A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

John McClintock & James Strong • SECTION 1171

Section 1171

← McClintock & Strong Cyclopaedia — Volume 4

places became highly prosperous, and attracted a large number of pupils, es()ecially from the aristocratic fami- lies, most of Ivhom remained throughout life warm sup- porters of all the schemes of the order. Under emperor Rudolph II the Jesuits established themselves in all parts of Germany. At most of the courts Jesuits were confessors of the reigning princes, and invariably used the influence thus gained for the adoption of forcible measures against Protestantism. At the instigation of the Jesuits a counter-reformation was forcibly carried through in a number of jjrovinces in which Protestant- ism, before their arrival, appeared to be sure of success. Thus, in particular, Austria, Styria, Bavaria, or Baden, were either gained back by them or preserved for the Church of Rome, and from 1648 to 1748 they are said to have persuaded no less than forty-five princes of the empire to join the Roman Catholic Church. As advi- sors of the princes, they became to so high a degree in- volved in political affairs that frecpiently even the gen- erals of the order and the popes deemed it necessary to recommend to them a greater caution. They were call- ed into Hungary by the archbishop of Gran as early as 1561, but there, as well as in Transylvania, the vicissi- tudes of the religious wars for a long time prevented them from gaining a firm footing. When, however, the policy of the Austrian government finaUy succeeded in breaking the strength of the Protestant party, the Jes- uits became all-powerful. In 1767 they had in these two countries 18 colleges, 20 residences, 11 missionary stations, and 990 members. In Poland, Petrus Canisius appeared in 1558 at the Diet of Petrikau; about twenty years later the favor of king Stejihen Bathori empower- ed the Jesuits to found a number of colleges, and to se- cure the education of nearly the whole aristocracy. John Casimir, the brother of Vladislav IV, even entered the order on Sept. 25, 1643, and, although not yet ordained priest, was appointed cardinal in 1647; yet, after the death of his brother, he became kin;r of Poland (1648- 68). The Jesuit Possevin was in 1581 sent as embassa- dor of Gregory XIII to Ivan IV of Russia, and subse- quently the Jesuit Vota made a fruitless attempt to unite the Greek with the Roman Catholic Church. Pe- ter the Great, in 1714, expelled the few Jesuits who at that time were laboring in his dominions. In Sweden, in 1578, the Jesuits induced the king. John III, to make Gicretly a profession of the Roman Catholic faith ; and queen Christina, the daughter of (Justavus Adolphus, was likewise prevailed upon in 16.54, by the Jesuits ^Ma- cedo and Casati, to join the Church of Rome ; Init, witli regard to the people at large, the efforts of the Jesuits were entirely fruitless. To England, Salmeron and Brouet were sent by Ignatius. They were iniable to prevent the separation of the English Church from Rome, but they confirmed James V of Scotland in the Roman Catholic faith, encouraged the people of Ireland in their opposition to the English king and the Angli- can reformation, and, having returned to the Continent, established several colleges for the education of Roman Catholic priests for England. P^lizalieth exjicUed all the Jesuits from her dominions, and forbade them, upon penalty of death, to return. During her reign the Jes- uit Campion was put to death. In 1005 father Garnet was executed, having been charged with complicity in the Gunpowder Plot, which had been communicated to him in the confessional. In 1678 tlie Jesuits were ac- cused Ijy Titus Gates of having entered into a conspira- cy against Charles II and the state, in consequence of which six members of the order were put to death. The first Jesuits who were brought to the Netherlands were some Spanish members of the order, who, during the war between France and Charles V, were ordered to leave France. The bishops showed them, on the ^vhole, less favor than in the other countries, and the magis- trates in the cities, on whose consent the authorization to establish colleges was made contingent, generally opposed them ; but they overcame the opposition, and in the southern provinces (Belgium) soon became more

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Public-domain 19th-century biblical, theological, and ecclesiastical reference work; OCR text from Internet Archive. Historical scholarship and terminology reflect its era; OCR may contain errors. Verify quotations and current scholarly claims independently.

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