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a priest； one who bears the stamp of a superior； unique； ineffaceable
character； through a final sacrament consisting of ordination and
which is conferred only on certain conditions； among other conditions；
it is essential that this priest should have been ordained by a
bishop； among other conditions； it is essential that this bishop＇78＇
should have been installed by the Pope。 Consequently； without the Pope
there are no bishops； without bishops no priests； without priests no
sacraments； without the sacraments no salvation。 The ecclesiastical
institution is therefore indispensable to the believer。 The canonical
priesthood； the canonical hierarchy is necessary to him for the
exercise of his faith。 … He must have yet more； if fervent and
animated with true old Christian sentiment； ascetic and mystic； which
separates the soul from this world and ever maintains it in the
presence of God。 Several things are requisite to this end：
* First； vows of chastity； poverty and obedience； that is to say； the
steady and voluntary repression of the most powerful animal instinct
and of the strongest worldly appetites；
* Next； unceasing prayer； especially prayer in common； where the
emotion of the prostrate soul increases through the emotion of the
souls that surround it； in the same degree； active piety； meaning by
this the doing of good works； education and charity； especially the
accomplishment of repulsive tasks； such as attending the sick； the
infirm； the incurable； idiots； maniacs and repentant prostitutes；
* Finally； the strict daily rule which； a sort of rigorous and minute
countersign； enjoining and compelling the repetition of the same acts
at the same hours； renders habit the auxiliary of will； adds
mechanical enthusiasm to a serious determination； and ends in making
the task easy。
Hence； communities of men and of women； congregations and convents；
these likewise； the same as the sacraments； the priesthood and the
hierarchy； form a body along with belief and thus constitute the
inseparable organs of faith。
Before 1789； the ignorant or indifferent Catholic； the peasant at his
plow； the artisan at his work…bench； the good wife attending to her
household； were unconscious of this innermost suture。 Thanks to the
Revolution； they have acquired the sentiment of it and even the
physical sensation。 They had never asked themselves in what respect
orthodoxy differed from schism； nor how positive religion was opposed
to natural religion； it is the civil organization of the clergy which
has led them to distinguish the difference between the unsworn curé
and the interloper； between the right mass and the wrong mass； it is
the prohibition of the mass which has led them to comprehend its
importance； it is the revolutionary government which has transformed
them into theologians and canonists。＇79＇ Compelled； under the Reign
of Terror； to sing and dance before the goddess Reason； and next；
in the temple of the 〃étre Supreme；〃 subjected； under the Directory；
to the new…fangled republican calendar； and to the insipidity of
the decade festivals； they have measured； with their own eyes； the
distance which separates a present； personal； incarnate deity； redeemer
and savior； from a deity without form or substance； or； in any
event； absent； a living； revealed； and time…honored religion； and
an abstract； manufactured； improvised religion； their spontaneous
worship； which is an act of faith； and a worship imposed on them
which is only frigid parade； their priest； in a surplice； sworn to
continence； delegated from on high to open out to them the infinite
perspectives of heaven or hell beyond the grave； and the republican
substitute； officiating in a municipal scarf； Peter or Paul； a
lay…man like themselves； more or less married and convivialist；
sent from Paris to preach a course of Jacobin morality。＇80＇ …
Their attachment to their clergy； to the entire body regular and
secular； is due to this contrast。 Previously； they were not always
well…disposed to it； the peasantry； nowhere； were content
to pay tithes； and the artisan； as well as the peasant； regarded the
idle； well…endowed； meditative monks as but little more than so many
fat drones。 The man of the people in France； by virtue of being a
Gaul； has a dry； limited imagination； he is not inclined to
veneration； but is rather mocking； critical and insubordinate at the
powers above him； with a hereditary undertone of distrust and envy at
every man who wears a cloth suit and who eats and drinks without doing
manual labor。 … At this time； his clergy do not excite his envy； but
his pity； monks and nuns； cure's and prelates； roofless； without
bread； imprisoned； transported； guillotined； or； at best； fugitives；
hunted down and more unfortunate than wild beasts … it is he who；
during the persecutions of the years II； IV and VI； harbors them；
conceals them； lodges them and feeds them。 He sees them suffering for
their faith； which is his faith； and； before their constancy； equal to
that of the legendary martyrs； his indifference changes into respect
and next into zeal。 From the year IV；＇81＇ the orthodox priests have
again recovered their place and ascendancy in his soul which the creed
assigns to them； they have again become his serviceable guides； his
accepted directors； the only warranted interpreters of Christian
truth； the only authorized dispensers and ministers of divine grace。
He attends their mass immediately on their return and will put up with
no other。 Brutalized as he may be； or indifferent and dull； and his
mind filled with nothing but animal concerns； he needs them；＇82＇ he
misses their solemnities； the great festivals； the Sunday； and this
privation is a periodical want both for eyes and ears； he misses the
ceremonial； the lights； the chants； the ringing of the bells； the
morning and evening Angelus。 … Thus； whether he knows it or not； his
heart and senses are Catholic＇83＇ and he demands the old church back
again。 Before the Revolution； this church lived on its own revenues；
70；000 priests； 37；000 nuns； 23；000 monks； supported by endowments；
cost the State nothing； and scarcely anything to the tax…payer； at any
rate； they cost nothing to the actual； existing tax…payer not even the
tithes； for； established many centuries ago； the tithes were a tax on
the soil； not on the owner in possession； nor on the farmer who tilled
the ground； who has purchased or hired it with this tax deducted。 In
any case； the real property of the Church belonged to it； without
prejudice to anybody； through the strongest legal and most legitimate
of property titles； the last will and testament of thousands of the
dead； its founders and benefactors。 All is taken from it； even the
houses of prayer which； in their use； disposition and architecture；
were； in the most manifest manner； Christian works and ecclesiastical
objects； 38；000 parsonages； 4000 convents； over 40；000 parochial
churches； cathedrals and chapels。 Eve