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them all was God； even Fear and its dastardy； even crime and its
bacchanals。 If we accept pantheism；the religion of many a great
human genius；who shall say where the greater reason lies？ Is it with
the savage； free in the desert； clothed in his nudity； listening to
the sun； talking to the sea； sublime and always true in his deeds
whatever they may be； or shall we find it in civilized man； who
derives his chief enjoyments through lies； who wrings Nature and all
her resources to put a musket on his shoulder； who employs his
intellect to hasten the hour of his death and to create diseases out
of pleasures？ When the rake of pestilence and the ploughshare of war
and the demon of desolation have passed over a corner of the globe and
obliterated all things； who will be found to have the greater
reason；the Nubian savage or the patrician of Thebes？ Your doubts
descend the scale； they go from heights to depths； they embrace all；
the end as well as the means。
〃But if the physical world seems inexplicable； the moral world
presents still stronger arguments against God。 Where； then； is
progress？ If all things are indeed moving toward perfection why do we
die young？ why do not nations perpetuate themselves？ The world having
issued from God and being contained in God can it be stationary？ Do we
live once； or do we live always？ If we live once； hurried onward by
the march of the Great…Whole； a knowledge of which has not been given
to us； let us act as we please。 If we are eternal； let things take
their course。 Is the created being guilty if he exists at the instant
of the transitions？ If he sins at the moment of a great transformation
will he be punished for it after being its victim？ What becomes of the
Divine goodness if we are not transferred to the regions of the blest
should any such exist？ What becomes of God's prescience if He is
ignorant of the results of the trials to which He subjects us？ What is
this alternative offered to man by all religions；either to boil in
some eternal cauldron or to walk in white robes； a palm in his hand
and a halo round his head？ Can it be that this pagan invention is the
final word of God？ Where is the generous soul who does not feel that
the calculating virtue which seeks the eternity of pleasure offered by
all religions to whoever fulfils at stray moments certain fanciful and
often unnatural conditions； is unworthy of man and of God？ Is it not a
mockery to give to man impetuous senses and forbid him to satisfy
them？ Besides； what mean these ascetic objections if Good and Evil are
equally abolished？ Does Evil exist？ If substance in all its forms is
God； then Evil is God。 The faculty of reasoning as well as the faculty
of feeling having been given to man to use； nothing can be more
excusable in him than to seek to know the meaning of human suffering
and the prospects of the future。
〃If these rigid and rigorous arguments lead to such conclusions
confusion must reign。 The world would have no fixedness； nothing would
advance； nothing would pause； all would change； nothing would be
destroyed； all would reappear after self…renovation； for if your mind
does not clearly demonstrate to you an end； it is equally impossible
to demonstrate the destruction of the smallest particle of Matter；
Matter can transform but not annihilate itself。
〃Though blind force may provide arguments for the atheist； intelligent
force is inexplicable； for if it emanates from God； why should it meet
with obstacles？ ought not its triumph to be immediate？ Where is God？
If the living cannot perceive Him； can the dead find Him？ Crumble； ye
idolatries and ye religions！ Fall； feeble keystones of all social
arches； powerless to retard the decay； the death； the oblivion that
have overtaken all nations however firmly founded！ Fall； morality and
justice！ our crimes are purely relative； they are divine effects whose
causes we are not allowed to know。 All is God。 Either we are God or
God is not！Child of a century whose every year has laid upon your
brow； old man； the ice of its unbelief； here； here is the summing up
of your lifetime of thought； of your science and your reflections！
Dear Monsieur Becker； you have laid your head upon the pillow of
Doubt； because it is the easiest of solutions； acting in this respect
with the majority of mankind； who say in their hearts： 'Let us think
no more of these problems； since God has not vouchsafed to grant us
the algebraic demonstrations that could solve them； while He has given
us so many other ways to get from earth to heaven。'
〃Tell me； dear pastor； are not these your secret thoughts？ Have I
evaded the point of any？ nay； rather； have I not clearly stated all？
First； in the dogma of two principles；an antagonism in which God
perishes for the reason that being All…Powerful He chose to combat。
Secondly； in the absurd pantheism where； all being God； God exists no
longer。 These two sources； from which have flowed all the religions
for whose triumph Earth has toiled and prayed； are equally pernicious。
Behold in them the double…bladed axe with which you decapitate the
white old man whom you enthrone among your painted clouds！ And now； to
me the axe； I wield it！〃
Monsieur Becker and Wilfrid gazed at the young girl with something
like terror。
〃To believe；〃 continued Seraphita； in her Woman's voice； for the Man
had finished speaking； 〃to believe is a gift。 To believe is to feel。
To believe in God we must feel God。 This feeling is a possession
slowly acquired by the human being； just as other astonishing powers
which you admire in great men； warriors； artists； scholars； those who
know and those who act； are acquired。 Thought； that budget of the
relations which you perceive among created things； is an intellectual
language which can be learned； is it not？ Belief； the budget of
celestial truths； is also a language as superior to thought as thought
is to instinct。 This language also can be learned。 The Believer
answers with a single cry； a single gesture； Faith puts within his
hand a flaming sword with which he pierces and illumines all。 The Seer
attains to heaven and descends not。 But there are beings who believe
and see； who know and will； who love and pray and wait。 Submissive；
yet aspiring to the kingdom of light； they have neither the aloofness
of the Believer nor the silence of the Seer； they listen and reply。 To
them the doubt of the twilight ages is not a murderous weapon； but a
divining rod； they accept the contest under every form； they train
their tongues to every language； they are never angered； though they
groan； the acrimony of the aggressor is not in them； but rather the
softness and tenuity of light； which penetrates and warms and
illumines。 To their eyes Doubt is neither an impiety； nor a blasphemy；
nor a crime； but a transition through which men return upon their
steps in the Darkness； or advance into the Light。 This being so； dear
pastor； let us reason together。
〃You do