Company of Jesus

“ From this hour the attitude of the capital and the ruling minds was hostile to Jesus. They missed the one great opportunity in their nation's history.
3. It drew around him chosen followers. From this time there was a company of disciples with Jesus. They returned to their homes in Galilee for a time, but were soon called to leave all and accompany their master. ”

“ The office of each is necessary, for the apostles, like the Christians of subsequent epochs, must needs incarnate the principles of Jesus in the midst of different social forces They thus form one stage in successive approaches to that new society whose ideal Jesus set before humanity. ”

“ The porters and cooks must know something of worldly business, and, consequently, there is the greater need that they should be faithful and trustworthy. Here is the formula of the vow taken by the Coadjutors:—“I, N., promise Almighty God, before His Virgin Mother, and before all the heavenly host, and you, reverend father, General of the Society of Jesus, holding the place of God, and of your successors ”

“ The example of Jesus, who went to the Feast at Jerusalem and remained for three days in the Temple, shows us that we ought to like to be in the house of God, to listen attentively to His word and the expounding of it, to busy ourselves with the things of God and to avoid all distractions.
Industry. Jesus worked, and has thereby made work holy, and taught us to work willingly, each one at his own business, and to be ashamed of no kind of labour. Industry is a virtue, and sloth one of the deadly sins. ”

“ Jesus did not look with much favour upon outward form, ceremony, or with much favour upon formulated, or formal religion; and he somehow or other seemed to avoid the company of those who did. ”

“ Romanism says—Jesus established an essential form for his Church, as well as an essential substance. The true Church is an organization as well defined as any corporation for secular purposes. It has the monopoly of saving souls, a patent right of communicating spiritual life, which cannot lawfully be infringed by any other corporation. ”

“ He failed to show from the Gospel records that the conscious aim of Jesus's life was the formation of a Society of Humanity. He could find no text for his refrain 'L'Église, c'est moi.' Yet his insistence on the social side of Jesus's work has done more for Christian union than any theological utterance of the past third of a century. Here, at any rate, is common ground. ”

“ Upon returning to Nazareth, Jesus began work in the old family repair shop and was greatly cheered by being able to meet so many people each day from all parts of the country and surrounding districts. Jesus truly loved people—just common folks. Each month he made his payments on the shop and, with James's help, continued to provide for the family. ”

“ Outcast from the fellowship and privileges of so-called Churches of Christ many have been, who had yet the assurance in their own heart that by their attachment to Him they had entered into a more lasting fellowship and unspeakably higher privileges.
By this claim to be the Door, Jesus claims to be the Founder of the one permanent society of men. Through Him alone have men access to a position of security to association with all that is worthiest among men, to a never-failing life and a boundless freedom. ”

“ And the common people heard him gladly. 38 And he said to them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, who love to go in long clothing, and love greetings in the marketplaces, 39 And the best seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost places at feasts: 40 Who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater condemnation.
41 And Jesus sat opposite the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. ”

“ We have brought down our history to the beginning of the eighteenth century, an epoch in which the power and greatness of the Society of Jesus had, by a gradual march, ascended to a point from which, following the law inherent in all human things, it could not but decline; for institutions, empires, and nations, have, as well as man himself, their successive periods of infancy, youth, manhood, old age, and decrepitude ”

“ They that trade diligently and faithfully in the service of Christ shall be gainers. We cannot say so of the business of the world; many a labouring tradesman has been a loser; but those that trade for Christ shall be gainers; though Israel be not gathered, yet they will be glorious.
[2.] The conversion of souls is the winning of them; every true convert is clear gain to Jesus Christ. Ministers are but factors for him, and to him they must give account what fish they have enclosed in the gospel-net, what guests they have prevailed with to come to the wedding-supper ”

“ The General will be more powerful than the Pope himself."
"Besides its action upon the conscience, will the Society of Jesus dispose over any other and secondary levers?"
"Yes, master, and very effective ones. Whosoever, whether lay or clerical, poor or rich, woman or man, great or small, will blindly surrender his soul to the direction of the Society of Jesus, will always and everywhere, and against whomsoever, be sustained, protected, favored, defended and held scathless by the Society and its adherents. The penitent of a Jesuit will see the horizon of his most ardent hopes open before him ”

“ Let the Society continue in its efforts to bring to pagan nations and to heretics the light of truth, to imbue the youth of our times with virtue and learning, and to inculcate the teachings of the Angelical doctor in our schools of philosophy and [901] theology. Meantime, embracing this Society of Jesus, which is most beloved by Us, We impart to its Father General and his vicar and to all and each of its members our Apostolic benediction. ”

“ There were many Americans and some Irish and some tough Irish and a few French, and several Italians and Poles, and they walked informally arm in arm with each other in twos and threes or in long rows, almost universally distinguished by the straight mouth and the considerable chin—for this was the Society of Jesus, founded in Spain five hundred years before by a tough-minded soldier who trained men to hold a breach or a salon, preach a sermon or write a treaty, and do it and not argue... ”

“ To this kind of offering there is frequent allusion and reference in the New Testament, as it typified the blood of Christ poured out for the sin of the world; and to this our Lord himself alludes in the institution of the holy eucharist. The whole Gospel economy is represented as a covenant or treaty between God and man, Jesus Christ being not only the mediator, but the covenant sacrifice, whose blood was poured out for the ratification and confirmation of this covenant or agreement between God and man. ”

