SOCINIANISM
113
SOCINIANISM
course of study, and for all a period of second novi-
tiate or probation lasting six months, at the end of
which, that is to say, seven years after their ad-
mission to the society, the aspirants take their final
vows and are received as professed religious. The
vow of stability, that is, of perseverance in the
society, is then added, and for the choir religious
a vow to consecrate themselves to education of youth ;
pro\'ision is made, however, that this vow may be
accomplished even if obedience should prescribe other
duties than those of direct teaching, and may be
fulfilled by concurrence in any way in the work of the
society. The vow of stability binds the society to the
professed until death, as well as the professed to the
society; this bond can only be broken by the Holy
See. The society is governed by a superior general,
elected for life by the assistants general and superiors
vicar. The assistants general are elected for six years,
the superiors vicar and local superiors are nominated
by the mother general, and may be changed at her
discretion; their usual period of government is three
years, but it may be prolonged or shortened acronling
to circumstances. The superior general assembles the
superiors vicar in a general congregation every six
years, and with the help of the assistants general
transacts ^nth them all business connected with the
general government of the society. These periodical
assemblies, the occasional visits of the superior
general to the houses in different countries, the regular
reports and accounts sent in from every vicariate,
the free access of all to the mother general by writing,
and in particular the organization of the house of last
probation, which as far as possible brings the young
religious for six months into touch with the first
superiors of the .society — all tend to unity. Its union
is what is most valued, and if it had been possible to
define it sufficiently it is said that a fourth vow of
charity would have been added to the obligations of
the members.
Four principal works give scope to the activities of the society. (1) Education of the upper classes in the boarding schools and of late years in day schools. Originally the plan of studies was more or less uni- form in all the houses, but it has become necessary to modify it according to the needs and educational ideals of different countries and the kind of life for which the pupils have to be prepared. The character of the education of the Sacred Heart, however, re- mains the same, ba-sed on the study of religion and of Christian philosophy and lajdng particular stress on history, literature, essay-writing, modern languages, and such knowledge of household management as can be taught at school. (2) Free or parochial schools. In some countries, as in England, these arc aided by the State, and follow the regulations laid down for other public elementary schools; in others they are voluntary and adapt their teaching to the needs and circumstances of the children. Between these two classes of schools have arisen in England secondaiy schools, aided by the State, which are principally feeding schools for the two training colleges in London and Newcastle, where Catholic teachers are prepared for the certificates entitling them to teach in elementary state-supported schools. This work is of wider importance than the teaching of single elementary' schools, and is valued as a means of reaching indirectly a far greater number of children than those with whom the religious themselves can come into contact. It likewise leavens the teaching profession with minds trained in Catholic doctrine and practice. This work for Catholic teachers also e.xists at Lima in a flourishing condition. (.3) A work which is taking rapid development is that of spiritual retreats for all classes of persons. The spiritual exer- cises are given to considerable numbers of ladies who spend a few days within the convents of the Sacred Heart; in other cases the exercises are adapted for XIV.— S
poor girls and peasant women. Retreats for First
Communion in Rome, and retreats for Indian women
in Mexico are special varieties of this work. (4) The
congregations of Children of Mary living in the world
which have their own rules and organization (see
Children of Mary of the Sacred Heart, The).
See bibliographies to Barat. Madeleine-Sophie. Blessed; Hardey, Mary .\loysia; Duchesne, Philippine-Rose.
Janet Stuart.
Socinianism, the body of doctrine held by one of the niunerous Antitrinitarian sects to which the Ref- ormation gave birth. The Socinians derive their name from two natives of Siena, Lelio Sozzini (1525- 62) and his nephew Fausto Sozzini (1539-1604). The surname is variously given, but its Latin form, So- cinus, is that currently used. It is to Fausto, or Faustus Socinus, that the sect owes its individuality, but it arose before he came into contact with it. In 1546 a secret society held meetings at Vicenza in the Diocese of Venice to discuss, among other points, the doctrine of the Trinity. Among the members of this society were Blandrata, a well-known physician, Alcia- tus, Gentilis, and Lelio, or La:'lius Socinus. The last- named, a priest of Siena, was the intimate friend of BuUinger, Calvin, and Melanchthon. The object of the society was the advocacy not precisely of what were afterwards known as Socinian principles, but of Antitrinitarianism. The Nominalists, represented by Abelard, were the real progenitors of the Anti- trinitarians of the Reformation period, but while many of the Nominalists ultimately became Trithe- ists, the term Antitrinitarian means expressly one who denies the distinction of persons in the Godhead. The Antitrinitarians are thus the later representatives of the Sabellians, Macedonians, and Arians of an earlier period. The secret society which met at Vicenza was broken up, and most of its members fled to Poland. Lslius, indeed, seems to have lived most at Zurich, but he was the mainspring of the society, which continued to hold meetings at Cracow for the discussion of religious questions. He died in 1562 and a stormy period began for the members of the party.
The inevitable effect of the principles of the Refor- mation was soon felt, and schism made its appearance in the ranks of the Antitrinitarian.^ — for so we must call them all indiscriminately at this time. In 1570 the Socinians separated, and, through the influence of the Antitrinitarian John Sigismund, established themselves at Racow. Meanwhile Faustus Socinus had obtained possession of his uncle's papers and in 1579 came to Poland. He found the various bodies of the sect divided, and he was at first refused admission because he refused to submit to a second baptism. In 1574 the Socinians had issued a "Catechism of the Unitarians", in which, while much was said about the nature and perfections of the Godhead, silence was observed regarding those Di\-ine attributes which are mysterious. Christ was the Promised Man; He was the Mediator of Creation, i. e. of Regeneration. It was shortly after the appearance of this catechism that Faustus arrived on the scene aiul, in spite of initial opposition, he succeeded in attaching all parties to himself and thus securing for them a degree of unity which they had not hitherto enjoyed. Once in possession of power, his action was high-handed. He had been invited to Siebenburg in order to counter- act the influence of the Antitrinitarian bishop Francis David (1510-79). David, having refused to accept the peculiarly Socinian tenet that Christ, though not God, is to be adored, was thrown into prison, where he died. Budnaeus, who adhered to David's views, was degraded and excommunicated in 15S4. The old catechism was now suppressed and a new one pub- lished under the title of the "Catechism of Racow". Though drawn up by Socinus, it was not published
