Scarcely had the disciples of Jesus Christ torn down the Mosaic fabric
for the purpose of establishing Christianity, when men, led by force
of circumstances, and influenced by their usual inconstancy, followed
the new legislator, who had elevated himself by means similar, as far
as possible, to those which Moses employed. Like the Jewish lawgiver,
Christ usurped the title of prophet, and ambassador of God; like him
he pretended to perform miracles, and took advantage of the passions of
the multitude. He soon found himself escorted by an ignorant populace,
to whom he explained the new oracles of heaven. These miserably misled
people, from the promises and fables of this new impostor, spread
his renown far and wide, as having eclipsed all his predecessors.
Mahomet, on the contrary, was a man who did not appear at all competent
to lay the foundation of an empire. He was distinguished neither as
a politician nor a philosopher: he could neither read nor write. [57]
At first he exhibited so little firmness, that he was frequently upon
the point of abandoning his enterprise; and he would have done so, had
it not been for the address of one his followers. When he was rising
into celebrity, Corais, a powerful Arab chief, being irritated that
a man of yesterday should have the boldness to mislead the people,
declared himself his enemy, and attempted to thwart his designs;
but the people, believing that Mahomet had continued intercourse
with God and his angels, supported him till he had an opportunity of
being avenged upon his adversary. The tribe of Corais was worsted;
and Mahomet seeing himself surrounded by a host of fanatics, thought
that he stood in no need of a coadjutor. However, lest Corais should
expose his impostures, he took the initiative; and to make sure, he
loaded him with promises, and swore that he only wished to become
great in order to share with him that power, to the establishment
of which he might so much contribute. "We can agree," said he,
"when we reach our proper elevation; we can depend, in the meantime,
on that great multitude whom we have gained over, and it only remains
that we make sure of them by the employment of that artifice which
you have so happily invented." At the same time he persuaded him to
descend into the Cave of Oracles.
This was a dried-up sunk well, from the bottom of which Corais spoke,
in order that the people might believe that it was the voice of God
declaring himself in favour of Mahomet who was in the midst of his
proselytes. Deceived by the blandishments of the leader, his associate
regularly descended into the well, to counterfeit the oracle. Whilst
Mahomet was passing one day at the head of an infatuated multitude,
they heard a voice, which said--"I am your God, and I declare that
Mahomet is the prophet whom I have appointed for all nations; he will
instruct you in my law of truth, which the Jews and Christians have
altered." For a long time the accomplice played this game; but at last
he met with the blackest ingratitude. The voice being heard, as usual,
proclaiming him an inspired personage, Mahomet turned to the people,
and commanded them, in the name of that God who had recognised him
as his prophet, to fill up the well with stones, that it might be an
enduring witness in his favour, like that pillar which Jacob set up
to mark the place where God had appeared to him. [58] Thus perished,
miserably, the chief who had most contributed to the elevation of
Mahomet. It was upon this heap of stones that the last of the three
most celebrated impostors established his religion, and so solid
and stable is its foundation, that after the lapse of twelve hundred
years there is little appearance at present of its being overthrown.
§ 23.
In this way was the power of Mahomet established; and he was more
fortunate than Jesus, inasmuch as he lived to see the wide diffusion
of his doctrines, which Christ on account of his want of resources,
was unable to do. He was even more fortunate in this respect than
Moses, who from excess of ambition brought himself to a premature
end.--Mahomet died in peace, and loaded with blessings. He had,
moreover, a well-grounded hope that his religion would last, because
it was accommodated to the nature of a people born and brought up
in ignorance; an adaptation in which men more learned than himself,
but less accustomed to associate with the lower orders, might have
entirely failed.
The reader is now in possession of the most remarkable facts concerning
the three most celebrated legislators, whose religions have brought
into subjection a great part of the human race. They were such as
we have represented them; and it is for you to consider if they
are worthy of your respect, and if you are justified in allowing
yourselves to be led by those whom ambition alone conducted to power,
and whose dreams have been perpetuated by ignorance. The following
observations, if read with a free and unprejudiced mind, may lead to
the discovery of truth, by clearing away those mists wherewith you
have been blinded and beguiled.