Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 2.djvu/843

 SOCIAL CONTROL 827

aid in conflict and pioneers the way for economic cooperation. Those who regard these festivals as spontaneous gatherings for merrymaking must be at a loss to account for their scope and regularity. Why, if they have no deeper social meaning, should they bring together people from such a distance and at such regular intervals. They seem akin rather to those formal cele- brations that among primitive people mark the close of hostili- ties, the conclusion of a treaty, or the forming of an alliance.

But it is inevitable that assemblage directed to public and not to private ends should in time lose somewhat the aspect of spontaneity that befits gatherings for mere hilarity, and become more religious. Like all those early institutions that have in charge far-reaching common interests, they will seek to estab- lish themselves not on the shifting inclinations but on the rooted beliefs of men. The core of assemblage, therefore, becomes worship.

Hitherto worship has not been accounted for as a social institu- tion. The religious gathering before the days of faiths that had a message to deliver was certainly not educational. "The antique religions had for the most part no creed ; they consisted entirely of institutions and practices." 1 Here, then, where there- is no appeal to ethical feelings, no moral teaching, and no serv- ice calling up tender sentiments, what social value is there ? What utility had those innumerable cults of the ages before morality, when religion was rite, not belief or conduct or aspira- tion ? They would seem to be so much burning of flesh, so much waste of good oil and wine, so much time, trouble, ami expense, all to propitiate gods that are phantoms ! Sacrifices to the senseless flame, libations to the indifferent ground, and invocations to the unlistening air how useless! And so all this segment of ancient life has no place in social development, but is mere aberration and delusion !

It would indeed be a marvel it in.stitutions <>t \\nrship so carefully perfected and so enduring have no real function in the economy of society. All things human tend to "sag" unless

1 ROBERTSON SMITH, Keligion of the