powerful society either dictates itself the decrees of the Romish court; or if dictated by others, it either refuses to obey them with impunity, or by its ingenuity gives them such an interpretation as the interests of the Ignatian fraternity demand. § 6. The cause of this great dissension between the Jesuits and the other christian missionaries is, that the Jesuits pursue a very different method in converting nations to christianity from that of their colleagues and associates. The Jesuits are of opinion, that people deeply sunk in superstition should be approached with art and policy; and that they are to be led, by a cautious and careful hand, to embrace the Gospel. Hence they explain and interpret the received doctrines and opinions of the pagans, as for instance, the precepts of Confucius in China, in such a manner, that they may seem to differ as little as possible from the doctrines of christianity; and if they find any thing in their religion or their history analogous at all to the faith and the history of christians, they carefully apply it to demonstrate the harmony between the old religion and the new. The rites and usages, also, which the nations received from their progenitors, unless they are totally opposite to the christian rites, they tolerate; and either changing their form a little, or referring them to a better end than before, accommodate them to christianity. The natural biasses and propensities of the people they comply with, to the utmost possible, and carefully avoid whatever is opposed to them. The priests and men of learning, by whom the populace are generally led, they labour in all possible ways, and even by pious frauds, to secure and bring over to their party. They court the favour and the friendship of those in power, by presents, by the cultivation of various arts, mathematics, medicine, painting, &c., and by affording them counsel and aid in their difficulties. I might specify many other particulars. Now all these their colleagues and associates look upon as artifices and tricks unworthy of ambassadors of Christ; who, they think, should plead the cause of God openly and ingenuously, without deception and cunning. Hence they attack superstition, and every thing that grows out of or tends towards it, openly and avowedly; do not spare the ancestors or the ancient ceremonies of the pagans; pay no attention to their chiefs, their courts, their priests; state the mysteries of christianity nakedly, and do not hesitate to oppose the hereditary religions of the nations. § 7. The name and the religion of christians were sounded over nearly all Asia, in this century, by these ministers of the Romish see. We begin with India; nearly all the parts of which, and especially those formerly subject to the Portuguese till they were driven out by the Dutch, received some sparks of the heavenly light, though involved in much obscurity by the labours of the Jesuits, and also of some Theatins and Augustinians. But of all the missions that were undertaken to these nations, none has been more noticed and talked of than that to Madura: and none is said to have produced more abundant fruits, quite to the present times. Robert de Nobili, or as some write it, de Nobilibus, an Italian Jesuit, who commenced this mission, reflecting that the Indians abhor all Europeans, and on the other hand venerate exclusively the race of Brahmans, as if descended from the gods, and that they will listen to no other teachers; feigned himself a Brahman, come from a distant country; and by staining his face, and adopting that very austere and painful mode of life which the Sanianes or penitents lead, he persuaded the credulous people to believe him. By this artifice he first brought over twelve Brahmans to adopt his discipline: and their example induced a great multitude to follow him as their master. After the death of Robert, this singular establishment lay for some time neglected. But afterwards, by the counsels and exertions of the Portuguese Jesuits, it was revived; and it is continued at the present time by such Jesuits, both French and Portuguese, as think themselves able to submit to its very severe rules. These fictitious Brahmans, who deny themselves to be Europeans or Franks, (Pranghis, as the Indians pronounce it,) and pretend to have been born in the northern regions, are said to be at the head of a community almost numberless, and one which is annually increasing by large accessions; nor is this very incredible. But what is reported of the immense hard • Urban Cerri, Etat présent de l'Eglise Romaine, p. 173. The Jesuits can scarcely find words adequate, when they would either extol the glory and the effects of this mission, or describe the sufferings and ships and sufferings they endure, for the sake of Christ, is, by many, thought to admit some doubt. For it is said they labours voluntarily endured by the missionaries. See the Lettres curieuses et édifiantes écrites des missions étrangères, tom. i. pp. 9, 32, 46, 50, 55. Father Martin, there, (p. 9,) pronounces it the most beautiful and most perfect mission that