Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-21

ROME, October 10. 1905.
~ his election general OF the So
ciety of Jesus, a German priest De-
came the supreme ruler of the most
L. remarkable religious organization
the world has ever seen. AS rector
of the Gregorian University of Rome,
Father Francis Xavier Wernz was I'M
known to the world at large AS general or
the Jesuits he commands the implicit obedi-
ence of every member of the order the
world over. No monarch in Christendom-
not even the Gear of Russia-is invested
with such autocratic power over his sub
jects. The ballot has conferred upon the
German priest greater authority than the
scepter.
When the votes had been counted and the
result announced the seventy-four other
delegates from all quarters of the globe,
whose ballots had made Father Wernz the
head of their order, knelt reverently before
him and kissed his hand. That act revealed
the secret OF the strength and the power of
the Jesuit organization. Thereby they &C
knowledged that henceforth he was their
ruler-him whom they and every other
Jesuit high or low, are bound by the most
solemn of oaths to obey absolutely WITHIN
reason and right in all that is not sinful:
few minutes before Father Wernz had
been a mere subordinate officer in an army
OF priests Equally with the humblest SOL
der in the ranks he had to do whatever his
superior ordered. AS one of the legion VINO
must obey he counted for little in worldly
affairs. But as the man who must be obey
ed by that legion he became at once a fac
tor in International affairs-one OF the
mighty of the earth. And men or authority
in various ships of state began at once to
take notice OF him and to speculate as to
what would be his policy and how it would
affect their interests
Greatness has been thrust upon Father
wernz pronounced Verniz. by the way
sought According to the rules of the
Jesults any father who canvasses for votes
on his own behalf disqualifes himself. If
he solicits votes for another that father Is
likewise disqualified from becoming the
tocrat of the order. No wirepulling is per-
mitted at their elections. So far was Faith
er Wernz from anticipating the honor con-
ferred upon him that when he left the uni
yersity to participate In the election he
showed his secretary two packages of let
tiers relating to the affairs of the university
one containing those to which answers
should be given during his absence. and the
other those which he had laid aside to an
swer personally on his return from the con-
gregation. Some matters concerning ar
rangements for the new term he directed
should remain over until after the election,
when he would give them his own super
vision.
But there has been no question of Father
command. There probably could have been
no question, either, that any other of the
seventy-five delegates. not incapacitated by
age or infirmity. would have proved equal
TO his duties Before Jesuit priest attains
to a position which qualities him for a del
egate he must have given abundant proof
that he Is a man OF the keenest intelli-
gence and iron will power.
Just as the Spartans of old strove for su-
premacy by cultivating physical strength
courage and endurance, so the Jesuits, In
accordance with the system laid down by
their founder Ignatius Loyola, nearly 400
years ago, seek to obtain power and tnfiu-
ence by the cultivation of their brains. To
make Jesuit necessitates seventeen years
of the most strenuous study and training
There are fledglings in their priesthood.
They go forth into the world fully equipped
for their labors. fully confessed Jesuit
priest under the age of thirtyfour Is prac-
tically an impossibility. Only the strongest
physically and Observation-Disclosures of steel
who to indomitable will power unite the
richest mental equipment-can attain to full
rank.
The election of the black pope" was held
In the German College, formerly the Hotel