As his Jesuitical plan of terrifying had not the effect which he
probably desired, he tried other means to entrap me; and behold! a
denunciation appeared to him likely to achieve his purpose. About a
year before, it had been observed by a burgess nearly related to the
priesthood, that I wore a shorter coat, and longer whiskers, than
accorded with his orthodoxy, and he denounced me in consequence. Dr.
Ritter had not delayed, from his giddy height of holiness, to set me
right, in the genuine style of ecclesiastical dictation. I had replied
to his communication in something like the following terms:--It would
grieve me, by my external appearance, to give offence to any pious
Christians, and I should gladly (though my present dress is exactly what
I wore while in the Seminary) avoid it. I would indeed even relinquish
my vocation were I considered unfit for it. I added at the close, that I
might be able to exonerate myself in some particulars, but that I would
not occupy, with such insignificant matters, his valuable time,
which was doubtless demanded for the consideration of things of more
importance.*
Proceeding upon this, Dr. Ritter applied to Kaspar Hoffmann, clerical
superintendent at Grottkau, and called upon him to report concerning
me.**
I had never interfered with this Kaspar Hoffmann. In money matters,
usually an apple of discord between vicars and curates, I had allowed
him to do as he pleased. He paid me only 32 dollars annually (16 were
added by the town,) and derived handsome profits from offices, which
I, perhaps, discharged for him,*** Still he would gladly have seen me
removed, because we held opposite opinions, and I enjoyed the good-will
of the community, which he seemed to grudge me. He truly reported the
_crimina_, which he had perceived in me, and added, that he spoke the
sentiments of _all_ the citizens, although, as it afterwards appeared,
he had _two_ only on his side.
* Dr. Ritter says In his lecture, when alluding to this
occurrence, that he does not know whether I have vindicated
myself. Very satisfactory!
** Kaspar Hoffmann showed me this application before my
departure.
*** Curate Pech, a learned, accomplished, and distinguished
man, wearied with the long-protracted contest, had taken a
curate and retired.
**** From one dollar, which I received for reading the
burial service, he deducted 10 silver groschen. May I ask
whether an usurer takes so large a percentage, as such a
curate from his chaplain?
These said crimes, as contained in the Decree of Deposition, are as
follow:--1st, That I wore too short a coat, and unsuitably long hair. I
could only treat this silliness with derision, gave therefore no reply
to it, and direct my readers to the answer of my honoured defender, and
to the testimony of the citizens and magistrates of Grottkau. I must,
however, observe, that this accusation was only made as a pretence, the
real ground of complaint being my conduct in the school and the church,
as the following occurrence will disclose.* In the schools of which I
was the director, I ordered the teaching of German history, caused the
pupils to write exercises for the improvement of their style, commenced
the formation of a juvenile library, and conducted the religious
instruction not altogether according to the authorized Catechism,
because I perceived that _it_ tended rather to prejudice the minds
of the pupils against religion than to implant it in their hearts.
I visited, besides, the Sabbath-schools, and strove to rid them of
superstition and hypocrisy. Kaspar Hoffmann, like many other suchlike
_faithful_ ministers, had instituted a regular system of espionage, and
watched my doings. In his priestly zeal he slipped privately into one
of my schools, put several bullying questions to the children, and when
they, in terror, could not answer him a word, he beat the religion of
love into them with a birch-rod. When I, enraged at his ill-treatment of
the pupils, called him to account, he replied, that well-grounded doubts
were entertained of my orthodoxy, that I did not proceed according to
the accredited Catechism, _taught German history_, &c.! This betrayed
the quarter whence his inspiration had descended. My answer had,
however, this effect, that Mr. Hoffmann discontinued his visits to my
schools.
* My dress was quite black, and was far outshone in elegance
by that of the clergy of Breslau. Besides, I know full well,
that Catholic priests may deck themselves most gaily, and
yet retain their offices.
In the second place, Kaspar Hoffmann had reported that I conducted the
ordinances of worship in an indecorous and undignified manner. This,
in the sense in which he meant it, is a shameless lie; for, although I
held, and still hold, many Church forms to be contrary to the exalted
conception revealed to us of the Godhead in the Christian religion, (can
it, for instance, be supposed, that God is honoured or the community
edified, by unintelligible mumbling of Latin and hypocritical up-turning
of the eyes?) I have still too great respect for all religious
conviction, in whatever form it may be manifested, to insult it, or
endeavour to bring about a change, in such a manner as I am represented
to have done. I submitted to the forms prescribed, without, indeed,
hypocritical up-turning of the eyes, whining, or the like, by which it
is easy to acquire extravagant metage,* and a character for sanctity (I
saw this shameless game played almost daily.)
* The fee paid for the performance of masses.--Trans.
It was, besides, a moral impossibility that I should have given offence
by my remarkable behaviour, being so constantly galled and worn down
by my bondage, and by my grief at being compelled to assist in
disseminating superstition and hypocrisy, that I stood generally quite
exhausted by the altar. Yes, the mental agony which I have endured on
that spot, and which was manifested in my exterior, must have produced
an exactly opposite impression than that for which he blamed me--and it
did produce it. If Kaspar Hoffmann's piety took offence at this, then
must it be equivalent to none, since he considered hypocrisy alone to be
true decency and dignity. (What remains to be said on this subject will
be found in my Defence before the Council.)
Lastly, It had been reported that no one would take me for a Catholic
Clergyman who did not know me to be one. This, I must confess, sounded
to me very like the language of praise, as I have endeavoured never to
make any distinction between myself and my fellow-citizens, seeing that
I desired to be neither more nor less than a man and a citizen. Does the
narrow blue stripe constitute the pastor and teacher? We know that lying
and feigned words are uttered in spite of the clerical stripe, and that
the glittering vestments of the priest cannot shut out dissimulation,
but, on the contrary, that they promote it.