"It was difficult to believe in God's mercy when murderers buried children alive."
In this novel, the protagonist questions his religious faith frequently, which is ultimately part of his development as a character. In this passage, he had been "inured to living among strangers, distant from his home, doing hard labor," and was feeling a strain in his relationship with his religion. As this quote suggests, when bad things happen in the world it is hard to reconcile one's religious faith with them.
"Yesterday everything had been bright; not it was gray... skies had collapsed like the canvas of a tent; the tangible has lost substance."
This quote emphasizes how quickly things can change, and how quickly a person's life can descend into chaos. In Jacob's case, he found his life turned upside down after the death of his family, and his entire world seemed drained of color.
"Was this a sufficient cause to bury infants alive? Even if these souls rose to the most splendid mansion and were given the finest rewards, would that cancel out the agony and the horror?"
In this passage, Jacob is again questioning his religious faith, in light of the terrible suffering present in the world. Here, Jacob is questioning the idea that evil must exist in order for free will to exists. He thinks that even if this were the case, the terrible things that happen on earth are surely not justified.
