Complex sentence: Authorities like Dr Littledale and Bishop Grafton contended strongly for the primitive ideal of the convent as family, with a constitutional government, as against the later and widespread Jesuit ideal of the convent as regiment, with a theory of despotic rule and absolute obedience.
Split into simpler sentences: Authorities like Dr Littledale and Bishop Grafton contended strongly for the primitive ideal of the convent as family, with a constitutional government. This was against the Jesuit ideal of the convent as regiment, with a theory of absolute obedience.