Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 15.djvu/375

 A STUDY OF NEW ENGLAND REVIVALS

SAMUEL W. DIKE LL.D. Auburndale, Mass.

Though the Hterature of revivals is pretty large it consists almost wholly of the narrative of striking incidents with almost no effort at scientific data or method of study. The conclusions reached are based chiefly on the general opinions of the writers. Of course these have their value. But the modern student rises from their perusal with the feeling that here is a field that needs scientific treatment along several lines of study. First of all the facts need collection, analysis, and classification, so far as possi- ble, and interpretation by the methods of social science. Then the psychologist has a rich field for his study. Baldwin, Star- buck, and Coe have incidentally touched it. Dr. Boris Sidis, and Professor F. M. Davenport especially, in his sane book on Primitive Traits in Religious Revivals, and to some extent Dr. George B. Cutten have entered it in a most suggestive way. But the work of all these has been alongside of the field itself rather than directly in it. Then the sociologist, the student of ethics and religious pedagogy have a part to perform. Mean- while we are seeing fresh efforts put forth to promote revivals, and these by business men who conduct their own private busi- ness on the strictest scientific lines, making the largest use of cost accounting and the resources of science but with no apparent thought of using the method in ecclesiastical affairs.

The object of the present paper is to make a study of soine of the facts that will serve as an introduction to something like a scientific treatment of the entire field along the lines indicated above. Those who are disposed to object to the conclusions of the paper will bear in mind the limited part of the field it attempts to explore.

The most trustworthy data with which to begin are the sta- tistics of additions of original members to the churches most

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