they  constructed  those  images  of  their  false  gods,  in  whose
protection  or  adoration  or  unhallowed  worship  an  attempt  was
made  even  to  destroy  the  church  of  God  by  fire,  and  the  pro
vision  made  for  relieving  the  poverty  of  very  pious  persons
was  given  up  to  become  the  spoil  of  a  wretched  mob,  and
blood  was  freely  shed — why,  I  ask,  does  your  patriotic  heart
dread  the  stroke  which  shall  cut  this  away,  in  order  to  prevent
a  fatal  boldness  from  being  in  everything  fostered  and  con
firmed  by  impunity  ?  This  I  beg  you  to  discuss  fully,  and  to
show  me  in  well-considered  arguments  what  wrong  there  is
in  this  ;  mark  carefully  what  I  say,  lest  under  the  form  of  a
petition  in  regard  to  what  I  am  saying  you  appear  to  bring
against  us  an  indirect  accusation.
