About the end of the fifteenth century, Saint Gaetano, a Venetian, founded the order of the Theatins, to reform the clergy, and defend the faith against heretics.

Matthew Bashy, an Italian, in the commencement of the sixteenth century, reformed the Brothers Minor, and devoted himself to preaching the Word of God with his companions, who were called Capuchins.

The Recolets, another branch of the disciples of Saint Francis, were established in 1531.

The establishment of the Barnabites was nearly coeval with that of the Theatins, and professed the same object.

Lastly, Saint Ignatius proposed to catechise children, to convert unbelievers, and to defend the faith against heretics; his institution was approved by Paul III. in 1540.

I shall not speak of the order of St. Benedict, who proposed, according to the true principles of monastic life, to live in solitude, simply as good Christians, who wish to work out their own salvation. Some centuries afterwards they were found to be living in a manner far different from exact obedience to rule. Cluny and Citeaux were reformers, who soon in their turn also needed reformation.

Neither shall I speak of an infinite number of religious orders which had other objects-nor of various communities of men and of women, instituted at different times.

But I cannot refrain from observing that the object of the institution of the Jesuits, and that of most of the orders, of which I have spoken, is exactly the same, namely, the conversion of sinners, and in general, the instruction of the faithful, of infidels, and heretics.

With respect to the education of youth, there were universities, which had been founded in very ancient times; above all that of Paris, which was celebrated in the tenth century. In those universities, all sciences were taught, according to the enlightenment of the age.

I say, then, that those orders, having been established under the supposition that pastors, not being learned, did not give as much instruction to the faithful as was necessary; it would have been more natural and more conformable to the spirit of the

Church, to begin by reforming and instructing the clergy, in order to enable them to teach the people; than to go and seek foreign monks, in Spain and Italy, who, themselves, very soon needed reforming. The founders of those orders and their first disciples were virtuous persons. But sensible men have observed, that the first fervour soon evaporates, that it seldom outlives a century in any order, after which it becomes necessary to recall them to their first principles.

Instead of protecting and assisting the ordinary pastors, who are the proper ministers of the Church, they placed over them a body of monks, who have oppressed them; thus trusting to a mercenary and auxiliary host, and neglecting the national forces. The new Orders were crowned with favours and privileges. Their exemptions were multiplied to the detriment of the jurisdiction of the bishops, who, with too little foresight, abandoned the interests of their clergy. While the court of Rome restricted their powers, to increase its own, the bishops sought the alliance of Rome; and now, though the clergy have learnt to see the evil of this policy more clearly, yet many of them persist in adhering to it with less pardonable want of consideration.

The professorial chairs in schools, and churches, seminaries, and missions, were confided to the monks; and the parochial clergy have become accustomed to consider these monks as their masters and instructors. The parochial clergy are left in poverty and dependence, and consequently without the means of learning; and if learning had not been encouraged in the universities of the Sorbonne, respect for these clergymen would have been entirely lost.

So, on the pretence that the ecclesiastics did not preach, the Mendicant Friars were employed; and their preaching not being in accordance with the preaching of the Pastors, or these Mendicants choosing to preach without their leave (for in 1516 it had been found necessary to forbid the preaching of the Mendicants without the leave of the ordinary), the Theatins were ordered to perform those functions. The Barnabites were afterwards substituted for the Theatins. Next followed the Jesuits, professing the same objects, endowed with the same exemptions, and with far more extensive pretensions.

The Brothers of Christian Doctrine were afterwards substituted for the Jesuits, who no longer catechised, excepting in their own classes; whereas Saint Ignatius catechised everywhere,-in houses, and even in the streets. There have since arisen monks of various sorts and under various denominations.

The Fathers of Christian Doctrine, were instituted to remedy the want of learning of the other religious persons. Seminaries for foreign missions were established to supplement the Jesuit missions; but instead of combining for the same objects, these various orders of missionaries differed, to the scandal both of believers and infidels. Congregations of Endists, Lazarists, and Fathers of the Oratory, were formed to remedy the negligence or the incapacity of others, whether in colleges or in the direction of seminaries.

From these establishments numbers of monks have issued, of communities and orders distinguished by their dress, divided by interest, principles, and party.

