A trial for heresy means that the spirit of persecution still lingers in
the Church; that it still denies the right of private judgment; that it
still thinks more of creed than truth, and that it is still determined
to prevent the intellectual growth of man. It means the churches are
shambles in which are bought and sold the souls of men. It means that
the Church is still guilty of the barbarity of opposing thought with
force. It means that if it had the power, the mental horizon would be
bound by a creed; that it would bring again the whips and chains and
dungeon keys, the rack and fagot of the past.