CHAPTER I 



THE FUNDAMENTAL ERROR IN MODERN 

 SOCIOLOGICAL STUDY 



THE interest with which the world in general, science during 



i | i -in r i the middle of 



throughout the middle portion of this century, this century 



has watched the progress of the various positive 



sciences, would, when we consider how abstruse ? n ^ ccount of 



its bearing on 



these sciences are, seem strange and almost in- the doctrines of 



1'11-r- r r T>I r Christianit y- 



explicable if it were not for one fact. This fact is 



the close and obvious bearing which the conclusions 



of the sciences in question have on traditional 



Christianity, and, indeed, on any belief in im- 



mortality and the divine government of the world. 



The popular interest in science remains still un- 



abated, but the most careless observer can hardly 



fail to perceive that the grounds of it are, to a 



certain extent, very rapidly changing. They are its popularity 



ceasing to be primarily religious, and are becoming s to d 



primarily social. The theories and discoveries of "/ 



the savant which are examined with the greatest P roblems - but 



on social. 



eagerness are no longer those which affect our 



