The above appeared in the Constitutionnel, respecting the house in the Rue des Posses. We are certainly ignorant as to the nature of the transactions, since that period, that have taken place between the reverend fathers and the government; but we read further, in a recently published article that appeared in a journal, in reference to the Society of Jesus, that the house in the Rue des Postes, still forms a part of their landed property. We will here give some portions of the article in question.
“The following is a list of the property belonging
to this branch of
Jesuits:
Fr.
House in the Rue de Postes, worth about 500,000
One in the Rue de Sevres, estimated at 300,000
Farm, two leagues from Paris . . . . .150,000
House and church at Bourges . . . . . 100,000
Notre Dame de Liesse, donation in 1843 60,000
Saint Acheul, House for Novitiates . . 400,000
Nantes, a house . . . . . . . . . . .100,000
Quimper, ditto . . . . . . . . . . . 40,000
Laval, house and church . . . . . . 150,000
Rennes, a house . . . . . . . . . . 20,000
Vannes, ditto . . . . . . . . . . . 20,000
Metz, ditto . . . . . . . . . . . . 40,000
Strasbourg . . . . . . . . . . . . 60,000
Rouen, ditto . . . . . . . . . . . 15,000
“By this it appears that these various items amount to little less than two millions. Teaching, moreover, is another important source of revenue to the Jesuits. The college at Broyclette alone brings in 200,000 francs. The two provinces in France (for the general of the Jesuits at Rome has divided France into two provinces, Lyons and Paris) possess, besides a large sum in ready money, Austrian bonds of more than 260,000 francs. Their Propagation of Faith furnishes annually some 50,000 francs; and the harvest which the priests collect by their sermons amounts to 150,000 francs. The alms given for charity may be estimated at the same figure, producing together a revenue of 540,000 francs. Now, to this revenue may be added the produce of the sale of the Society’s works, and the profit obtained by hawking pictures. Each plate costs, design and engraving included, about 600 francs, off which are struck about 10,000 copies, at 40 francs per thousand, and there is a further expense of 250 francs to their publisher; and they obtain a net profit of 210 francs on every thousand. This, indeed, is working to advantage. And it can easily be imagined with what rapidity all these are sold. The fathers themselves are the travellers for the Society, and it would be difficult to find more zealous or persevering ones. They are always well received, and do not know what it is to meet with a refusal. They always take care that the publisher should be one of their own body. The first person whom they selected for this occupation was one of their members, possessing some money; but they were obliged, notwithstanding,