The Jesuits

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: 29 CHAPTER IE. LOYOLA IN ROME. The reader has now been made acquainted with the origin of the Society of Jesus. Still, the purpose of Loyola and his companions, after taking the oath at Montraartre, was not to make off at once and commence the conversion of the heathen as well as the hitherto disbelievers and heretics; the rather, in order not to have the regular clergy again going against them, they wished to remain in Paris until they had completed their theological studies and been ordained priests From this good resolution, however, Ignatius himself, after a short time, was again compelled to depart; for, through joy at the successful progress of his undertaking, he again chastised his body as cruelly as he had formerly done at Manresa, and weakened his constitution so much in consequence, that the physicians declared that if he wished to be restored to health he must at once resort to a warmer climate, and go either to the south of France or to Spain. He chose the latter country; not so much, however, from attachment to his own native land, as that in this way he might have the opportunity of arranging the family affairs of his two associates, Laynez and Salrueron, who would otherwise have been obliged to return themselves to Spain on that account. This latter contingency he wished to prevent at any price, and simply for the reason that there might be danger that their exertions for the huly knighthood and missionary zeal might he damaged by the influence of their kinsfolk. He quitted Paris, consequently, in the spring of 1535, after a seven years' residence there; not, however, without making proper provision for the farther prosperity of the Brotherhood; he especially nominated Le Fevre, as next senior to himself, to be interim director. Moreover, he arranged that ...