beacon lights of history-iii-2-第49章

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barefooted　to　a　pilgrimage。　　He　served　the　sick　in　hospitals；　he

dwelt　alone　in　a　cavern；　practising　austerities；　he　went　as　a

beggar　on　foot　to　Rome　and　to　the　Holy　Land；　and　returned　at　the

age　of　thirty…three　to　begin　a　course　of　study。　　It　was　while

completing　his　studies　at　Paris　that　he　conceived　and　formed　the

〃Society　of　Jesus。〃



From　that　time　we　date　the　counter…reformation。　　In　fifty　years

more　a　wonderful　change　took　place　in　the　Catholic　Church；　wrought

chiefly　by　the　Jesuits。　　Yea；　in　sixteen　years　from　that　eventful

nightwhen　far　above　the　star…lit　city　the　enthusiastic　Loyola　had

bound　his　six　companions　with　irrevocable　vowshe　had　established

his　Society　in　the　confidence　and　affection　of　Catholic　Europe；

against　the　voice　of　universities；　the　fears　of　monarchs；　and　the

jealousy　of　the　other　monastic　orders。　　In　sixteen　years；　this

ridiculed　and　wandering　Spanish　zealot　had　risen　to　a　condition　of

great　influence　and　dignity；　second　only　in　power　to　the　Pope

himself；　animating　the　councils　of　the　Vatican；　moving　the　minds　of

kings；　controlling　the　souls　of　a　numerous　fraternity；　and　making

his　influence　felt　in　every　corner　of　the　world。　　Before　the

remembrance　of　his　passionate　eloquence；　his　eyes　of　fire；　and　his

countenance　of　seraphic　piety　had　passed　away　from　the　minds　of　his

own　generation；　his　disciples　〃had　planted　their　missionary

stations　among　Peruvian　mines；　in　the　marts　of　the　African　slave…

trade；　among　the　islands　of　the　Indian　Ocean；　on　the　coasts　of

Hindustan；　in　the　cities　of　Japan　and　China；　in　the　recesses　of

Canadian　forests；　amid　the　wilds　of　the　Rocky　Mountains。〃　　They　had

the　most　important　chairs　in　the　universities；　they　were　the

confessors　of　monarchs　and　men　of　rank；　they　had　the　control　of　the

schools　of　Italy；　France；　Austria；　and　Spain；　and　they　had　become

the　most　eloquent；　learned；　and　fashionable　preachers　in　all

Catholic　countries。　　They　had　grown　to　be　a　great　institution；an

organization　instinct　with　life；　a　mechanism　endued　with　energy　and

will；　forming　a　body　which　could　outwatch　Argus　with　his　hundred

eyes；　and　outwork　Briareus　with　his　hundred　arms；　they　had　twenty

thousand　eyes　open　upon　every　cabinet；　every　palace；　and　every

private　family　in　Catholic　Europe；　and　twenty　thousand　arms

extended　over　the　necks　of　every　sovereign　and　all　their　subjects；…

…a　mighty　moral　and　spiritual　power；　irresponsible；　irresistible；

omnipresent；　connected　intimately　with　the　education；　the　learning；

and　the　religion　of　the　age；　yea；　the　prime　agents　in　political

affairs；　the　prop　alike　of　absolute　monarchies　and　of　the　papal

throne；　whose　interests　they　made　identical。　　This　association；

instinct　with　one　will　and　for　one　purpose；　has　been　beautifully

likened　by　Doctor　Williams　to　the　chariot　in　the　Prophet's　vision：

〃The　spirit　of　the　living　creatures　was　in　the　wheels；　wherever　the

living　creatures　went；　the　wheels　went　with　them；　wherever　those

stood；　these　stood：　when　the　living　creatures　were　lifted　up；　the

wheels　were　lifted　up　over　against　them；　and　their　wings　were　full

of　eyes　round　about；　and　they　were　so　high　that　they　were　dreadful。

So　of　the　institution　of　Ignatius；one　soul　swayed　the　vast　mass；

and　every　pin　and　every　cog　in　the　machinery　consented　with　its

whole　power　to　every　movement　of　the　one　central　conscience。〃



Luther　moved　Europe　by　ideas　which　emancipated　the　millions；　and

set　in　motion　a　progress　which　is　the　glory　of　our　age；　Loyola

invented　an　agency　which　arrested　this　progress；　and　led　the

Catholic　world　back　again　into　the　subjections　and　despotisms　of

the　Middle　Ages；　retaining　however　the　fear　of　God　and　of　Hell；

which　are　the　extremes　of　human　motive。



What　is　the　secret　of　such　a　wonderful　success？　　Two　things：　first；

the　extraordinary　virtues；　abilities；　and　zeal　of　the　early

Jesuits；　and；　secondly；　their　wonderful　machinery　in　adapting　means

to　an　end。