ever was; "la plus belle qui soit au monde." Each of the missionaries is said to have baptized at least a thousand persons annually; (p. 11.) "Le moins que chaque Missionaire en baptise par an, est mille." Yet, if credit is to be given to him, (p. 12,) access to the sacred font was not unadvisedly allowed of. Persons were long under trial, and were instructed for four months, in order to their being received; and those received, so live, that they appear more like heavenly angels, than like men; "ils vivent comme des anges." And very rarely do there occur among them any instances of such sins as merit eternal death. If the causes of this extraordinary sanctity are demanded, the Jesuits mention two. The first is, the lives of the missionaries, than which nothing could be more austere and more revolting to human nature; (p. 15,) "la vie des Missionaires ne scauroit être plus austère ni plus affreuse selon la nature." See also tom. xii. p. 206. tom. xv. p. 211, &c. They neither allow themselves the use of bread, nor wine, nor flesh, nor fish, but live upon water and pulse, of the most insipid kinds, and without condiments. Their dress and other things correspond with their diet. The other reason assigned is, that these new christians live entirely separated from Europeans; who are said, (pp. 16, 17,) by their licentiousness and corrupt morals, to contaminate all christian converts from among the Indians. See also what is said in various places in these Letters, concerning the mission to Madura; e. g. tom. ii. p. 1, &c. tom. iii. p. 217. tom. v. p. 2. tom. vi. p. 119, &c. tom. ix. p. 126, and elsewhere.-Madura is a kingdom situated in the heart of the peninsula of India, this side the Ganges. An accurate geographical map of all the countries embraced in the mission to Madura, was published by the Jesuits, in the Lettres curieuses et édifiantes des Missions, tom. xv. p. 60, &c. The French Jesuits established a mission, after the model of this, in the Indian kingdom of the Carnatic, and its vicinity. See Lettres édifiantes, tom. v. p. 3. 240. Near the end of the century, other Jesuits projected a similar mission in the territories of the king of Mararia [or Marawas]. See Lettres édifiantes, tom. ii. p. 1. tom. x. p. 79. But the Jesuits themselves admit, (Lettres édif. tom. vi. pp. 3. 15. 66. 107, &c.) that their mission was more successful in the kingdom of Mararia, than in that of the Carnatic. Perhaps the French Jesuits, who founded the Carnatic mission, were unable so perfectly and patiently to follow that severe and painful mode of living, which this plan required, as the Portuguese and Spanish Jesuits were. Recently, Benedict XIV., who does not approve of this crafty method of the Jesuits in converting nations, by a mandate issued A. D. 1744, has prostrated all these once most celebrated missions. This pontiff would have no wiles and tricks employed in the important work of extending the limits of the church. See Norbert's Mémoires Historiques pour les Missions Orientales, tom. i. and iv. The entire history of these missions, together with a copy of Benedict's decree, is in Thom. Mar. Mammachus, Origines et Antiquit. Christiana, tom. ii. p. 245, &c.-[Robert de Nobili was born of high parentage at Rome, in 1577; became a Jesuit at the age of twenty; studied philosophy at Naples, and theology at Rome. In the year 1606, he obtained leave to go as a missionary to the Indies, and was made an assistant to the Jesuit, Gonsalvo Fernandes, who by ten years' labour among the Indians had only been able to baptize a few natives who were at the point of death. Robert early perceiving that the Indian ideas of cast formed a great obstacle to their conversion, and prevented all success among the higher casts, determined to convert this insurmountable obstacle practise deception, and torture themselves variously in public, but in private regale themselves with wine, flesh, and other sensual pleasures. § 8. The Jesuits were the first who exhibited a knowledge of the truth, to the inhabitants of Siam, Tonquin, and Cochin China; Alexander of Rhodes being the leader of the enterprise'. And vast numbers in those nations are said to have eagerly embraced it. Influenced by this good news, Alexander VII. in the year 1658, thought it advisable to place some bishops over this new church; and therefore ordered certain French priests, of the Congregation of priests for foreign missions, to repair thither clothed with authority from him. But the Jesuits, who can bear no superiors, and scarcely any equals, treated those pious and good men with very great contumely into a successful engine. Having obtained the approbation of his plan by the archbishop of Cranganore, he assumed the habits and the garb of a Brahmin, shut himself up in a cell, avoided society, learned well the Tamul and the Sanscrit languages, and studied the sacred books of the Hindoos; and then came forth, avowing himself a foreign Brahmin, and a reformer of the corruptions of the Brahminic religion. All admired his eloquence and his learning. He first gained one Brahmin to his