SOCIETY
82
SOCIETY
considerable changes in the saint's conception of the
order; but Ignatius's own last recension of the Con-
stitutions, lately reproduced in facsimile (Rome,
1908), exactly agrees with the text of the Constitu-
tions now in force, and contains no word by Lainez,
not even in the Declarations, or glosses added to the
text, which are all the work of Ignatius. The text in
use in the Society is a Latin version prepared under
the direction of the third congregation, and subjected
to a minute comparison with the Spanish original
preserved in the Society's archives, during the fourth
congregation (1581). ,
These Constitutions were written after long deUb- eration between Ignatius and his companions in founding the Society, as at first it seemed to them that they might continue their work without the aid of a special Rule. They were the fruit of long expe- rience and of serious meditation and prayer. Through- out they are inspired by an exalted spirit of charity and of zeal for souls. They contain nothing unreason- able. To appreciate them, however, requires a knowl- edge of canon law as applied to monastic life and
tionate relations of members with superiors and with
one another, by the manifestation of conscience, more
or less practised in every religious order, and by mutual
correction when this may be necessary. It also appUes
to the methods employed to ascertain the qualiJBca-
tions of members for various offices or ministries.
The chief authority is vested in the general congre- gation, which elects the general, and could, for certain grave causes, depose him. This body could also (though there has never yet been an occasion for so doing) add new Constitutions, and abrogate old ones. Usually this congregation is convened on the occasion of the death of a general, in order to elect his successor, and to make provisions for the govern- ment and welfare of the Society. It may also be called at other times for grave reasons. It consists of the general, when ahve, and his assistants, the provincials, and two deputies from each pro\ince or territorial division of the society elected by the supe- riors and older professed members. Thus authority in the Society eventually rests on a democratic basis. But as there is no definite time for caUing the general
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also of their history in the light of the times for
which they were framed. Usually those who find
fault with them either have never read them or else
have misinterpreted them. Monod, for instance,
in his introduction to Bohmer's essay on the Jesuits
("Les jcsuites", Paris, 1910, pp. 13, 14) recalls how
Michelet mistranslated the words of the Constitutions,
p. VI, c. 5, ohligationem ad peccatimi, and made it ap-
pear that they require obedience even to the commis-
sion of sin, as if the text were obligatio ad peccandum,
whereas the obvious meaning and purpose of the
text is precisely to show that the transgression of the
rules is not in itself sinful. Monod enumerates such
men as Arnauld, Wolf, Lange, Ranke in the first
edition of his "History", Hausser and Droysen,
Philippson and Charbonnel, as having repeated the
same error, although it had been refuted frequently
since 1824, particularly by Gieseler, and corrected
by Ranke in his secoiul edition. Whenever the Con-
stitutions enjoin what is already a serious moral
obhgation, or superiors, by virtue of their authority,
impose a grave obligation, transgression is sinful;
but this is true of such transgressions not only in the
Society but out of it. Moreover .such commands
are rarely gi\cn by the superiors and only when the
good of th<- individual member or the common good
imperativily demands it. The rule throughout is
one of love inspired by wisdom, and it must be inter-
preted in the spirit of charity which animates it.
This is especially true of its provisions for the affec-
congregation, which in fact rarely occurs except to
elect a new general, the exercise of authority is
usually in the hands of the general, in whom is vested
the fullness of administrative power, and of spiritual
authority. He can do anything within the scope of
the Constitutions, and can even dispense with them
for good causes, though he cannot change them. He
resides at Rome, and has a council of assistants, five in
number at present, one each for Italy, France, Spain
and countries of Spanish origin, one for Germany,
Austria, Poland, Belgium, Hungary, Holland, and one
for English-speaking countries — England, Ireland,
United States, Canada, and British colonies (except
India). These usually hold office until the death of
the general. Should the general through age or
infirmity become incapacitated for governing the
Society, a vicar is chosen by a general congregation to
act for him. At his death he names one so to
act until the congregation can meet and elect his
successor.
Next to him in order of authority come the pro- vincials, the heads of the Society, w^hether for an entire country, as England, Ireland, Canada, Bel- gium, Mexico, or, where those imits arc too large or too small to make convenient provinces, they may be subdivided or joined together. Thus there are now four provinces in the United States: California, Maryland-New York, Missouri, New Orleans. In all there are now twenty-seven provinces. The provincial is appointed by the general, with ample