The government has been overwhelmed by beggars, by idle men, forgetful of the purposes of their institutions; a multiplicity of small colleges has attracted scholars without end, and has produced indifferent or faulty instruction; and every order of monks has usually produced an order of nuns of the same rule.

Ever good work, that was to be done, every abuse, that required reformation, has produced a new order in the Church. Acts of devotion have caused the establishment of new houses; and by the superabundance of pious establishments the State is impoverished and depopulated.

States benefit less than individuals by finding out their mistakes. The experiences of past ages is utterly lost on the succeeding age; and whenever zeal proposes any apparently desirable object, pious persons, inexperienced and uninstructed, and therefore without the means of foresight and consideration, are found, who seize on what they imagine to be new ideas, and eagerly favour new establishments.

I am far from denying that much temporary good was effected by the founders, and by some monks of the various orders. But we cannot conceal from ourselves the great practical and permanent evil which results from them, in preventing incumbents and

curates, who endure the labour and the heat of the day, from the attainment of learning, and a sufficient means of livelihood; an evil which now seems irremediable, and which the Church formerly considered, and endeavoured to prevent, by forbidding the multiplication of religious orders.

I only speak according to the decisions of councils, and am repeating the opinions of the most learned and pious bishops, who have ever enlightened the Church. It has been said that the multiplication of orders produced a healthy emulation. I appeal to experience. It has produced wars and theological hatreds, with which the State has sometimes been so kind as to embarrass itself, as if these were affairs of State; instead of despising or silencing them. It has created cabals, parties, and factions; and when one of these becomes dominant, it crushes the others. The competition of individuals may create healthy emulation, but that of Orders engenders furious, widely spread, and lasting jealousies.

Evils, which arise in states are not immediately perceptible. Wise men foresee them, because they consider principles; but most men have no principles. Zeal inflames vacant imaginations on the subject of some projected establishment; enthusiasm seizes upon it; the ambition to found, which is allied to the glory of governing, adds to it the zeal which seems to justify all. If serious persons oppose themselves to these projectors, from superior views of preserving order, their attachment to religion is suspected; and that is an injustice of the gravest kind, and a doubt most easily raised.

Persons who are indifferent, and they are the majority, look on in silence. Wise men grow weary of constant resistance; they give way to importunity or to authority, and the mischief is petrated under pretence of peace.

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Finally, gentlemen, since the Government commands me through you to deliver my opinion on religious constitutions, I think that, if needful, the parochial clergy should have been reformed, and instructed, and endowed; and that the orders of monks professing to have the same objects in view should have been incorporated and regulated by law. At all events, those who need reform, should be reformed, before new orders are created.

That is, I think, what religion demands, and the State should desire. Without this, religious establishments must increase ad infinitum throughout all Christendom; since the pretext of instructing the ignorant, and converting heretics and infidels will never be wanting; there will always be good works to effect and abuses to reform.

I now return to the order of the Jesuits. Their founder, although brought up to the professions of arms, and full of the ideas of chivalry, then prevalent in his country, was struck with the ignorance of the people, and with the very small amount of instruction they received. He became inflamed with an ardent desire for the conversion of souls.* He devoted himself to the service of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the holy Virgin, as their knight, and after having practised frightful austeries and mortifications, he began to preach penitence and good works. Soon after, he founded congregations, colleges, etc., and dedicated himself to the education of youth.

Pope Paul III. at first refused to authorize this new order. A congregation of cardinals decided, that it was not necessary to introduce it into the Church. The Cardinal Cajetano pressed Saint Ignatius to enter into the order of the Theatins; but the wish to be a founder, and the desire to obey no one but the Pope in all things, and in all places, for the salvation of souls and the propagation of the faith, prevailed. The desire which all Popes have always had, to establish in all Christian states a standing army under their orders, and subjects submitting to no authority but theirs, caused this order to be authorised in 1540, by Pope Paul III.

The Bull of confirmation runs :-"Ignatius De Loyola, with nine priests, his companions, having vowed their services to Jesus Christ and to the Pope, has requested our approbation of a society, whose form is a spiritual army under the standard of the cross; obeying none but Jesus Christ, and the Pope His Vicar on the earth; making a vow of poverty, chastity, and obedience to a General, in whom they would see Jesus Christ, as if He was present, and a special vow to the Pope and his successors, to execute everything, that they should command for the glory of

* See the life of Saint Ignatius, by Bonhours, p. 31, et infra.