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The Jesuits - James Aitken Wylie

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Chapter 2<br />

Loyola's First Disciples<br />

AMONG the wonderful things shown to<br />

Ignatius Loyola by special revelation was a vision<br />

of two great camps. <strong>The</strong> center of the one was<br />

placed at Babylon; and over it there floated the<br />

gloomy ensign of the prince of darkness. <strong>The</strong><br />

Heavenly King had erected his standard on Mount<br />

Zion, and made Jerusalem his headquarters. In the<br />

war of which these two camps were the symbols,<br />

and the issues of which were to be grand beyond<br />

all former precedent, Loyola was chosen, he<br />

believed, to be one of the chief captains. He longed<br />

to place himself at the center of action. <strong>The</strong> way<br />

thither was long. Wide oceans and gloomy deserts<br />

had to be traversed, and hostile tribes passed<br />

through. But he had an iron will, a boundless<br />

enthusiasm, and what was more, a Divine call--for<br />

such it seemed to him in his delusion. He set out<br />

penniless (1523), and begging his bread by the<br />

way, he arrived at Barcelona. <strong>The</strong>re he embarked<br />

in a ship which landed him on the shore of Italy.<br />

18

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