But whatever might be accomplished by all these congregations in tlieir own circles, either tiie limited extent of their object, as in tlie instance wo have last mentioned, or that circumspection of their means, which was involved in the nature of the case, as on the part of the Theatines, hindered their exercising a gen- eral and thoroughly efficient influence. They are re- markable as signalizing, in the spontaneity of their origin, a powerful tendency, which contributed im- mensely to the restoration of Roman Catholicism ; but other forces were requisite in order that the bold ad- vance of Protestantism might be eftectually withstood. These forces <leveloped themselves in a similar, but in a very unlooked-for and extremely peculiar manner; and as heretofore, so even now, monasticism proved Rome's strongest ally, and the papacy once more leaned on the new-born babe of the monastic spirit. Leo X had died, leaving the fierce flamo of insubordinatioa
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untrammelled, and Paul III had vainly tried to sub- due the indomitable will of that fierce monster, the Keformation, when suddenly there arose in the Iberian peninsula a semi-monastic organization, which, grow- ing out of the Capuchin order, laid the foundation for the strongest religious society the world has ever known. The Society of Jesus, or Jesuits, as it is gener- ally called, took a middle rank between monks and the secular clergy, approaching nearer to the regular can- ons than to any other order. They lived separate from the multitude, and were bound by religious vows ; but they were exempt from stated hours of worship, and other strict observances, by Mhich the monks were bound. In short, instead of spending their time in de- votion and penance and fasting, they gave themselves to the active service of the Church. Their principal duty was to direct the education of j'outh and the con- sciences of the faithful, and to uphold the cause of the Church by their missions, and their pious and learned labors. They were divided into three classes, the first of which were the professed members. These, besides the ordinary vows of povertj^, chastit}', and obedience, bound themselves to go, without murmur, inquiry, de- liberation, or delay, wherever the pope should think fit to send them : they were monastics without prop- erty. The second class comprehended the scholars: these were possessed of large revenues ; their duty was to teach in the colleges of the order. The third class comprehended the novices, who lived in the houses of probation. (Sec, however, the article Jesuits.) The constitution of the Jesuits was controlled, more than that of any other order before or after, by the principle of an absolute submission to the Church and the pope. The order was to be an instrument in the hands of the Church ; the individual, therefore, was advised to be- come, with regard to the commands of his superior, as destitute of self-will "as a corpse," or "as a cane in the hands of an old man." No order ever carried out its fundamental principle more faithfully, and in sub- sequent battles of the Eoman Catholic Church the Jesuits stood in the front rank. Other orders also were founded which proved more or less valuable sup- ports of the papac}% There arose even several female orders, among them the Elizabethines (q. v.), the Ursu- lincs (q. v.), and the Sisters of Charity. Sec Charity, SiSTEKS OF. One of the strongest orders which arose in the 17th centurj' was the Lazarist (q. v.).
The culture of literature, against which in the Mid- dle Ages some founders of monastic orders had ex- pressly warned their members, showed itself, after the IGth century, so great a necessity that it was practi- cally observed by all orders, though but few gave it special attention. Among those orders which thus greatly distinguished themselves, the French Orato- rians and the Benedictines of St. Maur hold by univer- sal consent not only the most prominent position, but thej' are even assigned a distinguished place among the great literary societies of the world. Indeed the cause of education, especially the cause of primarj' in- struction, became gradual!}^ a subject of more or less interest to all the religious orders. Many congrega- tions, both male and female, were instituted for the special purpose of controlling primary instruction, es- peciall}- in France, and a large number of schools have ever since been under the direction of monastics.
If the Romish Church sought to strengthen itself hy the new measures adopted by monasticism in pro- viding such education for the coming generations as the Church could endorse, another measure was still needed to give the Church strength abroad. Great loss of territorj' and numbers had been suffered in con- sequence of the Reformation. This want also the mon- astics soon provided for. They became very exten- sively missionary organizations. Instead of confining their labors, as was their wont to do, to the home work, they now directed their attention to the foreign missionary cause. Most of the larger orders, espe-
cially the mendicants and the Jesuits, engaged in it with great zeal and emulation. The latter even took, besides the usual three vows, a fourth obligation, viz. to go without hesitation as missionaries to any country where it might please the pope to send them. In con- sequence, the extent of their missionary operations in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America excelled anything the Roman Catholic Church bad done in this field be- fore. See Missions. Indeed, the great majority of the Roman Catholic missions in all pagan countries have ever since been conducted by the members of religious orders (see Harper's Monthly for February, 1875).