Towards the latter end of December of that year, a motion was made and carried, to exclude foreigners from the Convention. Under these disadvantages, I began the former part of the Age of Reason I had, besides, neither Bible nor Testament to refer to, though I was writing against both nor could I procure any notwithstanding which I have produced a work that no Bible Believer, though writing at his ease and with a Library of Church Books about him, can refute. I saw many of my most intimate friends destroyed others daily carried to prison and I had reason to believe, and had also intimations given me, that the same danger was approaching myself. The intolerant spirit of church persecution had transferred itself into politics the tribunals, stiled Revolutionary, supplied the place of an Inquisition and the Guillotine of the Stake. The Idea, always dangerous to Society as it is derogatory to the Almighty,вЂ“that priests could forgive sins,вЂ“though it seemed to exist no longer, had blunted the feelings of humanity, and callously prepared men for the commission of all crimes. The just and humane principles of the Revolution which Philosophy had first diffused, had been departed from. The circumstances, however, which existed in France in the latter end of the year 1793, determined me to delay it no longer. I HAVE mentioned in the former part of The Age of Reason that it had long been my intention to publish my thoughts upon Religion but that I had originally reserved it to a later period in life, intending it to be the last work I should undertake.

Age of mythology sequel