the great controversy-第70章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
during these three hundred years； the industrial skill of the exiles had
been cultivating her soil； if； during these three hundred years； their
artistic bent had been improving her manufactures； if； during these three
hundred years； their creative genius and analytic power had been enriching
her literature and cultivating her science； if their wisdom had been guiding
her councils； their bravery fighting her battles； their equity framing her
laws； and the religion of the Bible strengthening the intellect and
governing the conscience of her people； what a glory would at this day have
encompassed France！ What a great； prosperous； and happy countrya pattern
to the nationswould she have been！
279
〃But a blind and inexorable bigotry chased from her soil every teacher of
virtue； every champion of order； every honest defender of the throne； it
said to the men who would have made their country a 'renown and glory' in
the earth； Choose which you will have； a stake or exile。 At last the ruin of
the state was complete； there remained no more conscience to be proscribed；
no more religion to be dragged to the stake； no more patriotism to be chased
into banishment。〃Wylie； b。 13； ch。 20。 And the Revolution； with all its
horrors； was the dire result。
〃With the flight of the Huguenots a general decline settled upon France。
Flourishing manufacturing cities fell into decay； fertile districts returned
to their native wildness； intellectual dullness and moral declension
succeeded a period of unwonted progress。 Paris became one vast almshouse；
and it is estimated that； at the breaking out of the Revolution； two hundred
thousand paupers claimed charity from the hands of the king。 The Jesuits
alone flourished in the decaying nation； and ruled with dreadful tyranny
over churches and schools； the prisons and the galleys。〃
The gospel would have brought to France the solution of those political and
social problems that baffled the skill of her clergy； her king； and her
legislators； and finally plunged the nation into anarchy and ruin。 But under
the domination of Rome the people had lost the Saviour's blessed lessons of
self…sacrifice and unselfish love。 They had been led away from the practice
of self…denial for the good of others。 The rich had found no rebuke for
their oppression of the poor； the poor no help for their servitude and
degradation。 The selfishness of the wealthy and powerful grew more and more
apparent and oppressive。 For centuries the greed and profligacy of the noble
resulted in grinding extortion toward the peasant。 The rich wronged the
poor； and the poor hated the rich。
In many provinces the estates were held by the nobles； and the laboring
classes were only tenants； they were at the mercy
280
of their landlords and were forced to submit to their exorbitant demands。
The burden of supporting both the church and the state fell upon the middle
and lower classes； who were heavily taxed by the civil authorities and by
the clergy。 〃The pleasure of the nobles was considered the supreme law； the
farmers and the peasants might starve； for aught their oppressors cared。 。 。
。 The people were compelled at every turn to consult the exclusive interest
of the landlord。 The lives of the agricultural laborers were lives of
incessant work and unrelieved misery； their complaints； if they ever dared
to complain； were treated with insolent contempt。 The courts of justice
would always listen to a noble as against a peasant； bribes were notoriously
accepted by the judges； and the merest caprice of the aristocracy had the
force of law； by virtue of this system of universal corruption。 Of the taxes
wrung from the commonalty； by the secular magnates on the one hand； and the
clergy on the other； not half ever found its way into the royal or episcopal
treasury； the rest was squandered in profligate self…indulgence。 And the men
who thus impoverished their fellow subjects were themselves exempt from
taxation； and entitled by law or custom to all the appointments of the
state。 The privileged classes numbered a hundred and fifty thousand； and for
their gratification millions were condemned to hopeless and degrading
lives。〃 （See Appendix。）
The court was given up to luxury and profligacy。 There was little confidence
existing between the people and the rulers。 Suspicion fastened upon all the
measures of the government as designing and selfish。 For more than half a
century before the time of the Revolution the throne was occupied by Louis
XV； who； even in those evil times； was distinguished as an indolent；
frivolous； and sensual monarch。 With a depraved and cruel aristocracy and an
impoverished and ignorant lower class； the state financially embarrassed and
the people exasperated； it needed no prophet's eye to foresee a terrible
impending outbreak。 To the warnings of his counselors the king was
accustomed to reply： 〃Try to
281
make things go on as long as I am likely to live； after my death it may be
as it will。〃 It was in vain that the necessity of reform was urged。 He saw
the evils； but had neither the courage nor the power to meet them。 The doom
awaiting France was but too truly pictured in his indolent and selfish
answer； 〃After me； the deluge！〃
By working upon the jealousy of the kings and the ruling classes； Rome had
influenced them to keep the people in bondage； well knowing that the state
would thus be weakened； and purposing by this means to fasten both rulers
and people in her thrall。 With farsighted policy she perceived that in order
to enslave men effectually； the shackles must be bound upon their souls；
that the surest way to prevent them from escaping their bondage was to
render them incapable of freedom。 A thousandfold more terrible than the
physical suffering which resulted from her policy； was the moral
degradation。 Deprived of the Bible； and abandoned to the teachings of
bigotry and selfishness； the people were shrouded in ignorance and
superstition； and sunken in vice； so that they were wholly unfitted for
self…government。
But the outworking of all this was widely different from what Rome had
purposed。 Instead of holding the masses in a blind submission to her dogmas；
her work resulted in making them infidels and revolutionists。 Romanism they
despised as priestcraft。 They beheld the clergy as a party to their
oppression。 The only god they knew was the god of Rome； her teaching was
their only religion。 They regarded her greed and cruelty as the legitimate
fruit of the Bible； and they would have none of it。
Rome had misrepresented the character of God and perverted His requirements；
and now men rejected both the Bible and its Author。 She had required a blind
faith in her dogmas； under the pretended sanction of the Scriptures。 In the
reaction； Voltaire and his associates cast aside God's word altogether and
spread everywhere the poison of infidelity。 Rome had ground down the people
under her iron heel； and now the masses； degraded and brutalized； in their
recoil from
282
her tyranny； cast off all restraint。 Enraged at the glittering cheat to
which they had so long paid homage； they rejected truth and falsehood
together； and mistaking license for liberty； the slaves of vice exulted in
their imagined freedom。
At the opening of the Revolution； by a concession of the king； the people
were granted a representation exceeding that of the nobles and the clergy
combined。 Thus the balance of power was in their hands； but they were not
prepared to use it with wisdom and moderation。 Eager to redress the wrongs
they had suffered； they determined to undertake the reconstruction of
society。 An outraged populace； whose minds were filled with bitter and
long…treasured memories of wrong； resolved to revolutionize the state of
misery that had grown unbearable and to avenge themselves upon those whom
they regarded as the authors of their sufferings。 The oppressed wrought out
the lesson they had learned under tyranny and became the oppressors of those
who had oppressed them。
Unhappy France reape
