Introductionf

But when science and philosophy, reconciled with faith, shall unite all the various symbols, then shall the magnificences of the antique worships be restored to the memory of men, proclaiming the progress of the human mind in the intuition of the light of God. But of all forms of progress the greatest will be that which, restoring the keys of Nature to the hands of science, shall enchain for ever the hideous spectre of Satan, and, explaining all abnormal phenomena, shall destroy the empire of superstition and imbecile credulity. To the accomplishment of this work we have consecrated our life, and do still devote it in the most toilsome and difficult researches. We would emancipate altars by overthrowing idols; we desire the man of intelligence to become once more the priest and king of Nature, and we would preserve by explanation all images of the universal sanctuary. The prophets spoke in parables and images, because abstract language was wanting to them, and because prophetic perception, being the sentiment of harmony or of universal analogies, translates naturally into images. Taken literally by the vulgar, these images become idols or impenetrable mysteries. The sum and succession of such images and mysteries constitute what is called symbolism. Symbolism comes therefore from God, though it may be formulated by men. Revelation has accompanied humanity in all ages, has been transfigured with human genius but has ever expressed the same truth. True religion is one; its dogmas are simple and within the reach of all. At the same time, the multiplicity of symbols has been a book of poesy indispensable to the education of human genius. The harmony of outward beauties and the poetry of form must reveal God to the infancy of man; but soon Venus had Psyche for her rival and Psyche enchanted Love. It came about therefore that the cultus of form yielded perforce to those ambitious dreams which adorned already the eloquent wisdom of Plato. Thus was the advent of Christ prepared and was therefore also expected; it arrived because the world awaited it; and to become popular, philosophy transformed into belief. Emancipated by belief itself, the human mind protested speedily against the school which sought to materialize its signs and the work of Roman Catholicism was solely an undesigned provision for the emancipation of consciences and the establishment of the bases of universal association. All these things were the regular and normal development of divine life in humanity; for God is the great Soul of all souls, that immovable Centre about which gravitate all intelligences like a cloud of stars. Human understanding has had its morning; its noon shall come, and the waning follow; but God will be ever the same. It seems, however, to dwellers on earth that the sun rises youthful and timid in the morning, shines with all its power at midday and goes wearied to rest in the evening. Nevertheless, it is earth which revolves, while the sun is motionless. Having faith therefore in human progress, and in the stability of God, the free man respects religion in its past forms, and no more blasphemes Jupiter than Jehovah. He still salutes lovingly the radiant image of the Pythian Apollo and discovers its fraternal resemblance to the glorified countenance of the risen Redeemer. He believes in the great mission of the Catholic hierarchy, and finds satisfaction in observing the popes of the Middle Ages who opposed religion as a check upon the absolute power of kings; but he protests with the revolutionary centuries against the servitude of conscience which the pontifical keys would enchain. He is more protestant than Luther, since he does not even believe in the infallibility of the Augsbourg Confession, and more Catholic than the Pope, for he has no fear that religious unity will be broken by the malevolence of courts.