Profession Or Trade
An item recently seen reads, "we would rather be a music teacher in an
obscure town than be a prosperous tradesman in a large city." That has
the sound of enthusiasm, and is the feeling of one who has the good of
his fellowmen at heart. Every man who enters a profession gives up his
life to do good. But few men in any professional life ever make more
than a good living. Some can, indeed, save enough to make occasional
nvestments, and these (if judgment has been good) secure a moderate
fortune. But no man ever became wealthy from his profession alone. A
professional man, however, gratifies his better nature and satisfies
cultivated tastes. A man in trade becomes so engrossed in business that
his better nature (his refined taste) is dwarfed. That comfort of mind
which the professional man has is more to him than the bags of gold of
the merchant would be. Probably the writer who made the remark quoted,
had in mind the opportunity which the music teacher has to do good. It
is a grand field of work, and one who has been engaged in it for several
years wants no other. To lead the public by teaching and by public
performance into the knowledge of the highest art, is a privilege which
should be prized. The music teacher, (even if not so placed by common
opinion) stands with the minister and the physician in the good which he
does the community.