Likegeology，itinterfereswiththatDeusemachinatheoryofhumanaffairswhichhasbeeninallagesthestrongholdofpriestcraft。ThattheDeityisnormallyabsent，andnotpresent；
thatheworksontheworldbyinterference，andnotbycontinuouslaws；thatitistheprivilegeofthepriesthoodtoassigncausesforthese\"judgments\"and\"visitations\"oftheAlmighty，andtotellmankindwhyHeisangrywiththem，andhasbrokenthelawsofnaturetopunishthem——this，ineveryage，hasseemedtothemajorityofpriestsadoctrinetobedefendedatallhazards；forwithoutit，sotheyhold，theiroccupationweregoneatonce。{13}
Nowonder，then，iftheyviewwithjealousyasetoflaymenattributingthese\"judgments\"topurelychemicallaws，andtomisdoingsandignorancewhichhaveasyetnoplaceintheecclesiasticalcatalogueofsins。True，itmaybethattheSanitaryReformersareright；buttheyhadrathernotthinkso。
Anditisveryeasynottothinkso。Theyonlyhavetoignore，toavoidexamining，thefacts。Theircanonofutilityisapeculiarone；andwithfactswhichdonotcomeunderthatcanontheyhavenoconcern。Itmaybetrue，forinstance，thattheeighteenthcentury，whichtotheclergyisaperiodofscepticism，darkness，andspiritualdeath，istheverycenturywhichsawmoredoneforscience，forcivilisation，foragriculture，formanufacture，fortheprolongationandsupportofhumanlifethananyprecedingoneforathousandyearsandmore。Whatmatter？Thatisa\"secular\"
question，ofwhichtheyneedknownothing。Andsanitaryreform（iftrue）isjustsuchanother；amatter（asslaveryhasbeenseentobebythepreachersoftheUnitedStates）forthelegislator，andnotforthosewhosekingdomis\"notofthisworld。\"