# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1847 02 23_S72
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

They have, to be sure, made themselves hated enough in the times when they were shameless enough to reveal their principles to the world, but from the Roman side every effort is now made to present these "wolves" as "lambs" to the poor Protestants, in order to lure them into their magic circle; indeed, even Protestant Judas-brothers are working to throw their own brethren to these wolves.

To become acquainted with the Jesuits, the study of the morality (ethical teaching) they have set up serves especially well. We now wish to share something on this with our readers; and for this we take a passage from the great work of Mr. Karl von Raumer: "History of Pedagogy," which appeared in Stuttgart in 1843. There the author writes, among other things, the following:

"The man who first opened the world's eyes to Jesuit morality—although the order itself had long since published it in many printed writings with unheard-of brazen and shameless audacity—that man was Pascal.* A doctrinal controversy (concerning articles of faith) prompted him to write, under the name Louis de Montalte, the book Provinciales. These are letters; the first three are of doctrinal content, the fourth makes the transition to a portrayal of Jesuit morality, which continues through the tenth letter. In this he pretends that he, the letter-writer, is unacquainted with that morality, and therefore turns to an old Jesuit and has himself instructed by him on a multitude of cases of conscience. Quite gently he begins with questions about lesser transgressions, such as against fasting (in order to put the Jesuit at ease, so that he would speak quite freely). But as it proceeds he asks about ever graver transgressions. His Jesuit knows in every case how to find a way out through the decisions of recognized moralists of the Jesuit order, so that, as the fine Jesuit supposes, one may with good conscience evade all ten commandments, or transgress them outright. Indeed, the old Jesuit demonstrates that these moralists had, through their clever resolution of cases of conscience, even released men from the burdensome duty of actually loving God. At this point the letter-writer's patience runs out, and with holy anger he tells the priest his opinion of such abominable principles, which he had until then withheld."

"To illustrate the actual essence of Jesuit morality, let just one example, taken from Pascal's ninth letter, stand here. 'I will now tell you,' says the old Jesuit, 'the convenient way we have provided for men, so that they may avoid sins in their dealings with people and in worldly affairs.† One thing that here causes the most embarrassment is avoiding (the appearance of) lying, especially when one wishes people to believe something untrue. For this our doctrine of equivocation serves admirably, according to which it is permitted to make use of ambiguous words, so contriving that people understand them in a different sense than the one in which one takes them oneself, as the Jesuit Sanchez says.'

"'I know that, good Father,' I said.

"'We have made this so widely known,' he continued, 'that in the end all the world must know it; but do you also know how one must proceed when one can find no ambiguous words?'

"'No, reverend Father.'

"'I thought as much,' he said, 'that is new; it is the doctrine of secret mental reservation (restrictiones seu reservationes mentales), which the Jesuit Sanchez gives at the place cited. One may, he says, swear that one has not done something one has actually done, on a certain day, or before one was born, or understanding thereby some other similar circumstance, without the words one uses having any sense that could betray it. This is very convenient in many cases, and always quite proper, when it is necessary or useful for one's health, honor, or property.'

"'What? And is that not a lie, and even perjury?'

"'No,' answered the Father, 'Sanchez proves that in the same passage, and our Father Filiutius likewise, because,' he says, 'the intention determines the worth of the act.' He gives yet another, surer means of avoiding a lie: namely, that when one has said quite loudly, 'I swear that I have not done that,' one adds quite softly, 'today,' or when one has said quite loudly, 'I swear,' one speaks quite softly, 'that I say,' and then continues quite loudly, 'that I have not done that.' You see clearly that in this way one speaks the truth.'

"'I grant that,' I said, 'but one might perhaps find that in this way the truth is spoken quite softly and a lie quite loudly. Besides, I would fear that not many people would have enough presence of mind to be able to make use of this method.'

"'Our Fathers,' he replied, 'have taught in the same place, for the benefit of those who do not know how to apply these reservations, that it is enough for them, in order not to lie (that is, in order to be able to convince themselves that they are not lying), simply to say that they have not done what they have done, provided that in general they have the intention of giving their speech the sense that a prudent man would give it. Confess, have there not already been many cases where you were embarrassed because you did not know this doctrine?'

"'Sometimes,' I said.

"'And will you not likewise admit,' he continued, 'that it would often be very convenient if one were not bound in conscience to keep one's given word?'

"'That would be the greatest convenience in the world.'

"'Hear, then, the general rule given by the Jesuit Escobar. A promise does not bind if, in making it, one does not intend to bind oneself. Now it seldom happens that one has this intention unless one confirms it by an oath or a contract; thus, when one simply says, "I will do it," one understands thereby that one will do it if one does not change one's mind, for one does not wish thereby to rob oneself of one's freedom.' He gives still other rules which you may look up yourself, and says finally: all this is from Molina and our other writers, and therefore one cannot doubt it.'

"'I did not know,' I said, 'that directing one's intention had the power to nullify promises.'

"'You see in this a great relief for dealing with the world.'

"One can hardly believe one's eyes when one reads that the most respected Jesuit moralists shamelessly had such doctrines printed—moralists of an order to which the confessional was preeminently entrusted. It seems incomprehensible at first glance that the order also had strict moralists; one asks: how was that possible without the order contradicting itself among its various members. Pascal's old Jesuit gives the clearest account of this. 'Men,' he says, 'are so corrupt nowadays that we must go to them, since we cannot move them to come to us. Otherwise they would abandon us—indeed, would let themselves go entirely. In order to hold them back, our casuists (counselors of conscience) have taken under consideration the vices to which men of every rank are most inclined, and then, without coming too close to the truth (in appearance), have set up principles so mild that one would have to be very fault-finding not to be satisfied with them. For the chief aim which our society has kept in view, for the good of the (Roman) religion, is to repel no one, so that none should despair. Thus we have principles for men of every kind: for holders of benefices, priests, monks, noblemen, servants, the rich, merchants, the fallen-on-hard-times, the needy, pious and impious women, married people, the dissolute; in short, nothing has escaped their foresight.'"*)

"One can imagine what a sensation the...

* Pascal, born at Clermont in France in 1623, died 1662, remained in the Roman Catholic Church until his death; wrote, among other things, the famous book "Thoughts on Religion," against the atheists, which has also been repeatedly published in the German language. D. H.

† The Jesuit means that he wishes to show how one may sin, yet cleverly avoid the appearance of sin, and find excuses by which one may quiet one's conscience even over the most manifest sins.

*) From this it is explicable that the Jesuits entice so many to conversion to the papal religion, since they know how to adapt and accommodate their doctrine even to the most vicious and depraved.