itself deeply of the true end of its being-to serve God and be saved, and of the real inutility of all else. This consideration has been justly called by St. Ignatius, the principle or foundation of the entire system." The Cardinal assures us that the certain result of this first week's exercises is, that "sin is abandoned, hated, loathed."

"In the second, the life of Christ is made our model; by a series of contemplations of it, we become familiar with its virtues, enamored of his perfections; we learn, by copying him, to be obedient to God and man; meek, humble, affectionate; zealous, charitable, and forgiving; men of only one wish and one thought-that of doing ever God's holy will alone; discreet, devout, observant of every law, scrupulous performers of every duty. Every meditation on these subjects shows us how to do all this; in fact, makes us really do it. The third week brings us to this. Having desired and tried to be like Christ in action, we are brought to wish and to endeavor to be like unto him in suffering. For this purpose his sacred passion becomes the engrossing subject of the Exercises. But she (the soul) must be convinced and feel, that if she suffers, she also shall be glorified with him; and hence the fourth and concluding week raises the soul to the consideration of those glories which crowned the humiliations and suffering of our Lord." Then after a highly figurative eulogium upon the efficacy of the Exercises "duly performed," the reverend prelate proceeds to show that the one "essential element of a spiritual retreat," (for so the Exercises reduced to action are properly called,) "is direction." In the Catholic church no one is ever allowed to trust himself in spiritual matters. The sovereign pontiff is obliged to submit himself to the direction of another in whatever concerns his own soul. The life of a good retreat is a good director of it. This director modifies, (according to certain written rules,) the order of the Exercises, to adapt them to the peculiar character of the exercitant; regulates the time employed in them, watches their effects, and like a physician prescribing for a patient, varies the treatment according to the symptoms exhibited, encouraging those which seem favorable, and suppressing those which are detrimental to the

desired result. "Let no one," says the Cardinal, "think of undertaking these holy Exercises without the guidance of a prudent and experienced director."

It will be seen that the weeks of the Exercises do not mean necessarily a period of seven days. The original period of their performance was certainly a month; but even so, more or less time was allotted to each week's work according to the discretion of the director. Now, except in very particular circumstances, the entire period is abridged to ten days; sometimes it is still further reduced,

It will be observed from the above extracts that the Cardinal, ignoring the fact that the sinner's conversion must be effected entirely by the operation of the Holy Spirit, seems to regard the unregenerate human soul merely as a piece of raw material, which the "director may, as it were, manufacture into a saint, simply by subjecting it to the process prescribed in the Exercises.

In regard to the merits of the book, I cannot agree either with Wiseman or a very brilliant Protestant writer, who, speaking of the approbation bestowed on it by Pope Paul III, says "Yet on this subject the chair of Knox, if now filled by himself, would not be very widely at variance with the throne of St. Peter." The book certainly does not deserve this high eulogium. However, it cannot be denied that, amidst many recommendations of many absurd and superstitious practices proper to the Popish religion, the little volume does contain some very good maxims and precepts. For instance, here are two passages to which I am sure that not even the most anti-Catholic Protestant could reasonably object. At page 16 it is said:

"Man was created for this end, that he might praise and reverence the Lord his God, and, serving him, at length be saved. But the other things which are placed on the earth were created for man's sake, that they might assist him in pursuing the end of creation, whence it follows, that they are to be used or abstained from in proportion as they benefit or hinder him in pursuing that end. Wherefore we ought to be indifferent toward all created things (in so far as they are subject to the liberty of our will, and not prohibited), so

C Stephens.

See the Shorter Catechism, Qu. 1.

5

that (to the best of our power) we seek not health more than sickness, nor prefer riches to poverty, honor to contempt, a long life to a short one. But it is fitting, out of all, to choose and desire those things only which lead to the end." And again, at page 33, "the third (article for meditation) is, to consider myself; who or what kind I am, adding comparisons which may bring me to a greater contempt of myself; as if I reflect how little I am when compared with all men, then what the whole multitude of mortals is, as compared with the angels and all the blessed: after these things I must consider what, in fact, all the creation is in comparison with God, the Creator, himself; what now can I, one mere human being, be! Lastly, let me look at the corruption of my whole self, the wickedness of my soul, and the pollution of my body, and account myself to be a kind of ulcer or boil, from which so great and foul a flood of sins, so great a pestilence of vices has flown down.

