one after the other, shall have the right to make any observation that seems to him called for. The Secretary, according to the orders of the Father Director, or the Prefect, shall note down on paper those remarks they shall judge worthy of consideration.

When the opinions of the Consultors have been collected, the Secretary shall read what has been written, and they shall discuss each point, and resolve what they think fit to be done. When there is much matter for discussion, or anything that does not require to be investigated at once, though deserving of more careful examination, it shall be deferred to the next sitting of Council.

It may sometimes happen in the heat of discussion that the treatment of a controverted point be prolonged more than is necessary, or that some unpleasantness may arise. The Father Director, and in his absence the Prefect, ought to settle the question by their authority. Every member must submit; nor shall it be any longer allowed to speak on such a subject unless when questioned by the Father Director.

When the Consultors do not agree on some resolution to be adopted, and if the Father Director thinks right because of the gravity of

measure.

the matter, or on other grounds, to make use of secret voting, the ballot-box shall go round, and the majority of the votes present shall carry the At every voting the Father Director is to state clearly the matter under discussion, and to declare the value of the white and of the black ball. The Secretary then distributes the balls; next he goes round with the ballot-box, and every one puts first in one cup* the ball with which he means to vote, and then in another the ball he means to return. The Father Director, with the Prefect and Secretary, counts the votes, comparing them with the number of those present, and if some irregularity has taken place, the voting shall be repeated at the discretion of the Father Director. At every voting the Father Director has a right to one vote if the number of votes be even, to two if the number be odd.

Before any sitting of Council, and at its close, the usual prayers shall be recited.

For matters of less importance, which never

* The words in the original are "il Segretario poi distribuisce le palle dopo di che va in giro col bussolo, ed ognuno depone prima in una coppa la palla colla quale intende votare, e poi nell' altra, quel che vuole restituire." The "coppa" refers to the cup or cavity, I presume, within the ballot-box.

E

theless the Father Director may not like to settle by himself, and when there is urgent need, and the whole Council cannot be convened, he may summon the Prefect with the Assistants, the Secretary, the Novice Master, and if he thinks fit, another officer, according to the nature of the question, and shall afterwards lay all that has been done before the full Council. This private meeting of Council shall be used especially for the election of officers, as shall be explained in the following chapter.

THE

CHAPTER VI.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS. QUALITIES TO BE KEPT IN VIEW IN THEIR NOMINATION. METHOD OF ELECTION. LENGTH OF OFFICE.

I. SINCE the success of the Congregation depends much on the officers, special care shall be had to elect those persons who are seen to be most fitted for office, and who are also the best known by their frequent attendance at and love for the Congregation, by the reception of the sacraments, and by the practice of Christian virtue.

2. In a very special way should the points

mentioned above be kept in view at the election of the Prefect, Assistants, Secretary, and Consultors. For these posts length of membership also should be regarded, as it is not right, ordinarily speaking, to prefer those who have only a short time belonged to the Congregation to those who have been members for a long period. The services rendered with fidelity and skill in lower posts can be a reason for promotion to higher. If these two points be observed, it will help not a little to keep alive in each a holy rivalry. But even though these points should be as a rule observed, still the case may arise when it is neither possible nor suitable to attend to the two qualities of seniority or of satisfactory conduct in minor offices, as for instance, when there is question either of a very distinguished person or of a great benefactor of the Congregation, for these two latter qualities would supply what has been mentioned. But as for what is laid down in the first paragraph (No. 1), it is evident that its absence can never be compensated by any gift or advantage.

3. The same qualities should proportionately be considered in the election of the Archivist, Treasurer, Novice - Master, Monitors. The

discharge of the duties of these posts requires much caution and, as regards at least the last three offices, the success or the failure of the Congregation depends much upon their being badly or well filled.

4. That the names may be selected with greater judgment and security, the Father Director on the day previous to the meeting of Council for the new elections, shall summon the private Council, in which with the Catalogue in hand the terna shall be formed in this way for the offices of the Congregation. The names of the members are to be read over, and each one present shall point to those on whom the attention of Council can be fixed, and anyone may take on paper any notes he thinks fitting. Next, each one shall write on a piece of paper the first terna (or three names), and the Father Director with the Secretary, after reading aloud all the names voted for, shall place in the terna to be presented to the full Council the three who had the largest number of votes. And if any here had an equal number of votes, there is nothing to prevent four or more names from being presented to the full Council. Next in the same way two terne shall be selected for the Assistants; in these it is not forbidden to put the two taken