It is impossible that a society can exist, if it have not an immutable morality derived from the idea of a God." Derisive sneers and murmurings hailed this religious protest.

The decree against the priests, presented by Francois de Neufchateau, and adopted by the legislative committee, was couched in these terms:--"Every ecclesiastic not taking the oaths is required to present himself before the expiration of the week at his municipality, and there take the civil oath.
"Those who shall refuse are not entitled in future to receive any allowance or pension from the public treasury.
"Every year there shall be an aggregate made of those pensions which the priests have forfeited, and this sum shall be divided amongst the eighty-three departments, to be employed in charitable works, and in giving succour to the indigent.
"These priests shall be, moreover, from their simple refusal of the oath, reputed as suspected of rebellion and specially _surveilles_.
"They may in consequence thereof be sent from their domicile, and another be assigned to them.
"If they refuse to change their domicile when called upon to do so, they shall be imprisoned.
"The churches employed for the paid worship of the state, cannot be devoted to any other service.

Citizens may hire other churches or chapels, and exercise their worship therein.

But this permission is forbidden to nonjuring priests suspected of revolt." XI.
This decree, which created more fanaticism than it repressed, and which accorded freedom of worship not as a right but as a favour, saddened the heart of the faithful; and the revolt in La Vendee, and persecution every where, followed.

Suspended as a fearful weapon over the conscience of the king, it was sent for his assent.
The Girondists were delighted at thus keeping the wretched monarch between their law and his own faith--schismatic if he recognised the decree, and a traitor to the nation if he refused it.