The Great Second Advent Movement: Its Rise and Progress

Blasphemous Work in Lyons, France

As to how those who killed the Witnesses, “crucified the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame” (Hebrews 6:6), will appear in the proceedings of a fe’te held by Fouche, in Lyons, in honor of Chalier, the Governor of Lyons, who had been put to death. Before his arrival at Lyons, Fouche ordered that “all religious emblems should be destroyed; and that over the gates of the churchyards should be written, Death is an eternal sleep.... The bust of Chalier was carried through the streets, followed by an immense crowd of assassins and prostitutes. After them came an ass bearing the gospel, the cross, and the communion vases, which were soon consigned to the flames, while the ass was compelled to drink out of the communion cup the consecrated wine.” ¹⁷ GSAM 81.2

A Festival of Reason held in Paris is thus described: “They went in procession to the convention, and the rabble ... caricatured in the most ludicrous manner the ceremonies of religion.... Men, wearing surplices and copes, came singing hallelujahs, and dancing Carmagnole, to the bar of convention. There they deposited the host, the boxes in which it was kept, and the statues of gold and silver. They made burlesque speeches.... ‘O you,’ exclaimed a deputation from St. Denis, ‘O you, instruments of fanaticism, blessed saints of all kinds, be at last patriots, rise en masse, and serve the country by going to the mint to be melted.’ ” ¹⁸ GSAM 81.3