LOYOLA, IGNATIUS. 



LOYOLA, IGNATIUS. 



of Loyola, ana joined hit small ociety. On the 15th of Angurt 1584 

 they asMnbled together t the church of Montmartre, in one of 

 whoM subterraneous chapels Faber, who WKB priest, administered 

 to them the Sacrament of the Eucharist, They then took the solemn 

 TOW* of chastity, abcolute poTerty, devotion to the care of Christian*, 

 and to the conversion of infidels. They further resolved on proceed- 

 ing to Jerusalem, but, in cue impedimenta to the accomplishment of 

 tlii object should be put iu their way, they decided upon placing them- 

 acrrea under the guidance of the pope, and implicitly submitting to 

 his directions. Such was the humble origin of the famous Order of 

 the Jesuits, so called because they placed themselves under the banners 

 of Jrsus, aa soldiers under their oliief. The history of the founder 

 now becomes mingled with that of the Order iU If, which fur distinct- 

 neat we have placed apart at the end of this article. We here 

 therefore only state the principal events in Loyola's life, which are of 

 a more private character. 



After revisiting his native country, where he religiously repaired 

 the effects of some early faults, he proceeded to Venice, in which city 

 he was joined by his companions, and from thence proceeded to 

 Rome. Their intended departure for Palestine was interrupted by 

 the war which broke out, in 1537, between the Venetians and the 

 Turks ; they therefore presented the offer of their services to the See 

 of Rome. They were gratefully accepted by the reigning pontiff, who 

 gladly availed himself of the support of a society of men full of z-nl 

 and enthusiasm, and bound together by the common tie of implicit 

 obedience to his orders. "Deeply shaken by open schism and lurking 

 disaffection, the Church of Rome found an unexpected source of 

 strength in her own bosom, a green shoot from the yet living trunk 

 of the aged tree." (Hallam.) On the 27th of September 1540, 

 Paul III. published a bull sanctioning, under some limitations, the 

 establishment of the Order; another was finally issued in 1543, which 

 removed these limitations, and made the sanction unconditional. 

 Meanwhile six of the oldest members met together to elect a president 

 subject to no control but that of the See of Home ; their choice fell 

 on Loyola, He remained at Rome as the centre from which he was 

 to control and direct the movements of the society. His time was 

 spent there in revising its rules and constitutions, and in works of 

 charitv. He founded an asylum for the protection of Jews who had 

 beoom'e proselytes to Christianity, and a penitentiary where the 

 victims of sensual seductions might, without binding themselves by 

 any religious vow, lament their sins and reform their lives. In the 

 year 1546 Francis Borgia, whom the Church of Rome honours as a 

 saint, caused their first college to be founded at Gandia in Spaiu ; the 

 statutes were drawn up by Loyola, and the same privileges were 

 accorded to it which belonged to the universities of Alcala and 

 Salamanca. Not twenty years had elapsed since from these very 

 universities Loyola, then a poor and despised student, had been 

 contumeliously expelled as a factious and illiterate pretender. 



On the 31st of July 1556 this extraordinary man, worn down by 

 infirmities and self-inflicted mortifications, left a world which for so 

 many years he had looked upon only as the scene of charitable labours. 

 It were a useless task to attempt a delineation of Loyola's character; it 

 is best known by his works. Whatever difference of opinion may be 

 entertained respecting the order of the Jesuits, there can be but little 

 respecting their founder. 



The memory of Ignatius was consecrated by a ceremony known in 

 the Church of Rome by the name of Beatification in 1609, and he was 

 canonised as a saint by Pope Gregory. XV. in 1622. His festival is 

 celebrated on the 31st of July. 



His Life has been written by Gonzales and Ribadeneira, two of his 

 early companions, the hitter his confessor ; also by Maffeus in Latin, 

 Bartoli and Bouhours in French, and by Mr. Isaac Taylor in English. 

 His 'Spiritual Exerciies' were published at Rome in 1548, and have 

 been translated into French by Drouet do Maupertuis and Cldment. 

 His 'Maxims ' translated were published at Paris in 16S3. 



The SOCIKTAS JESU, or Order of the Jesuits as it is commonly 

 called, was the result of the reflections of Loyola on the best means 

 of reclaiming such of his fellow-creatures as had strayed either from 

 the path of moral purity or the doctrines of his church. Musing on 

 this subject, he conceived the plan of establishing a religious order, 

 which should be entirely devoted to the four following objects : 1. 

 The education of youth. 2. Preaching and otherwise instructing 

 grown-up people. 3. Defending the Catholic faith against heretics 

 and unbelievers. 4. Propagating Christianity among the Heathens 

 and other infidels by means of missionaries. Loyola, led thereto no 

 doubt by his military experience, baed the rules of his intended order 

 upon the principle of a strict subordination, carried through several 

 gradations, terminating with the pracpositus generalis, or general 

 superior, who was to have absolute sway over the whole society, and 

 from whose decisions there was to be no appeal The general was to 

 be subject to the pope only. Host of the old monastic orders had a 

 considerable share of democracy in their institutions ; they assembled 

 in chapters and elected their local superiors, and decided upon other 

 questions concerning their community by a majority of votes, and 

 although they bad also their respective general -s residing at Rome, yet 

 their authority over the distant convents of the various provinces was 

 very limited. Their chapters occurr-d frequently, and their generals 



and provincials were mostly changed every three yean. All this gave 

 them something of a popular character ; they had their canvassing for 

 election*, their personal ambition, and intrigues. But Loyola's 

 projected order was strictly monarchical, and therefore adapted to be 

 a more effective support to the Roman see, at a time when 8upj>ort 

 was most wanted in consequence of the spreading of the Reformation. 

