IV. THE JESUITS AND THEIR SCHOOLS.

I. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT.

It is impossible to estimate rightly the schools of this famous Order without some knowledge of its history. All its institutions, both ecclesiastical and educational, are pervaded by one spirit, and have reference to a single and clearly defined end, the "conversion of heretics," and elevation of the church of Rome. We must, therefore, begin our inquiries with a brief historical survey of the circumstances, that called the Order or Society of Jesus into being, and determined the character of its development.

Its founder was Don Inigo Lopez de Recalde, usually known as IGNATIUS VON LOYOLA, the youngest son of a noble Spanish family, and born in 1491. His youth was spent at the court of Ferdinand the Catholic, and he was early distinguished for the chivalric tone of his character, and his reverence for holy things, as well as for his proficiency in martial exercises, and for his courage. Being wounded at the seige of Pampelona in 1521, a wound which made him lame for life, he was taken to his father's castle, where he amused the weary hours of his confinement by reading tales of knightly adventures. But his attention was soon turned to the Lives of the Saints, and the records of their holy devotion, and heroic self-sacrifice, awakened in him a passionate desire to walk in their steps. With all the energy of his fiery nature, he consecrated himself to the service of the Blessed Virgin, to go forth as her champion and subdue the heathen to the obedience of the faith. At this time, and for many years later, he seems to have looked upon Jerusalem as the fitting field for his activity. So soon as he recovered from his wound, he clothed himself in a beggar's garb, and wandered over Spain, till reaching Barcelona, he embarked for Jerusalem. Here he was not permitted long to remain; and we soon find him again in Spain, endeavoring to supply the defects of his education by the study of grammar and philosophy. He was supported by alms, and devoted his time to the care of the sick. At this time his enthusiastic character, and the ecstacies and dreams and visions, of which he was

the subject, and his zeal in teaching, awakened the suspicions of the Inquisition that he was a member of some heretical sect, and he was imprisoned for forty days, and ordered to give up all discourse upon spiritual matters, for four years. This he would not do, and leaving Spain in 1528, fled to Paris. Here in the college of St. Barbara, he renewed his studies; and here he gathered around him those disciples, whose names afterward became so famous; Xavier, Faber, Lainez, Salmeron, Bobadilla and Rodriguez. These he bound together into a little society, and in August 1534, at the church of Montmartre, they took upon themselves the oaths of poverty and celibacy, and solemnly bound themselves to go, after the expiration of their studies, to Jerusalem, or if they could not do this, to put themselves at the disposal of the Pope, to go where he might choose to send them. The next year, (1535,) Ignatius returned to Spain.

In January 1537 the new society reassembled at Venice, strengthened by three new members. A war between Venice and the Turks making it impossible for them to go to Jerusalem, they employed themselves in the hospitals of the city, showing wonderful self-denial and patience, and in vigorous attempts to awaken a higher religious life in the hearts of the clergy. Here they received admission to the office of priests. After a time, leaving Venice, they came by different routes to Rome. Here they devoted themselves by day to the same labors among the sick and poor as at Venice, and at night they consulted together respecting the constitution and form of the new order. But it was some time ere the Pope was willing to give them the needed permission, it being then a question in the papal councils whether the number of monkish institutions should not rather be diminished than increased. It was not till August, 1540, that the Society of Jesus was formally authorized and established by a papal bull. The number of members was at first limited to sixty, but this restriction was, three years later, removed. The first step of the new order was the choice of a General or Chief, and all votes were given to Ignatius. It is a remarkable fact that he immediately after devoted himself, for several weeks, with all the ardor of his nature, to the personal instruction of children of the church. The office of General, Ignatius held to his death in 1556.

Before examining the internal organization of this society, let us follow a little way its external history. The labors of the Jesuits embraced three departments, preaching, confession, and education. Of the latter, Ranke remarks; "To this they thought of binding themselves from the first by a special clause in their vows, and although that was not done, they made the practice of this duty im

perative by the most cogent rules. Their most earnest desire was to gain the rising generation." So small in its beginnings, the order. very rapidly increased in numbers and influence. At the time of Loyola's death it had established itself in thirteen Provinces, of which seven were in Spain and her colonies, and three in Italy. Their schools and colleges were very soon found in most of the chief cities of Catholic Christendom. The Collegium Romanum was established at Rome in 1550, and the Collegium Germanicum for the education of German youth, in 1552. Other national colleges of the same general character soon followed,-one for the English, one for the Greeks, one for the Hungarians, &c. In 1551, Ferdinand established a college at Vienna; in 1554, one was founded at Coimbra in Portugal; in 1556, one in Bavaria; in 1559, one in Munich. Pope Gregory XIII, (1572—1585,) was very active in this way, and it is said that twenty-two Jesuit colleges owed their origin to him. In a very few years the education of the higher classes, and of the leading minds in all the parts of Furope that yielded allegiance to the Roman pontiff, was in the hands of the Society of Jesus. But this activity was not confined to education. Their members were busy in every part of Protestant Christendom to which they could get access, striving to bring back the people to the old faith. And their missionaries went forth into all parts of the heathen world, converting idolaters, and establishing churches. In every department of religious enterprise, they were conspicuous among their brethren, and in most, the recognized leaders.