“ And, what is very significant, his trade was that which prepares the family home, as if he would teach that the great duty of man is labor—to provide for and train weak and ignorant creatures. Jesus Christ worked with his hands nearly thirty years, and preached less than three. And he taught that his kingdom is exactly opposite to that of the world, where all are striving for the highest positions. "Whoso will be great shall be your minister, and whoso will be chiefest shall be servant of all." ”

“ The Society of Jesus, which was founded in the sixteenth century, laboring zealously to extend the glory of God among the youth under its charge, found no means so effectual in forming hearts to virtue and piety, as that of placing them under Mary's protection ”

“ But though we are unprofitable to him, our serving him is not unprofitable to us; for he is pleased to give by his grace a value to our good works, which, in consequence of his promise, entitles them to an eternal reward.
17:11. And it came to pass, as he was going to Jerusalem, he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
17:12. And as he entered into a certain town, there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off.
17:13. And lifted up their voice, saying: Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. ”

“ In one of his sermons he says, "Wherever we turn in the church of God, there is Jesus. He is the beginning, middle and end of everything to us.... There is nothing good, nothing holy, nothing beautiful, nothing joyous which He is not to His servants. No one need be poor, because, if he chooses, he can have Jesus for his own property and possession. ”

“ The next evening, having gathered together the twelve apostles, the apostles of John, and the newly commissioned women’s group, Jesus said: “You see for yourselves that the harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Let us all, therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest that he send forth still more laborers into his fields. While I remain to comfort and instruct the younger teachers, I would send out the older ones two and two that they may pass quickly over all Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom while it is yet convenient and peaceful.” ”

“ Alexander took the lead. He recommended that the members of the Evangelical Society form themselves into companies, and that each company hold prayer meetings as best suited them as to time and place; to gather children wherever they could be obtained, form them into classes, teach them the truths of the Bible, assist them in every possible way by storing their minds with useful Christian instruction, such as committing to memory passages of Scripture, selections of hymns, and sacred poetry. ”

“ This organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meets all my wants, and I have no need to fly to organizations that are gotten up by men for the purpose of making money. I pray God that his kingdom may be sufficient for you, that you may abide in the truth, and not be led away {638} by those deceptive spirits that have gone forth in the world to lead men astray. ”

“ Their proper title is “Clerks Regulars of the Society of Jesus,” the word Societas being taken as synonymous with the original Spanish term, Compañia; perhaps the military term Cohors might more fully have expressed the original idea of a band of spiritual soldiers living under martial law and discipline. The ordinary term “Jesuit” was given to the Society by its avowed opponents ”

“ It is certain, however, that the Society of Jesus has numbered among its members men whose fervent 12 and exalted natures have been intensified, without being abased, by the pressure to which they have been subjected.
It is not for nothing that the Society studies the character of its members so intently, and by methods so startling. ”

“ Jesus did not establish a church; then why should any of his followers do what he did not even suggest, and besides, claim infallibility for what they have done? Certainly in human affairs organization is essential, but principles should be first of all, and instead of wasting time over dogmas and trivial rites and ceremonies, the church, as a society, should follow and imitate Jesus in doing the work he did. ”

“ So many honest and zealous Low Churchmen, who had hitherto never been fairly brought face to face with the Church as a corporation, discovered, when volunteering to act in a combined Church gathering, that the unquestionable common law of that corporate Church contained useful elements of which they had hitherto been ignorant, or of whose importance they had hitherto made light. ”

“ We include among these fervent apostles, the Religious of the Society of Jesus, and especially those whom our beloved son, Lorenzo Ricci, is to assign this year and afterwards, in various provinces of the Society, to that work; and we most certainly desire to promote and increase by these spiritual favors the piety and the active and enterprising zeal of those Religious. ”

“ But he was born, and has departed, and is hid in the shadow of the Lord's hand; and has neither received David's throne, nor does he reign over Israel, who, though yet to be ruled by him, "curse their king and their God, and look upwards." (Isaiah 8:21) We shall see bow this is. In the oracle quoted, the Lord Jesus, who makes proclamation to the isles of the Gentiles, announces himself as the Servant of Jehovah in whom He will be glorified. Now a servant implies work to be performed for, and in behalf of, another. What work, or service, then, has the Lord Jesus to execute for the Father?" ”

“ They deliberated together on their common interests; it was then the Holy Spirit descended on them; that is, they considered on the means of earning a subsistence, gaining proselytes, and increasing the number of their adherents, in order to secure themselves against the enterprizes of the priests and grandees of the nation, whom the new sect might have very much displeased. Not satisfied with having put Jesus to death, they had the impudence to persecute his disciples. ”

“ The institute of the society of Jesus, composed by a man held in honour by the universal church, which sanctifies holy men, has, by our predecessors of happy memory Paul III and Julius III, Paul IV, Gregory XIII and Gregory XIV, and Paul V, been diligently examined, approved, and often confirmed, and by them and nineteen others of our predecessors honoured with peculiar favours; has been publicly extolled by bishops, not only of this age but former ones, as extremely efficient in promoting the worship, honour, and glory of God, and eminently adapted to the salvation of souls ”

“ These principles will make all men brethren in Christ and every man will strive to serve Christ in his own place, whatever that place is. Paul exhorts Philemon, along this very line, to receive Onesimus not as a servant but as a brother beloved (Philemon 16) .
The practical teaching of this letter upon the relations between masters and servants and employers and employees is very pertinent to the present times. The true solution of all labor troubles is that men should regard each other as brethren under the leadership of Jesus Christ. ”