For these reasons we are persuaded, that to deprive the people of their instruction would be extremely prejudicial to our dioceses. And, in particular with regard to the education and instruction of youth, it would be a very difficult task to find persons capable of serving the public to equal advantage, especially in the country towns, where there are no universities.
The religious of other orders, who, by their vows and state of life, are not devoted to this kind of labour, as they are little conversant in the method of teaching, and strangers to that disagreeable confinement and subjection, which is inseparable from that employment, are too much taken up with the other necessary observances of their order to give that constant and due attendance, which is requisite for the education of youth.
As to other clerks regular and priests living in community, they have not a sufficient number of persons to supply the place of the Jesuits. The secular clergy,
indeed, with the allowance of the bishop, may undertake this employment: but, not having been brought up to it from their youth, they would not much relish this kind of life, nor have they equal experience or skill in the business. Add to this, that, as most of our dioceses have not near a sufficient number of priests to answer all the duties of the ministry, it would not be possible for us to fill up the places that would become vacant by the removal of the Jesuits.
Shall we then have recourse to the laity? alas! few of these are to be found of that turn of mind as willingly to embrace so laborious and disagreeable an employment as is that of teaching; fewer still, whose talents and qualifications are equal to it.
The Jesuits in France are possessed of a hundred colleges: if these were removed, where could we find a sufficient number of schoolmasters and professors of equal parts to fill up the vacancies in all these colleges? As the Jesuits make up one community and incorporated body of men, they have this peculiar advantage, that, amongst all the religious, whom they train up to this exercise, they can make choice of such as are most likely to succeed and to answer the expectation of the public; and, if any one should misbehave, in a moment's warning they can provide another in his room; an advantage not to be expected in religious orders that are not so strictly addicted to this employment; nor amongst persons, who, though otherwise duly qualified, still want numbers for the business; much less amongst laymen, who, by their state of life, are free to choose for themselves, and no way concerned about their successors.
Adhering, therefore, to the judgment of the vicars of
Christ and of the council of Trent concerning the society of Jesus, and in conformity to the testimony, which the clergy of your majesty's kingdom, the kings your august predecessors, and your whole kingdom, have given of the usefulness of the Jesuits in France, we are persuaded, that, if due care be taken to prevent any abuse, that may insinuate itself in the exercise of their functions, this religious body cannot but be of very great service both to church and state.
In our examination of the third article, we shall have the honour to present your majesty with some regulations, which we conceive to be the best adapted for preventing all such abuses.
Article II. "How the Jesuits behave in their instructions and in their own conduct, with regard to certain opinions which strike at the safety of the king's person; as likewise with regard to the received doctrine of the clergy of France, contained in the declaration of the year 1682; and in general with regard to their opinions on the other side of the Alps."