The Sequel to the Count of Gabalis

—down then, Sir," I replied to
him; "I am going to listen to you with all the
docility of which I am capable." He sat down
and spoke in this manner.
"These recent times have been fertile
in Reformers. Hell seems
to have opened all its gates to
overturn the Bark of Peter French: Nacelle de Pierre; a traditional metaphor for the Catholic Church, referencing the boat from which St. Peter fished., under the
pretext of repairing it.... God, al-
ways faithful to the promise He
made to it, that the gates of Hell
shall never prevail against it,
has also, on His part, raised up extra-
ordinary Men to save it
by the very same means by which the
Emissaries of Hell sought to des-
troy it. A true zeal for a gen-
eral Reformation has animated several
great Figures to work with
tireless care to restore
the purity of primitive Morality This refers to the ethics and lifestyle of the early Christian Church, which many reformers sought to emulate.:
but by a secret judgment of God,
their holy efforts have been in vain.
I once conferred with the majority
of these great Men; I told
them my sentiments, and they did not wish
to believe me: I am not surprised