The Washington herald., 1911-01-08

the Society? Hcw many Of our opponents
nave expended their eloquenc0 IN vtgor-
Gus denunctation Of our wealth. without
which Our 'n reeruits .ru s'rsI'iI are enrolled and
trained! The training in the Society Is
very slow: one who goes through the
entire course is occupied in it for fifteen
cluded the ascetical training of the novi-
tiate, then the literary and philosophical
and the theological. and as rule there Is
introduced one Of practical pedagogy for
those who are to teach in the colleges
On the other hand. the great majority
of vocations to the order weref from the
middle or lower classes, and the subjects
rents. It thus resulted that for the heavy
expenses necessary for this lengthy train
ing Of some two hundred priests and
scholastics, about hundred of whom
were engaged in study at home or abroad,
the sole resource was the fund estab-
liShed by some Of our own members who
had devoted their own fortunes to this
very purposs. can here testify that the
vast majority Of ours in Portugal never
gave aught to tho Society, either because
they had nothing to give. or because su-
periors would not permit them. on ac-
Hence it resulted thit the funds destined
for the training and instruction of our
young men were wholly inadquate. and
Opulent benefActors whose generosity
might supply the deficit were but rare in
our country, where wealthy Catholics are
few and the fixed iGea Of Jesuit wealth
hinders even our best friends from allow
ing us to benefit even by the large sums
spent upon charitable purposes.
What. then. abo 1t our methods OF ac-
auiring inheritances? Against this SLAM
der I protest with all my energy. The
fantastic pictures, frequently drawn IN
lurid cO1OrS by our enemies, are mere
repetitions of the time-worn fables In.
vented by pamphleteers. Seldom indeed
have legacies been bequeathed to us In
they at AlI considerable Had they been
more frequent We should have notably
extended our propaganda religious, edu-
cational literary, and likewise patriotic
ions over sea. How often in conversation
with my brethren. When speaking OF gen.
erous beQuests made to the Misericordias:
and especially to that OF OpOrto, nave
would he aroused were any portion OF
such wealth to be assigned to works or
the Society OF Jesus
3-InveiElinE Youths to Join the
Never has it been thought blamewcrthy
for any one to invite others, by word or
writing, to join an association which he
himself esteems. and whose prosperity
he accordingly desires; religious man
has a right to recommend any who pos
sess the requisite qualities to join his
order. and serve God therein. l must.
however. make an exception in the case
of our Society, which will doubtless as
tonish many.
We have a special rule forbiddinS us
to advise any one definitely to join the
Society or to do more tnan further what
we believe to be genuine vocation from
God without any particular determine
ton Such 1 know was the conduct OF
all my brethren and had they done other
wise they would not only have trans
gressed their rule. but moreover. nave
acted foolishly. In fact the first question
put to a candidate for admission IS
whether he has been influenced by any
one in this way. 1t being certain that
youth so attracted would not perseVere.
In truth. life in the Society demands
such self-sacrifice, and obedience SO per
feet that nothing but a genuine call
from God can insure fidelity, no human
influence will avail for perseverance.
The long training. too, prior to the
taking of final vows, affords such a
guarantee of human liberty as there is in
no other state of life. for during all this
Notwithstanding as 1 have SAID 10 10 OF
from the Society. rs he surely Will be
if he have not a real vocation.
AS a matter of fact, our enemies IN
guments to refute this charge. For some
weeks before the republic was pro-
claimed. the revolutionary newspapers
published various letters of one OF our
fathers to young man who had IN
tended for some time to join the Society.
These letters are models of prudence:
moderation. and spiritual honor. and
whoever without prejudice or heed OF the
imbedded will but study these harmless
epistles so worthy Of a good religious,
will find in them a conclusive answer to
the Slander against US.
4-Our Secret Associations.
If there were any such among US,
would it not be somewhat curious to find
that those who prosecute US on this &C
count are among the most influential
patrons of secret societies? However this
may be, there is no accusation more ut
terly false than this. The institute and
rules of the Society are to-day-more than
ever-open to all the world in every pub
lie library. II is true that since 1901
the Society has assumed a kind of pseudo
character in The eyes of the public and
the law. but this was iErposed upon us by
statesmen who. though at the head OF
a Catholic government. did not dare to
grant to 4 religious order approved by
the holy see that liberty given us even
in Protestant countries which nave
true notion of freedom.
We had therefore to assume the pSeu-
donym of Association for Faith and
Fatherland'' ('Assosciao Fe e Patrla J.
7 must acknowledge that. threatened as
we were with dispersion and banlShment
we were but too glad to obtain this slmuf
acr,lm of liberty. and to avail ourselves
of any title under which We might de-
vote ourselves to the utmost Tor the
! benefit of religion and OF Portugal. But
| I repeat, it was unwillingly that We
adopted this legal incOgnito, which more
! over hoodwinked nobody.
| The actual republican government tooE
possession of our own official catalogues
| in which were recorded all our names
that we never thought there was any
reason to make a mystery of our exis
| tence or to shrink from letting 1t be
known to tho full that We bear title
which we esteem next to that of Chris
| tian namely, of religious of the Society
| of Jesus.
Political and anti-Republicar
Activity.
Opinions expressed in certain article:
of the Mensageira, whispers OF latel
years concerning ou- share in the pOlem
| les Of the newspaper named Portugal
and innumerable fictions about the Jes
| uits, on occasion of the late elections
| such were the causes of the accusation
that we meddled with politics.
As for the Mensageiro, its articles arr
| open to all who choose to read them. ant
the doctrines there expressed as to tn.
! responsibility of the electorate in regars
of legislation and its execution, as to the
solidarity of the members of our party
| its traditions, programme, and politica
life. are after all only those which are
] common among every people will
whom the principles of civic culture anC
| tho social obligations of Catholics have