Monita Secreta Societatis Jesu.

their minds should be turned towards a religious life , and a large inheritance promised to them if they Avould become nuns . The difficulties incidental to matrimony , Avhich are common to us all , should often be dwelt upon , and if the respective widow should have experienced any in her OAVU particular case , it should be deplored that she had not preferred the state of celibacy to

matrimony ; and , finally , the daughters themselves should be caused to seriously think of joining a religious Order , having been disgusted by the life thoy led Avhile staying ivith their mothers . 2 . With the sons , on the other hand , the members of our Order are to converse freely . If any of them seem well adapted for the Society , they are to be introduced

in proper time into the college , and their attention is to be draivn to those things which may be agreeable to them , and through which they might be incited to join the Sociefc 3 ' . Tims , the gardens , vineyards , country houses , and pleasure grounds designed for our recreation are to be shoivn them . It is to be impressed upon their minds that they miht travel to various countries

g , come into contact with princes and the great of the world ; and into this is to bo mixed all that is palatable to a juvenile age , such as the attractive exterior of our refectories and sleeping apartments , the pleasant conversation among ourselves , the laxity of our discipline ,

on which , however , the glory of God depends ( regulce nostra facilitas cui iamen compromissa est gloria Dei ); and , lastly , the prominence of our Order above all others ; and facetious talk is to be happily combined with pious colloquies . 3 . First of all , a religions life in general is to be recommended to them from time to time , as if it were

by revelation ; then the superior perfection and commodity of our Order above others is to be impressed upon their minds , and they should be told by admonitions in public and in private conversation , that it is a grave sin to prevaricate against the divine vocation ; and , finally , they are to be induced to embark in spiritual exercises , previous to embracing any career in life .

4 ' . In this manner are to be procured junior instructors belonging to our Society , ivho are to watch and admonish continually ; and if they . shonld be recalcitrant , they are to be kept ou short alloivance , so that they may soon become disgusted with . life . The mother is to speak to them about the embarrassments of the family . If they should not become more tractableand turn

, their minds of their OAVU accord to the Society , they are to be put into distant schools belonging to our Order , with a view to their improvement , and no luxuries be allowed to them by their mothers , whilst the Society is to use all sorts of gentle means to promote their affection for us .

CHAPTER IX . On the means of increasing the revenues of the colleges . 1 . As far as possible nobody is to be alloived to join the Society definitively ( ad ultiniarn professionem admiitaiur ) so long as he expects any inheritance , unless he has a younger brother in the Society , or for other exceptional reasons . In everythinghoweverand above

, , all , the development of the Society is to be secured , ivith a vieAv to the objects known to the superiors , Avhose endeavours should chiefly tend to restore the Church to its original splendour , for the promotion of the glory of God , and to inspire the whole of the clergy ivith one and the same mind . It should , therefore , be often declared and proclaimed , that the Society consists partly of wretchedl

professors so y poor , that they are entirel y dependent on the liberality of the faithful , and but for this Avould be doomed to starvation ; and partly of other fathers , poor also , but lA-ho have acquired some landed property , that they may not , in the discharge of their spiritual and mundane duties , be chargeable to the people , like those other beggars . The confessors of princes , noblemen , widoivs , and other persons from ivhom

the Society may expect much are , therefore , to seriously impress upon them , ivith reference to this matter , that while they confer upon the latter spiritual and divine goods , they in their turn should supply them ivith earthly and temporal ones ; and they are not to allow any opportunity to pass Avithout taking hold of such property as may be offered . If any donation of this

kind has been promised and put off , the party is to be cautiously reminded of it , but iu such a manner that the solicitant may not appear to be actuated by greed . If any one of the confessors of noblemen or others should seem not to be a fit and proper person for such practices , he is to be removed in due time and cautiously , and another to be substituted for him . Under certain

circumstances , if the conscience of the penitent wants appeasing , the confessor , on being removed , should be sent to a more distant college , under the pretext that the Society requires his person and superior talent at the other place . Indeed , it has come to our knowledge that some young widow's ivho died of a premature death some time since had not bequeathed to the

churches of the Society sundry most eligible moveable property , through the sheer neglect of some members of our Order , ivho had not accepted the bequest in time . In cases of this kind , the suitability of the time should be considered less than the good intention of the penitent . 2 . Prelatescanonspriestsand other ecclesiastics

, , , of good standing are to be induced , by various artifices , to attend our spiritual exercises , and rendered favourable to the Society by fostering their spiritual tastes , and thus their liberality is to be gradually forestalled-3 . Confessors should not neglect to ask their penitents in proper time about their names , families , friends , relations , and goods , and inquire also about their

expectations , their social standing , their mind and intentions . If the latter are not yet favourable to this Society , they should be made so . If it appears at first sight that a profit of some kind may be expected from them , and it might not be thought proper to ask them about everything at the same time , they should be requested to attend the confessional once a iveek , with a

view to the more efficiently lighten their conscience , or for the sake of their undergoing a salutary penitence ; and the confessors should invite them in a friendly maimer , and thus extract from them at various times that information Avhich cannot be gathered at once . If the penitent is a woman , a frequent confession and visitationif once agreed uponshould be persisted in j

, , and as to men , they are to be induced , if possible , to visit the Society , and confer with us as frequently as possible . 4 . It is to be understood that the practices suggested with reference to widoivs should be folloivcd also Avith traders , Avealthy citizens , and such as are married , but have no issue . From these the Society may not

nnfrequently acquire an inheritance , if the suggestions made heretofore be properly carried out . But such course is to be folloivccl more particularly with respect to wealthy pious ivomen frequenting our Society . If these are not of very noble family , Ave shall not encounter any obstacle but just , perhaps , the grumbling of the mob . 5 . Hectors of colleges * should ahvays contrive to keep

a roll ( nottfkou ) of all the houses , gardens , benefices , villages , and other places and estates owned by merchants or citizens , and , if possible , of their yield , and of the mortgages Avith Avhich they are encumbered . But they should procure such information very cautiously , by confession , social intercourse , and private conversation . If a confessor has found out ( adeptus sit ) a wealthy