 Besides this, the wealthier of the monastic orders, such as the Bene- 

 dictine*, employed their leisure in scientific and speculative studies, 

 living retired and knowing little of political aff.iir.*; ami the mendi- 

 cant orders of friars, had degenerated from their first zeal, and had 

 become obnoxious by the sale of indulgences, and despised for their 

 corruption, ignorance, and vulgarity. The prelates of the court of 

 Rome, such as Bembo and Leo X. himself, spoke with open scorn of 

 the friar*, and called them hypocrites. Another advantage of the 

 proposed constitution for the Jesuits was, that they were not bound 

 to keep canonical hours in the choir like other monks, and therefore 

 had more uninterrupted leisure for study or business. 



Pope Paul III., after deliberating with his cardiuals, some of whom 

 were not favourable to Loyola's plan, approved of it, and it was 

 decided that the new order should be called the Society of Jesus, that 

 the members should wear no monkish garb, but dress in black, like 

 the secular priests, and should in fact differ essentially from the 

 monastic orders then existing. The bull of the pope authorising the 

 new society was issued in 1540, and in it, by a remarkable privilege, 

 the general of the Jesuits was authorised to issue such regulations ai 

 he judged fit, and to alter the existing ones according to time, place, 

 and circumstances. The original ' Constitutions ' of Ignatius were 

 written iu Spanish, but afterwards translated into Latin. The first 

 edition of them appeared at Rome, ' Constitutions Soeietatis 

 1558, two years after the death of the founder. At his death the 

 society was already established in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Germany, 

 and had above 100 schools, besides numerous missionaries in the East 

 and in Africa and America, Ignatius was succeeded as general of the 

 society by James Liinez, a man of more extensive information and 

 greater elasticity of character than his pred ;cessor. It is to Lainez 

 that the principal share in framing the ' Constitutions ' is attributed, 

 and that work bears the impress of a master mind. Cardinal Richelieu 

 said that it was a model of administrative policy. The ' Coustitu- 

 tiones ' are divided into ten parts, subdivided into chapters. Part i., 

 'Ds admissions ad probationem,' concerns the mode of admission of 

 applicants for the noviciate ; the qualifications required in the appli- 

 cant, such as health, no grievous deformity or mutilation, or other 

 physical imperfection; certificates of good conduct and temper, natural 

 abilities, and fourteen years of ape complete. Birth, wealth, and other 

 accidental circumstances are to be considered as null where the 

 physical and mental qualifications fail ; but should they be united 

 with these in the same individual, they render him more acceptable. 

 Then comes a list of absolute impediments to admission, such aa 

 having committed murder, apostacy, and other grievous offences, 

 having been subjected to a degrading sentence, having b 'longed to 

 some monastic order, being married, and lastly, labouring under 

 insanity or decided weakness of intellect. Defects of temper, obsti- 

 na'y, injudicious enthusiasm or visionary devotion, bein? involved in 

 debt, and other civil ties, are not absolute impediments, but the con- 

 sideration of them is left to the discretion of the general or of any 

 of his subordinates, to whom he may give the power of admitting 

 probationary pupils. The candidate, if approved of, is admitted to a 

 first probation, as a sort of guest for a few weeks in one of the houses 

 of the society, in order that he may become acquaintel with the 

 mode of living. He afterwards assumes the dress of the order, and 

 is examined by proper examiners upon the numerous points contained 

 in the printed form, 'Primuru ao Generate Examen iis omnibus qui 

 in Societatem Jesu admitti petunt propouendum,' Rome, 1558. 

 Should the examination prove satisfactory, the applicant is shown 

 the constitutions and regulations of the society ; and after confessing 

 himself and receiving the sacrament, he sign? a declaration that he 

 will observe the rules and discipline thereof, and he is then admitted 

 into one of the houses of second prubation, or noviciate. Part ii., 

 'Qua; ad eos dimittendos pertinet, qui ad probationem admissi fuerunt 

 et parnm apti ad Societatem inveniuntur.' Those who during their 

 noviciate are found, after mature experience, not to be fit subjects 

 for the society, on account of mental or bodily defects or vices, are 

 to be dismissed privately, without scandal or exposure, and with kind 

 advice and exhortations. Those who leave of their own accord are 

 not to be sought after, unless they have qualities which make it 

 desirable for the society to retain them. Part iii., ' He iis 

 vandis et promovendis qui in probatione manent." This p irt treats 

 of the mental aud moral discipline to which novices are subject; 

 docility and obedience are to be inculcated, pride and obstinacy to b 

 conquered : it treats also of the physical education, cleanliness, whole- 

 some diet, proper exercise, &c. The term of probation lasts gene- 

 rally two years. Part iv., 'De iis qui in Societate retinentur 

 instruendis in literis.' This part treats of the colleges and schools. 

 The colleges have revenues derived from donations or bequests of 

 benevolent persons; those colleges which can support twelve scholars 

 besides teachers are not to collect alms or receive other eleemoHyu .ry 

 offerings. After two years' probation, those who intend to enter the 

 society ore received as scholastic! in one of the colleges, and take the 