The rapid increase of the Order in numbers, and in educational influence, may be seen from the fact, that, beginning with a membership limited to sixty, in the year 1626 they numbered more than fifteen thousand, divided into thirty-nine Provinces, and possessing 803 houses, 467 colleges, and thirty-six seminaries. In 1710, they had 612 colleges, and twenty-four universities, besides a multitude of lower schools. In the middle of the eighteenth century their number amounted to more than 22,000, with 669 colleges, and 176 seminaries, and in France alone, they had almost 700 schools.

But, though thus successful, the Society of Jesus met, from the first, strong Catholic opposition in many quarters. Several of the other orders, especially the Dominicans and Franciscans, looked upon it with great jealousy and dislike. Many of the universities regarded their colleges as rival institutions, and were angry at the great favor showed them by the Pope, and princes, and nobility. And some of the Popes, even, feared its growing power and popularity. Very early, Paul IV, demanded that the General should hold

his office only for three years, and not for life as the constitution appointed, but the Jesuits resisted, and his successors yielded the point. Still it was felt by the papal councils that the power in his hands was excessive, and it was feared that it might be wielded to dangerous ends, a fear that time showed to be just.

To trace in detail the history of the Order would be foreign to our present purpose. Suffice it to say, that as it became numerous,, rich and powerful, it lost in some measure its early religious character, and became ambitious and worldly. Its members drew upon themselves the hatred of kings and statesmen by their continual intermedling in political affairs, and by their attempts to make the authority of the church dominant over that of the state. For this cause they were banished from the territories of the Republic of Venice, as early as 1606. With increasing wealth came luxury, and many of the lay members engaged in traffic and commerce; the extensive ramifications of the order giving them great facilities for the successful prosecution of commercial enterprises. The Society thus became the owner of large factories in many parts of the world, from which rich revenues were derived. The richly endowed colleges became often banks of exchange. As the interests of the Order were held paramount to all other interests, they did not hesitate, notwithstanding the vows of obedience, to array themselves against the Pope, when they found it for their advantage. Thus gradually they lost the favor of all parties, and toward the close of the eighteenth century, the Society was driven out of all the Catholic kingdoms of Europe. Russia alone, moved by considerations of the educational advantages derived from them, offered them an asylum. In 1773, Pope Clement XIV, suppressed the Order. But though thus formally dissolved, the Society still kept up its organization in secret, and its members, though under other names, labored incessantly to regain their former position. It was not, however, till 1814, under Pope Gregory, that the decree of dissolution was repealed. Its history from that time has been varied, but it seems to have been slowly but steadily gaining in numbers and influence. In 1844, the number of members was estimated at 4,133, in 1855, at 5,510, in 1860, at 7,144. This latter number was thus divided; in France 2,181, in Belgium 531, in Holland 205, in Spain 680, in Austria 455, in Prussia 527, in England 379, in America 444, in Italy 1,742, and more than 1,000 at different missionary stations.

II. INTERNAL ORGANIZATION OF THE SOCIETY.

This is

We turn now to the internal organization of the Society. simple and admirably adapted to the ends it had in view. All

power is concentrated in the hands of the head or General, (Praepositus Generalis,) who holds his office for life. He is elected by the members of the order, represented by delegates in General Congregation. This body can give him advice in particular cases, but can not control him in his actions. He is to the Order, what the Pope is to the church, the representative of God. "In him should Christ be honored as present in his person." The ultimate decision rests with him alone, and only in case of some very flagrant and gross abuse of his authority, can the General Congregation interfere to depose him. It should be said that hitherto no such deposition has ever taken place. This possession for life of almost absolute power, lifts the General above all fear of those under him, and makes it unnecessary to seek, by favoritism, or weak concessions to faction, a transient popularity. In the hands of a strong, sagacious man, it gives a stable character to the policy of the Order, and a unity and energy of action attainable in no other way. But his knowledge of the characters and capacities of its members must be commensurate with his power over them, to enable him to employ them with wisdom, and to this end he is the ultimate depository of all the secrets of the confessional. Thus he knows what is passing in the hearts of all under him, and can wisely choose his instruments, and adapt his measures to the end to be attained.

Under the head of the Order stand the chiefs of various provinces, or the Provincials, (Praepositus Provincialis,) who in their several jurisdictions represent him, and are responsible only to him. These hold their offices for three years. After them come the heads of Houses, the rectors of Colleges, and the superiors of the Residences, who also all hold their offices for three years.

Aside from these official distinctions, the members of the society are divided into four classes, the Professed, Coadjutors, Scholastics, and Novices. The latter are those who have sought admission to the order, and been accepted, and placed in one of the houses established for them, there to spend the two years of their novitiate in meditation and prayer, and in the performance of various specified labors, under the care of the master of the novices, (magister novitiorum.) Having successfully passed this period of probation, the novice enters into one of the colleges of the society, and becomes a scholastic. Here he gives five or six years to the study of grammar, and rhetoric, and philosophy, &c; and having completed the course, enters upon the work of teaching. As a teacher, he begins with the lower class, and teaches it in the same order of studies through which he himself has just passed. After five or six years thus spent, he