gave toleration to religion; and their constitution had in it many good things. They continued their sessions two years and four months; and on the 30th of Sept. 1791, the Assembly dissolved itself.

A new Assembly soon met, under the name of the National Convention. Under their government, the designs of the leading men in the revolution appeared. War having broken out between France and Austria, the Convention issued a decree of which the following is an extract; "The National Convention, faithful to the principles of the sovereignty of the people, which will not permit them to acknowledge any of the institutions against it, and, willing to fix the regulations to be observed by the generals of the armies of the republic, in those countries, to which they may carry their arms, decree;

That in those countries, which shall be occupied by the armies of the French republic, the generals shall immediately proclaim the abolition of all the existing customs, and rights; of all nobility, and generally all privileges; they shall declare to the people, that they bring them peace, succor, fraternity, liberty, and equality.

The French nation declare, that it will treat as enemies the people, who, refusing or renouncing liberty and equality, are desirous of preserving their prince and privileged casts, or of entering into an accommodation with them. The nation promises and engages not to lay down its arms, until the sovereignty and liberty of the people, on whose territory the French armies shall have entered, shall be established."

Here the real origin of the French revolution is clearly ascertained. Or, it is here clearly evident, that, how many soever forwarded that revolution from better views, the Jacobins took the whole direction of it, and found in it the very opportunity, which they had long wished and desired, to give their plan its full effect. Some moderation, at first, appeared under the National Assembly. But their scheme now, under the Convention, was soon unfolded. Even the French nation were not prepared to behold Illuminism in all its

extent, at first view. For some time therefore the French revolution was pleasing to many of the friends of virtuous liberty. But after the meeting of the Na- · tional Convention, their views were rapidly unfolded. On the midnight preceding the 10th of August 1792, all the bells of Paris rang an alarm; the drums beat; the citizens flew to arms; the old palace, where the members of the royal family were, was attacked. The Swiss guard fired upon the populace. But they, with the national guards, were cut to pieces by bodies of soldiers, brought by the Jacobins from Brest and Marseilles. The gates of the palace were broken, after about 800 men had been killed. The king some time after was brought to trial before the Convention, and was beheaded, Jan. 21, 1793. The queen was beheaded, on the 16th of the Oct. ensuing. Royalty was abolished by the Convention; and a new constitution was by them formed and published; and it was accepted by the people, in the stead of the first, formed by the National Assembly. The moderate principles of the first constitution were abandoned. No further toleration was given to religion or conscience. On the 26th of August, 1792, "an open profession of Atheism was made by a whole nation, once zealously devoted to the Papal superstition. Corresponding societies and Atheistical clubs were every where held, fearless and undisguised." (Faber, vol. ii, p. 203.)

Massacres and the reign of terror succeeded; to hint the particulars of which would fill a volume. Something of the feats of the French arms abroad, soon after their revolution, may be learned from the following report of Dubois Crance, to the Convention, Jan. 30, 1795. He says; "Last year you maintained nearly eleven hundred thousand fighting men. France stood armed on one side, Europe on the other; and victory constantly followed the three colored standard, Holland is conquered; and England trembles. Twenty three regular sieges terminated; six pitched battles gained; 2000 cannon taken; 200 towns submitted. Such is the glorious result of the last campaign. The

next campaign promises, if possible, still more surprising successes."

The loss of men sustained by the armies of France from 1791, to 1796, was calculated at twelve hundred thousand. And beside this loss, the number of murdered citizens, including men, women, and children, during the reign of terror, is said to have been two millions.

Such a series of events could not have been without some deep and most mischievous plot. And such a plot the history of Illuminism unfolds.

SECTION V.

The re-establishment of Popery by Bonaparte not inconsistent with Atheism being the characteristic of the French Empire.

THE present French emperor has evinced, by his proclamation in Egypt, and by other documents, that, in point of sentiment, he was not unprepared to become a prime leader of the Antichristian Empire.* Bona

*The object of Bonaparte's expedition into Egypt, in 1798, is expressed in the following extract from an intercepted letter, written by a major in his army, dated Grand Cairo, July 28, 1798. "The government have turned their eyes toward Egypt and Syria; countries, which by their climate, goodness, and fertility of soil, may become the granaries of the French commerce, her magazine of abundance, and in course of time the depository of the riches of India. It is most indubitable, that, when possessed of, and regularly organized in, these countries, we may throw our views still farther, and in the end destroy the English commerce in the Indies, turn it to our own profit, and render ourselves the sovereigns also of these parts of Africa and Asia. All these considerations united have induced our government to attempt the expedition to Egypt. That part of the Roman power has been governed, for many ages, by a species of men called Mamalukes, who have Beys at the head of each district. They deny the authority of the Grand Seignior, governing tyrannically, and despotically, a people and a country, that in the hand of a polished nation, would become a source of wealth and profit." Kett, vol. ii, p. 268.

