THE MACMILLAN COMPANY MACMILLAN & CO., LIMITED LONDON BOMBAY CALCUTTA MELBOURNE THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, LTD TORONTO MAKING A Study in Biblical Sociology BY SAMUEL G. SMITH, D.D., PH.D., LL.D. HEAD PROFESSOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY New York THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 1910 All rights reserved Copyright 1910 BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY Set up and electrotyped. Printed January, 1910 THE MASON-HENRY PRESS ! MAY 13 1910 CA FOREWORD FOR nearly twenty years I have been teaching sociology to the upper classmen in the University of Minnesota. During about the same length of time I have been teaching the Bible to special classes in connection with the Peoples Church of St. Paul. It was not until ten years ago that the thought occurred to me that there is anything in common between these two departments of labor. About that time I formed the opinion that sociology might prove one of the best instruments for the interpretation of the Bible, and that, on the other hand, the Bible might prove to be one of the best sources of sociological material. My subsequent studies have been largely influenced by this conclusion. During two winters I pursued the joint study with selected companies of students. The work seemed so promising that four years ago I offered work in biblical sociology to my classes in the university. This book is a condensation of a part of the work done in the university classes. The survey of the subject will be completed by another volume in the course of preparation dealing |