The Washington herald., 1907-09-01

| tReSe tdCJS OF history ana DdttcueldS OF
virtue, and the intellect, guided by sober
study and the light Of grace. must point
/ ont. must reason out. in view Of these
histories, scenes, and revelations the
work willed by Gcd in the way Of rever-
encing. praising and serving the Creator.
The viii thus eneTgized by natures
/ effort and the incessant power of grace
must direct the combined faculties TO a
| successful achievement Of prayer. praise.
/ love. alteration, service complete and alb
soiute' offereeto God
THE whole operation is a mental proc.
ess quiekened by grace. in which nature,
restored from original and actual sin. was
to spend and perfect itself in virtue and
| sanctity to the greater glory OF God.
This is the message; Going. therefore.
teach We all nations needed by Ignatius
in purging the soul and sanctifying the
Individual, in his greet book of the Ex-
ercises. Considering that our destiny on
earth IS not natural but supernatural
happiness he saw a means of perfecting
nature and making Il seek its supernat-
ural end without leaving dormant its
natural activities Il might be considered
means. speaking largely, Of super
naturalizing natural activities.
This book says ST. Francis de Sales
has made more saints than It has letters
in its composition. This message once
taught to the soul he wished 70 proclaim
to society. Just as ST. Ignatius strove TO
secure the souls interest against the
allurements of wealth. lust, and pride Of
ambition so, too, did he strive. by found
Ing the Society OF Jesus. to place guard
about the church against the false prin-
ciples Of materialism. luxury, heresy, and
lnfidelity 10 God
He would cleanse society from the de-
grading influence OF these corrupt tenets
and tendencies By his burning zeal and
fiery eloquence in the pulpit. Christening
the minds of men by the same means Of
the spiritual Exercises adapted to the
multitude in earnest missions; he would
create in them mental attitude wherein
God would be enthroned upon His uni
versal altar as Tightful Sovereign and
Supreme Ruler OF His own handicraft.
Then he would surround that altar by
the supernatural atmosphere of virtue
and good works which would make
healthy and vigorous the public worship
yielded the Lord Of the Universe by So
ciety at large.
Not satisfied with purgiag and setting
right the society of his day, spreading
HIS influence to very quarter of the
globe, he must needs carry his message
and fulfill his mission to the nations of
the future-'Going, therefore, teach We all
nations
1.-THE apostle Of the day must be the
apostle of the future. To make perma-
nent his teaching he must instruct the
youth and by means of a healthy, vigor-
Gus living organism, a highly organized
teaching body he must perpetuate this
life and principle in the Society Of Jesus,
by which to quicken and to stimulate the
same spiritualized natural activity of
generations Of youth who, themselves
made strong in the true faith and virtue
Of Christ, would hand them down to their
children and their children's children.
BY the same principles that wrought
so much in the individual soul he would
regenerate society and the courts OF the
church. Retreats and missions would fan
the flame of zeal in the breast OF the
clergy and religious orders-would en-
gender into the bosom of the church that
religious spirit which would spontaneously
spring into other forms and bodies and
would live on in new embodiment when,
by persecution. even the parent society
would be threatened with extinction in
the fatal blow Of suppression.
Such was that religious vitality that
II can be safely said that the suppression
OF the Society of Jesus and its schools
made its spirir take new life in the Wig
orous activities Of many other orders
yet efficient and other schools which It
created.
1t would be difficult 10 enumerate the
religious communities. schools, and uni
veTsities that claim Ignatius as their
founder. because from that parent stock
they have inbibed its spirit. In the work
OF Ignatius is traced the Finger of Cod
and such handicraft will never be de-
stroyed.
In vain does heresy in England and
Germany. infidelity in France and Italy
and materialism in America, strive to
wrest from God the souls OF youth. The
Institute OF the Society Of Jesus is there
TO do combat The history OF those bat