Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-06
ELECTION OF THE
JESUIT GENERAL
Interest in the Man and His
Plans for the Future.
Special Cablegram to The Star.


ROME, October 6.-Though the selection
of Rev. Father Wernz, the German rector
of the Gregorian assembly, as the general
of the Jesuits occurred several weeks ago,
interest has not yet died away In the man
and his plans for the future good Of the
order. However great may be the charm
which attaches to the novels of Alexandra
Dumas, pere. the most devoted of his ad-
mirers would hardly suggest that fidelity
to the details of history was one of his
strong points. When. therefore, in the first
part of the "Vicomte> de Gragelonne" he
eral of the Jesuits and the appointment of
Aramis his successor the novelist's de-
scription cannot safely be accepted as. a
guide to the proceedings. as they are
According to Dumas. the candidates for
the office-who included an Austrian briga-
der, a Spanish cardinal, a merchant of
Bremen, a Scotch laird with seven high
landers in his train; a Venetian senator
and Flemish lady-met at the inn of the
Beau Poan at Fontainebleau and took part
in a sort Of competitive examination in
which the coveted dignity was to be the
prize of him who revealed the most i'm
portant political secret to the dying gen.
eral. With this last alone the choice rested
and by the simple act of transferring to
Arams his ring of Office in the presence Of
two witnesses, the moribund prelate con-
stituted him his successor and made him,
apparently without question or dispute,
1.-The master of monarchs and the equal OF
popeS."
Safeguarded From Arbitrary Action.
In point Of fact the election Of the gen.
eral of the Jesuits is safeguarded from
arbitrary or unconstitutional action by an
elaborate procedure, every detail Of which
is fall TOD
no doubt. when, to all save the initiated
these things were wrapped in mystery, but
since the days of the suppression Of the
order and the consequent confiscation of
numberless Jesuit libraries, the "Institut-
tum Societatis Jesu' has become far
from rare book. There are a dozen copies
of the work in all its various editions, an
cient and modern, to be found in the Brit
ish Museum and 1t Is often to be met with
In booksellers catalogues. Now this In
stitutum" contains the whole of11cial legis-
lation of the Society of Jesus. and among
other documents Incorporated in 1t there is
included a special section headed Formula
Congregations Generals" in other words
code of procedure for the general as
sembly which elects the superior of the
order.
Depending it does upon the number
of seperate provinces" the total number
erent periods. At the death of Ignatius
there were twelve provinces, but some Of
these. On account of their remoteness could
not send their quota of representatives.
Voting is Secret.
AS in the election of the pope, the voting
is secret and the voting papers are destroy
ed when a choice has been arrived at On
the other hand, while the election to the
papacy requires the consent Of the cardi-
nal chosen. who is not bound to accept the
dignity conferred upon him, the father
al Tod IN hn or ~f
uits is not free to decline either the charge
itself or the homage which is Immediately
paid to him by all present. who kneel be-
fore him and kiss his hand.
The historic and artistic Importance of
the discovery made half a century ago by
the Irish Dominican, Father Joseph Null
looly, of the subterranean church of St
Clements, is growing rather than lessen
ing the years go on. 1t was a reyela-
ton. Here. in this abandoned and forgot
ten church. ruined in the invasion Of Rob-
ert Guiscard in the eleventh century, was
series of frescoes beginning from about the
fifth century and covering period of close
upon six hundred years. We can better ap-
preciate the value Of this discovery to the
history of art IL we consider how few
works of this period remain to US. 1t en-
braces time when art sank, probably. to
its very lowest; though. indeed, the elev-
enth and twelfth century works still ex-
tant show very profound decline.
Ground for Reproductions.
Monsignor Wilpert following the method
so successfully adopted for the Catacomb
paintings, has had these frescoes photo
graphed, and has employed these photo
graphs as the ground for water-color re-
productions. One picture which adorns
the niche with the celebrated image OF
Mary Queen of Heaven" is a grandiose
scene of the general judgment. Although
the fresco is greatly damaged, Wilpert has
clearly enough recognized in it the figure
of the Redeemer who sits as Judge in the
midst of the apostles; in the picture to the
right are represented the blessed In the
heavenly Jerusalem: In the left the damned
among the demons Of hell.
Unseemly haste in meeting was not the
special feature OF the provincial episcopal
council. which was inaugurated by an I'm
posing procession and ceremonial in Milan
recently. AS a matter Of sober historic
fact the summonses were issued by st.
Charles Borromeo in 1909. so that a period
of POI years has elapsed between the CALL
Ing together of the council and its actual
assembly. The council was really called
together for the purpose Of determining
the part to be taken by priests in dealing
with the Christian democratic movement
in Italy. The proceedings Of the council
are secret.
Enosinian Society Election