The　history　of　society　shows　that　no　body　of　men　ever　obtained　a

wide…spread　ascendancy；　never　secured　general　respect；　unless　they

deserved　it。　　Industry　produces　its　fruits；　learning　and　piety　have

their　natural　results。　　Even　in　the　moral　world　natural　law　asserts

its　supremacy。　　Hypocrisy　and　fraud　ultimately　will　be　detected；　no

enduring　reputation　is　built　upon　a　lie；　sincerity　and　earnestness

will　call　out　respect；　even　from　foes；　learning　and　virtue　are

lights　which　are　not　hid　under　a　bushel。　　Enthusiasm　creates

enthusiasm；　a　lofty　life　will　be　seen　and　honored。　　Nor　do　people

intrust　their　dearest　interests　except　to　those　whom　they

venerate；and　venerate　because　their　virtues　shine　like　the　face

of　a　goddess。　　We　yield　to　those　only　whom　we　esteem　wiser　than

ourselves。　　Moses　controlled　the　Israelites　because　they　venerated

his　wisdom　and　courage；　Paul　had　the　confidence　of　the　infant

churches　because　they　saw　his　labors；　Bernard　swayed　his　darkened

age　by　the　moral　power　of　learning　and　sanctity。　　The　mature

judgments　of　centuries　never　have　reversed　the　judgments　which　past

ages　gave　in　reference　to　their　master　minds。　　All　the　pedants　and

sophists　of　Europe　cannot　whitewash　Frederic　II。　or　Henry　VIII。　　No

man　in　Athens　was　more　truly　venerated　than　Socrates　when　he　mocked

his　judges。　　Cicero；　Augustine；　Aquinas；　appeared　to

contemporaries；　as　they　appear　to　us。　　Even　Hildebrand　did　not

juggle　himself　into　his　theocratic　chair。　　Washington　deserved　all

the　reverence　he　enjoyed；　and　Bonaparte　himself　was　worthy　of　the

honors　he　received；　so　long　as　he　was　true　to　the　interests　of

France。



So　of　the　Jesuits；there　is　no　mystery　in　their　success；　the　same

causes　would　produce　the　same　results　again。　　When　Catholic　Europe

saw　men　born　to　wealth　and　rank　voluntarily　parting　with　their

goods　and　honors；　devoting　themselves　to　religious　duties；　often　in

a　humble　sphere；　spending　their　days　in　schools　and　hospitals；

wandering　as　preachers　and　missionaries　amid　privations　and　in

fatigue；　encountering　perils　and　dangers　and　hardships　with　fresh

and　ever…sustained　enthusiasm；　and　finally　yielding　up　their　lives

as　martyrs；　to　proclaim　salvation　to　idolatrous　savages；it　knew

them　to　be　heroic；　and　believed　them　to　be　sincere；　and　honored

them　in　consequence。　　When　parents　saw　that　the　Jesuits　entered

heart　and　soul　into　the　work　of　education；　winning　their　pupils'

hearts　by　kindness；　watching　their　moods；　directing　their　minds

into　congenial　studies；　and　inspiring　them　with　generous

sentiments；　they　did　not　stop　to　pry　into　their　motives；　and

universities；　when　they　discovered　the　superior　culture　of　educated

Jesuits；　outstripping　all　their　associates　in　learning；　and

shedding　a　light　by　their　genius　and　erudition；　very　naturally

appointed　them　to　the　highest　chairs；　and　even　the　people；　when

they　saw　that　the　Jesuits　were　not　stained　by　vulgar　vices；　but

were　hard…working；　devoted　to　their　labors；　earnest；　and　eloquent；

put　themselves　under　their　teachings；　and　especially　when　they

added　gentlemanly　manners；　good　taste；　and　agreeable　conversation

to　their　unimpeachable　morality　and　religious　fervor；　they　made

these　men　their　confessors　as　well　as　preachers。　　Their　lives　stood

out　in　glorious　contrast　with　those　of　the　old　monks　and　the

regular　clergy；　in　an　age　of　infidel　levities；　when　the　Italian

renaissance　was　bearing　its　worst　fruits；　and　men　were　going　back

to　Pagan　antiquity　for　their　pleasures　and　opinions。



That　the　early　Jesuits　blazed　with　virtues　and　learning　and　piety

has　never　been　denied；　although　these　things　have　been　poetically

exaggerated。　　The　world　was　astonished　at　their　intrepidity；　zeal；

and　devotion。　　They　were　not　at　first　intriguing；　or　ambitious；　or

covetous。　　They　loved　their　Society；　but　they　loved　still　more　what

they　thought　was　the　glory　of　God。　　Ad　majoram　Dei　gloriam　was　the

motto　which　was　emblazoned　on　their　standard　when　they　went　forth

as　Christian　warriors　to　overcome　the　heresies　of