parte's re-establishment of Popery forms no objection to his being an Atheist, nor to Atheism being the characteristic of the French Empire. For this characteristic the French nation clearly and officially assumed,

But Bonaparte had the subtlety to disguise this object, by the following proclamation in Egypt; in which his own real sentiments may be learned. "In the name of God, gracious and merciful. There is no God but one; he has no sou, or associate in his kingdom." Here is an express and designed denial of Christ, and of the Christian Religion. One God must be acknowledged. For the Mohammedan Egyptians acknowledge him: And Bonaparte was now courting them! He proceeds; "The present moment, which is destined for the punishment of the Beys, has been long anxiously expected. The Beys coming from the mountains of Georgia and Bajars, have desolated this beautiful country. Bonaparte, the general of the French republic, according to the principles of liberty, is now arrived; and the Almighty, the Lord of both worlds, has sealed the destruction of the Beys. Inhabitants of Egypt! when the Beys tell you, the French are come to destroy your religion, believe them not; it is an absolute falsehood. Answer those deceivers, that they are only come to rescue the rights of the poor from the hands of their tyrants; and that the French adore the Supreme being, and honor the prophet, (Mohammed) and his holy Koran; (the Mohammedan Bible.) All men are equal in the eyes of God; understanding, ingenuity, and science alone, make the difference between them. As the Beys therefore do not pos sess any of these qualities, they cannot be worthy to govern the country. The Supreme Being, who is just and merciful toward all mankind, wills, that in future none of the inhabitants of Egypt shall be prevented from attaining to the first employments, and the highest honors. The administration, which shall be conducted by persons of intelligence, talents, and foresight, will be productive of happiness and security. The tyranny and avarice of the Beys have laid waste Egypt, which was formerly so populous and well cultivated. The French are true Mussulmans; (disciples of Mohammed.) They have at all times been the true and sincere friends of Ottoman emperors; and the ene. mies of their enemies. May the empire of the Sultan therefore be eternal. But may the Beys of Egypt, our opposers, whose insatiable avarice has continually excited disobedience and insubordination, be trodden in the dust and annihilated! Our friendship shall be extended to those of the inhabitants of Egypt, who shall join us; as also to those, who shall remain in their dwellings, and observe a strict neutrality, and when they have seen our conduct with their own eyes, shall hasten to submit to us. But the dreadful punishment of death awaits those, who

and for years retained. And they have not since taken a single step to change this national characteristic, nor to evince, that Atheism is not their real sentiment, as a nation. It has been ascertained, that the French as a nation are Atheists. In support of this, let Dr. Priestley testify: And no one will suspect the Doctor to have been greatly prejudiced against them! He relates the following; "When I was myself in France, in 1774, I saw sufficient reason to believe that hardly any person of eminence in church or state, and especially in a great degree eminent in philosophy or literature, (whose opinions in all countries are sooner or later adopted by others) were believers in Christianity. And no person will suppose, that there has been any change in favor of Christianity in the last twenty years. A person I believe now living, and one of the best informed men in the country, assured me very gravely, that (paying me à compliment) I was the first person he had ever met with, of whose understanding he had any opinion, who pretended to believe in Christianity. To this, all the company assented. And not only were the philosophers, and other leading men in France at that time, unbelievers in Christianity, or Deists; but they were Atheists; denying the being of God." (Priestley's Fast Sermon. 1794.)

The French are to be denominated, in the language of prophecy, from the characteristic of Atheism, which they did, in their revolution, by national authority and undisguisedly assume. The remarks of authors, relative to the ancient ten horns of the Roman beast, (whether they were correct in their application of those horns, or not,) illustrate my present idea. They tell us, it is suffi

For them

shall take up arms for the Beys, and against us. there shall be no deliverance; nor shall any trace of them remain. All the inhabitants of Egypt shall offer up thanks to the Supreme Being, and put up public prayers for the destruction of the Beys. May the Supreme God make the glory of the Sultan of the Ottomans eternal; pour forth his wrath on the Mama. lukes; and render glorious the destiny of the Egyptian nation." (Kett, vol. ii, p. 258-261.)

The hypocrisy and Atheism exposed in this siren chant, need no comment. They exhibit the heart of their subject.