and Social Progress 93643 A Sociological Study of Foreign Missions By the Rev. James S. Dennis, D.D. Students' Lecturer on Missions, Princeton, 1893 and 1896; Author of PREFACE THE Students' Lectures on Missions at Princeton Theological Seminary, which form the basis of the book now issued, were delivered by the author in the spring of 1896. The subject treated-"The Sociological Aspects of Foreign Missions "-was suggested to him by the students themselves, especially by members of the Sociological Institute and of the Missionary Society of the Seminary, with the special request that it be chosen for consideration. It has proved an absorbing and fruitful theme. The interest which it elicited was shown by requests from the faculties of Auburn, Lane, and Western Theological Seminaries to have the course repeated at those institutions after its delivery at Princeton. The lectures were limited to an hour each, but in preparing them for publication they have been recast, for the most part rewritten, and greatly expanded. This is especially true of the second lecture, and will be so in the case of the sixth, which will appear in the second volume. It was apparent from the scope of the subject, and the range of data required to treat it intelligently and with any basis of authority, that no adequate discussion was possible without much fresh and explicit information. The effort was made to obtain this not only from the current literature of missions, but directly by correspondence with missionaries in all parts of the world. A carefully prepared circular, with detailed questions upon special aspects of the theme, was sent to over three hundred missionaries, representing various societies in many lands. The replies were of the greatest value and pertinence, and gave to the author an abundant supply of data from which to collate his subject-matter and upon which to establish his generalizations. Thus through the kindness and courtesy of missionaries an unexpected basis of testimony has been provided for an intelligent judgment as to the sociological scope of missions, and for a broad survey of this somewhat neglected phase of the subject. The investigation was entered upon |