"The fourth is to consider what God is, whom I have thus offended, collecting the perfections which are God's peculiar attributes and comparing them with my opposite vices and defects; comparing, that is to say, his supreme power, wisdom, goodness, and justice, with my extreme weakness, ignorance, wickedness, and iniquity."

But then the above Exercises are followed by certain Additions, which are recommended as conducing to their better performance. Some of these are very strange; for instance, the fourth is, "to set about the Contemplation itself, now kneeling on the ground, now lying on my face or on my back, now sitting or standing, and composing myself, in the way in which I may hope the more easily to attain what I desire. In which matter, these two things must be attended to; the first that if, on my knees or in any other posture, I obtain what I wish, I seek nothing further. The second, that on the point in which I shall have attained the devotion I seek, I ought to rest, without being anxious about pressing on until I shall have satisfied myself. The sixth, that I avoid those thoughts which bring joy, as that of the glorious resurrection of Christ; since any such thought hinders the tears and grief for my sins, which must then be sought by calling in mind rather death or judgment. The seventh, that, for the same reason, I deprive myself of all the brightness of the light,

shutting the doors and windows so long as I remain there (in my chamber), except while I have to read, or take my food." At page 55 we find, in the second Week: "The Fifth Contemplation is the application of the senses to those (contemplations) mentioned above. After the preparatory prayer, with the three already mentioned preludes, it is eminently useful to exercise the five imaginary senses concerning the first and second contemplations in the following way, according as the subject shall bear:

The first point will be, to see in imagination all the persons, and, noting the circumstances which shall occur concerning them, to draw out what may be profitable to ourselves.

The second, by hearing as it were, what they are saying, or what it may be natural for them to say, to turn all to our own advantage.

The third, to perceive, by a certain inward taste and smell, how great is the sweetness and delightfulness of the soul imbued with divine gifts and virtues, according to the nature of the person we are considering, adapting to ourselves those things which may bring us some fruit.

The fourth, by an inward touch, to handle and kiss the garments, places, footsteps, and other things connected with such persons; whence we may derive a greater increase of devotion, or of any spiritual good.

This contemplation will be terminated, like the former ones, by adding in like manner, Pater noster.''

At page 52, among other things "to be noted," is:

"The second, that the first exercise concerning the Incarna tion of Christ is performed at midnight; the next at dawn; the third about the hour of mass; the fourth about the time of vespers; the fifth a little before supper, and on each of them. will be spent the space of one hour; which same thing has to be observed henceforward, everywhere."

CHAPTER VIII.

The deadly war of the Jesuits against Protestantism continued in the New World-Cant of Bancroft the Historian-Illustrations-Martyrdom ?Facts and Motives of Jesuit Missions-League of the Iroquois-Intrigues of the Jesuits-First Intercolonial War-Predominance of Jesuit Insti gation.

BUT the Jesuit Wölf was not the only arch instigator of the Border Wars and their attendant massacres and burnings belonging to his Order. These indefatigable and bloody foes of Protestantism in all its shades and forms-not content with the slaughter of the Albigenses and Waldenses-the St. Bartholomew days the reeking battlefields, the plundered provinces and sacked cities, with which their ferocious councils and insidious intrigues had devastated the old world-no sooner learn that some feeble remnants of their purposed victims have fled for refuge to the savage wilderness of the New World than, in pursuance of that deadly vow of extermination which was the basis of Jesuit organization, they follow them hither, and at once renew the fatal strife.

With the crafty humility which has ever characterized their initial proceedings, they came at first the single, lowly enthusiast of the cross, and then in little squads of twos and threes, with scrip and staff-the mock heralds of the Prince of Peace the mild and patient bearers of "glad tidings " to the benighted red-man. But it is impossible for the feeble pen of the historian of "Sam" to do justice to the immaculate virtues of this heroic and self-denying Order. Hear, rather, the words of one whose lips have evidently been touched with "Holy fire," and flame forth in words meet to celebrate such transfigurations of the Divine in the human, as these Jesuit missionaries appear to him-even the Nestor of Yankee historians, George Bancroft! He alone may speak fittingly of such a theme, with that poetical effulgence of diction which, in its resonant raptures, has fairly cowed the