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 408 General History of Europe It retained its gorgeous ceremonial, its hierarchy, its enormous possessions, and its control over the minds of men. By per- forming many useful services it seemed as indispensable to the average citizen as it had before the development of great national states. It registered his birth, took care of his education, sancti- fied his marriage, gave him relief in time of sickness or distress, and provided eternal salvation for his soul. In return, however, it claimed the right to collect its income and to demand loyalty to its teachings. It fined and imprisoned those who dared to oppose its dogmas and could by excommunication punish those who defied its authority. 708. Intolerance of Both Catholics and Protestants. Both the Protestant and Catholic churches were intolerant and were usually supported by the government, which was ready to punish anyone who refused to conform to the religion adopted by the State or who ventured to speak or write against its doctrines. 709. Censorship of the Press. Books and pamphlets were carefully examined by a censor in order to see whether they in any way attempted to undermine the authority of the Church or of the king. As late as 1757 the king of France issued a declara- tion establishing the death penalty for those who wrote, printed, or distributed any work which appeared to be an attack on reli- gion. A considerable number of the books issued in France in the eighteenth century which criticized the government or the Church were condemned by either the clergy or the king's courts and were burned by the common hangman or suppressed. Not infrequently the authors, if they could be discovered, were imprisoned. Nevertheless, books attacking the old ideas and suggesting reforms in Church and State constantly appeared and were freely circulated. The writers took care not to place their names or those of the publishers upon the title-pages, and many such books were printed at Geneva or in Holland, where great free- dom prevailed. In Spain the censorship of the press and the Inquisition constituted a double bulwark against change until the latter half of the eighteenth century.