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those of Calvin； are not even worthy of examination in the light
of rational logic。
Greatly concerned about his salvation； having an excessive fear
of the devil； which his confessor was unable to allay； Luther
sought the surest means of pleasing God that he might avoid Hell。
Having commenced by denying the Pope the right to sell
indulgences； he presently entirely denied his authority； and that
of the Church； condemned religious ceremonies； confession； and
the worship of the saints； and declared that Christians should
have no rules of conduct other than the Bible。 He also
considered that no one could be saved without the grace of God。
This last theory； known as that of predestination； was in Luther
rather uncertain； but was stated precisely by Calvin； who made it
the very foundation of a doctrine to which the majority of
Protestants are still subservient。 According to him： ‘‘From
all eternity God has predestined certain men to be burned and
others to be saved。'' Why this monstrous iniquity？ Simply
because ‘‘it is the will of God。''
Thus according to Calvin； who for that matter merely developed
certain assertions of St。 Augustine； an all…powerful God would
amuse Himself by creating living beings simply in order to burn
them during all eternity； without paying any heed to their acts
or merits。 It is marvellous that such revolting insanity could
for such a length of time subjugate so many mindsmarvellous
that it does so still。＇1＇
＇1＇ The doctrine of predestination is still taught in Protestant
catechisms； as is proved by the following passage extracted from
the last edition of an official catechism for which I sent to
Edinburgh：
‘‘By the decree of God； for the manifestation of His glory； some
men and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life； and
others foreordained to everlasting death。
‘‘These angels and men； thus predestinated and foreordained； are
particularly and unchangeably designed； and their number is so
certain and definite that it cannot be either increased or
diminished。
‘‘Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life； God； before
the foundation of the world was laid； according to His eternal
and immutable purpose； and the secret counsel and good pleasure
of His will； hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory； out of
His mere free grace and love； without any foresight of faith or
good works； or perseverance in either of them； or any other thing
in the creature； as conditions； or causes moving him thereunto；
and all to the praise of his glorious grace。
‘‘As God hath appointed the elect unto glory； so hath He； by the
eternal and most free purpose of His will； foreordained all the
means thereunto。 Wherefore they who are elected being fallen in
Adam； are redeemed by Christ； are effectually called unto faith
in Christ by His spirit working in due season； are justified；
adopted； sanctified； and kept by His power through faith unto
salvation。 Neither are any other redeemed by Christ； effectually
called； justified； adopted； sanctified； and saved； but the elect
only。''
The psychology of Calvin is not without affinity with that of
Robespierre。 Like the latter； the master of the pure truth； he
sent to death those who would not accept his doctrines。 God； he
stated； wishes ‘‘that one should put aside all humanity when it
is a question of striving for his glory。''
The case of Calvin and his disciples shows that matters which
rationally are the most contradictory become perfectly reconciled
in minds which are hypnotised by a belief。 In the eyes of
rational logic； it seems impossible to base a morality upon the
theory of predestination； since whatever they do men are sure of
being either saved or damned。 However； Calvin had no difficulty
in erecting a most severe morality upon this totally illogical
basis。 Considering themselves the elect of God； his disciples
were so swollen by pride and the sense of their own dignity that
they felt obliged to serve as models in their conduct。
4。 Propagation of the Reformation。
The new faith was propagated not by speech； still less by process
of reasoning； but by the mechanism described in our preceding
work： that is； by the influence of affirmation； repetition；
mental contagion； and prestige。 At a much later date
revolutionary ideas were spread over France in the same fashion。
Persecution； as we have already remarked； only favoured this
propagation。 Each execution led to fresh conversions； as was
seen in the early years of the Christian Church。 Anne Dubourg；
Parliamentary councillor； condemned to be burned alive； marched
to the stake exhorting the crowd to be converted。 ‘‘His
constancy；'' says a witness； ‘‘made more Protestants among the
young men of the colleges than the books of Calvin。''
To prevent the condemned from speaking to the people their
tongues were cut out before they were burned。 The horror of
their sufferings was increased by attaching the victims to an
iron chain； which enabled the executioners to plunge them into
the fire and withdraw them several times in succession。
But nothing induced the Protestants to retract； even the offer of
an amnesty after they had felt the fire。
In 1535 Francis I。； forsaking his previous tolerance； ordered six
fires to be lighted simultaneously in Paris。 The Convention； as
we know； limited itself to a single guillotine in the same city。
It is probable that the sufferings of the victims were not very
excruciating； the insensibility of the Christian martyrs had
already been remarked。 Believers are hypnotised by their faith；
and we know to…day that certain forms of hypnotism engender
complete insensibility。
The new faith progressed rapidly。 In 1560 there were two
thousand reformed churches in France； and many great lords； at
first indifferent enough； adhered to the new doctrine。
5。 Conflict between different religious beliefsImpossibility
of Tolerance。
I have already stated that intolerance is always an accompaniment
of powerful religious beliefs。 Political and religious
revolutions furnish us with numerous proofs of this fact； and
show us also that the mutual intolerance of sectaries of the same
religion is always much greater than that of the defenders
of remote and alien faiths； such as Islamism and Christianity。
In fact； if we consider the faiths for whose sake France was so
long rent asunder； we shall find that they did not differ on any
but accessory points。 Catholics and Protestants adored exactly
the same God； and only differed in their manner of adoring Him。
If reason had played the smallest part in the elaboration of
their belief； it could easily have proved to them that it must be
quite indifferent to God whether He sees men adore Him in this
fashion or in that。
Reason being powerless to affect the brain of the convinced；
Protestants and Catholics continued their ferocious conflicts。
All the efforts of their sovereigns to reconcile them were in
vain。 Catherine de Medicis； seeing the party of the Reformed
Church increasing day by day in spite of persecution； and
attracting a considerable number of nobles and magistrates；
thought to disarm them by convoking at Poissy； in 1561； an
assembly of bishops and pastors with the object of fusing the two
doctrines。 Such an enterprise indicated that the queen； despite
her subtlety； knew nothing of the laws of mystic logic。 Not in
all history can one cite an example of a belief destroyed or
reduced by means of refutation。 Catherine did not even know that
although toleration is with difficulty possible between
individuals； it is impossible between collectivities。 Her
attempt failed completely。 The assembled theologians hurled
texts and insults at one another's heads； but no one was moved。
Catherine thought to succeed better in 1562 by promulgating an
edict according Protestants the right to unite in the public
celebration of their cult。
This tolerance； very admirable from a philosophical point of
view； but not at all wise from the political standpoint； had no
other result beyond exasperating both parties。 In the Midi；
where the Protestants were strongest； they persecuted the
Catholics； sought to convert them by violence； cut their throats
if they did not succeed； and sacked their cathedrals。 In the
regions where the Catholics were more numerous the Reformers
suffered like persecutions。
Such hostilities as these inevitably engendered civil war。 Thus
arose the so…called religious wars； which so long spilled the
blood of France。 The cities were ravaged； the inhabitants
massacred； and the struggle rapidly assumed that special quality
of ferocity peculiar to religious or political conflicts； which；
at a later date； was to reappear in the wars of La Vendee。
Old men； women； and children； all were exterminated。 A cer