniteur,
XIX., 697) the decree providing for the confiscation of the possessions
of ecclesiastics "who have voluntarily left or been so reported, who
are retired as old or inform, or who have preferred transportation to
retirement."--Ibid., XVIII., 492, (session of Frimaire 2). A speech by
Forester. "As to the priesthood, its continuation has become a disgrace
and even a crime."--Archives Nationales, AF. II., 36. (An order by
Lequinio, representative of the people of Charante-Inferieur, la Vendee
and Deux-Sevres, Saintes, Nivose 1, year II.) "In order that freedom of
worship may exist in full plenitude it is forbidden to all whom it may
concern to preach or write in favor of any form of worship or religious
opinion whatsoever." And especially "it is expressly forbidden to any
former minister, belonging to any religious sect whatever, to preach,
write or teach morality under penalty of being regarded as a suspect
and, as such, immediately put under arrest.. .. Every man who undertakes
to preach any religious precepts whatsoever is, by that fact, culpable
before the people. He violates ... social equality, which does not
permit the individual to publicly raise his ideal pretensions above
those of his neighbor."]

[Footnote 2131: Ludofic Sciout, "Histoire de la Constitution Civile
du clerge," vols. III. and I