Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 2.djvu/839

 SOCIAL CONTROL. 1 VII.

ASSEMBLAGE. I.

Two methods of molding the feelings to social conduct and endeavor have been pointed out religion and ideals. A third way is assemblage.

As this series of studies goes on it becomes plain to the writer that the study of social control needs to be prefaced by a study of the spontaneous influences that socialize men. Prior to cultivated goodness should be considered natural goodness, both that which comes from inborn power of sympathy and that which springs up from men having their lives much in common. Before describing the methods of forcing or cultivation by which, in the orderly social garden, the human plant is caused to bring forth abundant fruits of righteousness, we should glance at the fruit, mean and meager though it be, which that plant can bring forth in its uncultivated state ere its nurture has become the object of social art.

So doing we should find that, just as the gardener does little else than strengthen, regulate, or apply with system, those forces and elements that cause growth in the natural state, so society makes righteousness to abound chiefly by supplying the natural conditions of goodness. Few of its instruments of control arc peculiarly its own ; for the most part it strengthens or adapts those fellowship forces that are found at work in any group of human beings. Thus the restraints of law, public opinion, and social suggestion have their prototypes in individual vengeance, resentment, and suggestion. Religion \\lrn h society uses to call forth fellow feeling was originally the mystic interpretation of a

rraU for No. VI in January issue of JOURNAL OP Socioi<>< v In note to p. 554, for "History of" read "Studic 'it p. 565, line 2, omit "n.x. On p.

566, line 6, for "sociology" read "social

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