Their first reception was chilling, but they gradually won a few new recruits and Ignatius drafted the constitution [Sidenote: September 27, 1540] for a new order which was handed to the pope by Contarini and approved in the bull _Regimini militantis ecclesiae_, which quotes from the formula of the Jesuits: Whoever wishes to fight for God under the standard of the cross and to serve the Lord alone and his vicar on earth the Roman pontiff shall, after a solemn vow of perpetual chastity, consider that he is part of a society instituted chiefly for these ends, for the profit of souls in {403} life and Christian doctrine, for the propagation of the faith through public preaching, the ministry of God's word, spiritual exercises and works of charity, and especially for the education of children and ignorant persons in Christianity, for the hearing of confession and for the giving of spiritual consolation.
Moreover it is stated that the members of the new order should be bound by a vow of special obedience to the pope and should hold themselves ready at his behest to propagate the faith among Turks, infidels, heretics or schismatics, or to minister to believers.
[Sidenote: April 1547] Ignatius was chosen first general of the order.

The pope then cancelled the previous limitation of the number of Jesuits to 60 [Sidenote: 1544] and later issued a large charter of privileges for them.

[Sidenote: 1549] They were exempted from taxes and episcopal jurisdiction; no member was to be allowed to accept any dignity without the general's consent, nor could any member be assigned to the spiritual direction of women.

Among many other grants was one to the effect that the faithful might confess to them and receive communion without permission of their parish priests.

A confirmation of all privileges and a grant of others was made in a bull of July 21, 1550.
[Sidenote: Organization of the Society of Jesus, 1550] The express end of the order being the world-domination of the church, its constitution provided a marvellously apt organization for this purpose.