SORIN
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SORIN
as preachers, their burse was vacated. The ordinary
lectures were public, and consequently were attended
by students who belonged to neither of the divisions
of the society. The doctors and bachelors were
authorized to give shelter to other poor pupils. Besides the work of the classroom, there was the duty
of preaching or labouring in the parishes. In preparation for this, the associates, on certain days, had
to deliver sermons or conferences (collationes) in
presence of the community. The purely spiritual
side was not forgotten. Conferences, usually delivered by the prior, on this important part of the Christian and priestly life were given, if not exclusively, at
least specially, to the interns. For twenty years the
ability of the administrator, or provisor, corresponded
to the foreseeing devotedness of the founder. This
lapse of time showed the wisdom of the regulations
and administrative measures, which Robert had
adopted, after taking the best possible advice, and
which he laid down in thirty-eight articles. This
rule was directed towards the maintaining of common
life, from silence in the refectory, which was not very
strict, to simplicity of the authorized dress. As soon
as circumstances permitted, Robert (about 1271)
added to the theological college a literary college:
this was the Collège de Calvi or the "little Sorbonne".
Fruit of deep thought and personal experience, the constitution given by Robert de Sorbon to his college received the consecration of time, for it lasted throughout centuries. If Héméré saw in the project the conception of a powerful intellect, "Hoc primus in lyeaco Parisiensi vidit Robertus", its realization was surely a work of genius. That this was so appears from the fact that, while Robert united in his work whatever good he found in the university, his college when completed served as a model to the others. It is unnecessary to dwell on each word of the original title, for some persons rather enigmatical, of the society. The expression "Pauvres maîtres étudiants en théologie" seems to emphasize the two primary or essential characteristics of the society: equality in poverty, an equality so perfect between masters and pupils that it designated them by a common name; the poverty of the pupils, since most of them were bursaires; the poverty of the masters, since, content with what was strictly necessary, they renounced all other professional remuneration. This equality was always maintained with scrupulous care; the Sorbonnists repeated as an axiom, "Omnes nos sumus socii et aequales", and referred to the college as "pauperem nostram Sorbonem".
From the outset the college enjoyed the favour of the Holy See. Alexander IV (1259) urged the French bishops to support it, Urban IV (1262) recommended it to the goodwill of the whole Christian world, and Clement IV (1268) granted it papal approbation. Wealthy benefactors provided it with ample endowment. A high standard of scholarship was maintained and the severity of the "actus Sorbonnicus", or examination for degrees, including the defence of the "thesis Robertina", became proverbial. The professorial corps was highly respected, and from all parts of Europe different theological and even political questions were sent to it for solution. As the other teachers of theology in the university became members of the Sorbonne, its staff, at the beginning of the sixteenth century, was practically identical with the university faculty. Robert de Sorbon had realized the necessity of a library and had taken measures to supply one. This increased rapidly, owing chiefly to numerous gifts. In 1470 the Sorbonne introduced the art of printing into France by calling to Paris three of Gutenberg's associates, Gering, Friburger, and Crantz. Among its principal patrons and benefactors was Cardinal Richelieu, who held for a time the office of provisor and who, in 1635, laid the cornerstone of an edifice to be built at his expense for the use of the college. He was buried in the church of the Sorbonne, where his tomb is still preserved. The doctors of the college were loyal defenders of the Catholic faith against the inroads of Protestantism and against the so-called Enlightenment. On the other hand, they gave their support to Gallicanism and obliged their members to subscribe the "four articles". This attitude naturally weakened the prestige of the Sorbonne as a theological school, and obliged ecclesiastical students to seek their education in the seminaries. The Sorbonne itself was suppressed by decree of 5 April, 1792, but was restored by Napoleon in 1808 as the theological faculty of the newly organized university. It did not, however, regain its former standing or influence, though it continued in existence until 1882, when it was finally suppressed. In 1884 the construction of the present building was begun and it was completed in 1889. It is now occupied by the various departments of letters and science which form the "Ecole des Hautes Etudes".
De Boulay. Hist. Univers. Paris. (Paris, 1665–73); Crevier, Hist. de l' Univ. de Paris (Paris, 1761); Jourdain, Hist. de l' univer. de Paris au X VII' et au X VIII' siècle; (Paris, 1S66); Denifle, Chartularium Univers. Paris. (Paris, 1889–97); Jadard, Robert de Sorbon (Reims, 1877) ; Méric, La Sorbonne et son fondateur (Paris, 1888); Raleigh, Univ. of Paris; Feret, La faculté de théologie de Paris et ses docteurs les plus célèbres (Paris, 1894–1909); Idem, Sorbonae origines, disciplina et viri illustres, and other manuscripts; Franklin, La Sorbonne, ses origines, sa bibliothèque (Paris, 1875); Randolph. History of the Sorbonne; Rashdall, The Universities of Europe in the Middle Ages (Oxford, 1893).
P. Feret.
Sorin, Edward, the founder of Notre Dame, In- diana; b. 6 Feb., 1814, at Ahuille, near Laval, France; d. 31 Oct., 1893, at Notre Dame, U. S. A. His early education was di- rected by his mother, a woman remarkable for intelligence as well as virtue. After completing his classi- cal studies, his vo- cation for the priest- hood being marked, M. Sorin at once en- tered the diocesan seminary, where he was distinguished for superior ability and exemplary life. Among his fellow students were Cardi- nal Langenieux and others who shed lustre on the Father Sorin
Church. Fro"' 1 Photograph
At the time of Father Sorin's ordination, glowing reports of missionary enterprise in foreign lands had fired afresh the hearts of the French clergy, and in- spired numerous vocations, not a few of which were tho.se of future martyrs, particularly in China and Japan. It was to the first of these countries that the Abbe Sorin felt attracted; and to the end of his long life accounts of the trials and triumphs of Chinese missionaries had for him a singular fascination. He was influenced by circumstances to enroll himself in the Congregation of the Holy Cross, a community of priests, brothers, and sisters lately founded at Le Mans by the Abbi Moreau. The need of mission- aries inthe United States, so earnestly represented in letters from bishops in this country and in addresses by others who had occasion to visit Europe, was not to be disregarded by the heads of religious orders; and although France had not as yet recovered from the effects of the Revolution, .she generously con- tributed men and means for the support and spread of American missions. Father Sorin, but recently
