Jordan seized the hand of the king and pressed it enthusiastically to his lips.  “And the world says that you do not believe in God,” he exclaimed; “they class you with the unbelievers, and dare to preach against you, and slander you from the pulpit.”

“Yes, as I do not adopt their dogmas, I am, to them, a heretic,” said the king laughing; “and when they preach against me, it proves that they fear me, and look upon me as a powerful enemy.  The enemy of the priests I will be as long as I live, that is to say, of those arrogant and imperious men who are wise in their own eyes, and despise all who do not agree with them!  I will destroy the foundations of all these different churches, with their different dogmas.  I will utterly extinguish them by a universal church, in which every man shall worship God after his own fashion.  The worship of God should be the only object of every church!  All these different doctrines, which they cast in each other’s teeth, and for love of which they close their doors against each other, shall be given up.  I will open all their churches, and the fresh, pure air of God shall purify the musty buildings.  I will build a temple, a great illimitable temple, a second Pantheon, a church which shall unite all churches within itself, in which it shall be granted to every man to have his own altar, and adopt his own religious exercises.  All desire to worship God; every man shall do so according to his conscience!  Look you, Jordan, how pathetically they discourse of brotherly love, and they tear each other to pieces!  Let me only build my Pantheon, and then will all men, in truth, become brothers.  The Jew and the so-called heathen, the Mohammedan and the Persian, the Calvinist and the Catholic, the Lutheran and the Reformer—­they will all gather into my Pantheon, to worship God; all their forms and dogmas will simultaneously fall to the ground.  They will believe simply in one God, and the churches of all these different sects will soon stand empty and in ruins.” [Footnote:  Thiebault, in his “Souvenirs de Vingt Ans,” tells of Frederick’s plan for a Pantheon.]

While the king spoke, his countenance was illumined; a noble enthusiasm fired his large clear eyes, and his cheeks glowed as if from the awakening breath of some new internal light.

Jordan’s glance expressed unspeakable love, but at the same time he looked so sad, so pained, that Frederick felt chilled and restrained.

“How, Jordan! you are not of my opinion?” said he, with surprise.  “Our souls, which have been always heretofore in union, are now apart.  You do not approve of my Pantheon?”

“It is too exalted, sire, to be realized.  Mankind require a form of religion, in order not to lose all personal control.”