Ꮕ + R L 23 4 0 Exh with Kungl. iliw, Enorth h.. Rec. 31, 110 00 THE EKENAES PRINTING COMPANY, LIMITED EKENAES PREFACE THE studies necessary for writing this book have been pursued at the Library of the British Museum in London. It has been a great help and encouragement to me that my researches on early institutions have been honoured with scholarships from the Chancellor's Court of our University and from the Nyländska Afdelningen, the students' corporation of which I am a member. The debt which I owe to the eminent learning and unwearied advice of my friend and teacher Dr. Edward Westermarck can scarcely be overestimated. In acknowledging his never-failing interest and symphaty, and the valuable suggestions which he has made not only in reading the manuscript but during the whole progress of the work, I convey but an inadequate idea of my obligation to his kindness and insight. I have further to acknowledge some very valuable assistance rendered me by Mrs. Herman Donner and also by Miss Anna Krook in improving the style of the book, it being written in what is to me a foreign tongue. Mrs. Donner has added to her kindness in helping me to correct the proofs. G. L. HELSINGFORS, FINLAND. November, 1905. CONTENTS PRIESTHOOD COMPARED WITH OTHER SOCIAL CLASSES. Definition of lay classes, p. 1; peoples without classes, pp. 2–5; the nobility, the commonalty and the slave-class constituting the typical classes, p. 6; magicians included in the priesthood, p. 7; »peoples without priests», ib.; definitions of religion, p. 8; universality of religion, pp. 9 sq., of magic, p. 10; magicians or priests universal among the rudest peoples, pp. 10-13; priesthood earlier than the lay classes, pp. 13-15; the peculiar character of priesthood as compared with other classes, pp. 15-18; priesthood in opposition to the lay classes also con- stitutes a profession, pp. 18-20; further characteristics of the THE HUMAN NEED OF MEDIATORS WITH A SUPPOSED The origin of priesthood referable to man's craving for supernatural assistance in the struggle of life, pp. 22 sq.; the ideas of sa- vages regarding natural occurrences and phenomena, pp. 23—26, regarding illness and death, pp. 26 sq.; notions of this sort as contributing to tho origin of priesthood, p. 27; the priests necessary mediators with the supernatural powers, pp. 27-29; the assistance of the priests required to direct the worship, pp. 29 sq., to procure favourable weather, pp. 30-32, to heal the sick, pp. 32-35, to explain counsels from the gods, pp. 35-39, to inflict evil upon enemies, pp. 39 sq.; significance of priest- hood in the mental life of savages, pp. 40 sq.; psychological |