F a t h e r R ic c i ;
minicans and Francifcans Would have landed in China with the
fame pious intention, could they have obtained leave. The
honor o f preaching the gofpel with any fuccefs in this great
empire, was referved for the riling order o f the Jefuits.
Valignon, fuperior general o f the order o f the million of India,
refident at Macao, burning with zeal for the great defign, feledted
three o f his fociety for the purpofe, Roger of Naples, Pajio of
Bologna, and Ricci o f Macerata. The laft was a, man o f fuperior
abilities, who with his two brethren had rendered themfelves
mafters o f the Chinefe language at Goa, before they began their
miflion. They entered on it in the year 1383. After feveral unfavorable
effays, Ricci found his way to the court j he had all
the art and inlinuation o f his order; a noble air, great fweetnefs
o f temper, and an extenilve knowlege o f the fciences, particularly
o f the mathematics. He came alfo provided with pre-
fents ; he gave the emperor a clock, a pidture of our Saviour,
and another o f the Virgin, each o f which, fay the Jefuits, haid a
moft honorable place. Pajio and Roger had been recalled, and
the whole power was veiled in Ricci; under whom crowds of
fubordinate Jefuits preached the gofpel with the utmoft fuccefs.
They feemed to have a toleration, or at leal! a connivance. They
reconciled the dodtrine of their great mafter, and the rites o f the
Chriftian religion, with the ceremonies o f that o f China. Ricci
permitted his profelytes to affift at the annual commemoration
o f the followers o f Confucius, and to intermingle the rites of
both churches, fo as to gain converts innumerable. He baptized
feveral Mandarines and perfons o f rank; among others two rich
widows.
widows, one by the name o f Candida, the other that o f Agatha.
The wealthy founded churches; and the poor filled them with
their numbers. Perfecutions were raifed againft them ; but the
abilities o f Ricci overcame them all. He died highly refpedbed,
in 16x0, at Peking, in the reign o f Van Lye ; and by the order of
the emperor was moft honorably interred in a garden allotted
for that pxxrpofe. Ricci inconteftibly merited the title he received,
o f founder and father o f the Chinefe church.
Se v e r a l other Jefuits o f great abilities fuccelfively fupported
his labors ; a perfecution had been raifed againft them, but luckily
at the fame time an invafion was threatened by the Tartars.
A Mandarine, a Chriftian convert, advifed the calling in the af-
fiftance o f the Portuguefe engineers to diredt the artillery ; the advice
was taken, and their fuccefs again brought the Chriftians
into favor.
F a t h e r Scbaal was employed in calling o f cannon, and father
Verhieß, another Jefuitof firftrate abilities, was engaged in the
fame fervice. It certainly was not the fpiritual merits o f the fathers
that gained them the patronage of the Chinefe emperors,
but their knowlege o f the arts. They had brethren o f all' pro-
feffions, painters, mechanics, turners, watch-makers, founders,
accomptants, aftronomers, and mafters of ordnance. Verbieft,
and fome o f the ableft o f the fathers, were confulted about matters'of
ftate; and by thofe 'various means became a moft powerful
miniftry. They were created Mandarines, and appeared at
court i'n a rich drefs of that order, with the dragon flaming on
their breafts. Cam-hi even iflued an edidt in favor o f the Chriftian
V ol. III. O religion.
F a t h e r
V e r b i e s t .