christian Brahminism; and then others, till the number amounted to seventy. These suffered some opposition from the other Brahmins but Robert's chief difficulty was from the opposition of the catholies to his whole plan. The case was earried to Rome, and there warmly debated and it was not without difficulty, that Robert was permitted to go on in his begun course. Yet he continued his labours nearly half a century, and then died at Meliapore, in 1656. After his death, his semichristian community declined for a time; but it was revived again by other Jesuits, and so enlarged, that in 1710 it was said to embrace more than 150,000 members. After the whole plan was condemned, however, by Benedict XIV., in 1744, the community rapidly declined, and soon became extinct. See Schroeckh's Kir1 chengesch. seit der Reformation, vol. iii. p. 707, &c. and vol. vii. p. 36, &c. Tr.] 1 See the various writings and especially the Journal of Alexander de Rhodes, a man not lacking in genius and discernment, published at Paris, 1666, and 1682. 4to. [See Relazione de' felici successi della S. Fede predicata da' PP. della Compagnia di Giesu nel Regno del Tunchino, Rome, 1640. 4to. His Catechismus Latino-Tunchinensis is one of the most rare books; as also his Grammat. Linguæ Annamitica, the vernacular language of Tonquin. Alexander went to that country in 1627; and in the space of three years converted more than 5000 persons; among whom he formed some to be so good converts, that in the year 1634 it was estimated, there were more than 30,000 christians in Tonquin. From Macao he entered upon a mission in Cochin-China; but after he had converted numbers, he was imprisoned, and banished the country. The mission, however, was afterwards prosecuted by other fathers. See Relation de tout ce qui se passa à la Cochinchine, Paris, 1652. 8vo. Christof. Borro, Relazione della nuova Missione de PP. della Compagnia di Giesu nel Regno de Cocincina, Rome, 1631. 8vo. and delle Missioni de' Padri della Compagnia di Giesu nel Regno del Tunchino, Rome, 1663. 4to. Schl.] and abuse, and would not suffer them to enter into their harvest. Hence arose in the court of Rome a protracted contest; the issue of which plainly showed, that the Jesuits would easily resort to the authority of the pontiffs to extend and confirm their power, but treated it with contempt, when it opposed their interests and emoluments. Subsequently, the French king, Lewis XIV. sent a splendid embassy, in the year 1684, to the king of Siam, whose prime minister at that time was a Greek christian, named Constantius, a crafty and ambitious man, soliciting that monarch to pay homage to our Saviour. The embassy was accompanied by many priests and Jesuits, among whom were several well skilled in the arts and sciences, for which the king had some taste. These induced a portion of the people to abandon the superstition of their fathers; but all their efforts to convert the king and the chiefs were in vain. And all hopes of adding the Siamese to the christian church soon became extinct, together with the king, and his favourite, Constantius, who had invited the French into the country, and wished by their means to establish his own power. For, in a sedition raised in 1688, some of the princes put them both to death: whereupon the French were obliged to return home. 2 There were various pamphlets published at Paris, in 1666, 1674, and 1681, in 4to, in which these French missionaries, whom the Jesuits refused to admit as fellow-labourers in enlightening idolaters, eloquently described their sufferings and their wrongs. The most accurate and full is the account given by Francis Pallu, whom the pope had made bishop of Heliopolis; printed in French, Paris, 1688. 8vo. The subject is also expressly taken up in the Gallia Christiana of the Benedictines, tom. vii. p. 1027. A concise history of the affair is given by Urban Cerri, Etat présent de l'Eglise Romaine, p. 199, &c. who, though he was secretary of the Congregatio de Propaganda Fide, inveighs with great severity against the frauds, the cruelty, and the lust of domination of the Jesuits; and laments, that his Congregation had not the power requisite to restrain that arrogant sect. At the close of his narrative, he remarks, that he was not at liberty to state all the crimes committed by the Jesuits in this controversy; because the pontiff ordered them to be kept out of sight. "Vôtre Sainteté a ordonné, qu'elles demeurassent sous le secret." See also Hipp. Helyot's Histoire des Ordres Monastiques, tom. viii. cap. xii. p. 84, &c. 3 An account of this mission and its proceedings has been given by Tachard, Chaumont, La Loubere, and others. Among these, the preference is due to Loubere, who was a man of learning and genius. [His work is entitled, Du Royaume de Siam, par Mr. de la Loubere, Envoyé extraordinaire du Roy auprès du Roy de Siam, en 1687 et 1688, 2 vols. 8vo. Amsterd. 1691. It is chiefly occupied with the geography of the country, and the transactions of the embassy. Father Tachard's book is entitled, Voyages de Siam des Pères Jesuites envoyés par le |