on
this occasion. The absent members sent their votes in sealed letters.
Three days having passed in prayer and silence, the four assembled on
the fourth day, when the votes were ascertained. All but Loyola's own
were in his favor; he voted for the one who should carry the majority of
votes.

Loyola, we are told, was in an equal degree distressed and amazed in
discovering what was in the minds of his colleagues. _He_, indeed, to be
general of the Society of Jesus!--how strange and preposterous a
supposition! Positively he could think of no such thing. What a life had
he led before his conversion! How abounding in weaknesses had been his
course since! How could he aspire to rule others, who so poorly could
rule himself? Days of prayer must yet be devoted to the purpose of
imploring the divine aid in directing the minds of all toward one who
should indeed be qualified for so arduous an office. At the end of this
term Loyola was a second time elected, and again refused to comply with
the wishes of his friends. He would barely admit their importunities;
they could scarcely bring themselves to listen to his contrary reasons.
Time passed on, and there seemed a danger lest the society should go
adrift upon the rocks even in its first attempt to reach deep water. At
length Loyola agreed to submit himself to the direction of his
confessor. He might thus, perhaps, find it possible to thrust himself
through his scruples by the loophole of passive obedience, for he
already held himself bound to comply with the injunctions of his
spiritual guide, be they what they might.

This good man, therefore, a father Theodosius of the communion of Minor
Brethren, is constituted arbiter of the destinies of the Society of
Jesus. To his ear Loyola confides all the reasons, irresistible as they
were, which forbade his compliance with the will of his friends. The
confessor listens patiently to the long argument, but sets the whole of
it at naught. In a word he declares that Loyola, in declining the
proffered generalship, is fighting against God. Further resistance would
have been a flagrant impiety.

The installation of the general was carried forward in a course of
services held in the seven principal churches of Rome, and with
extraordinary solemnity in the Church of St. Paul without the city,
April 23, 1541. On this occasion the vows of perpetual poverty,
chastity, and obedience were renewed before the altar of the Virgin,
where Loyola admi