The Charlotte Democrat

Professional Men.

The professional ranks are well filled. Our young men as they grow up catch the contagion and early begin to survey the field. They want a profession, not so much for the pecuniary benefit they are to derive from it, or the service they may render society, as the personal promotion it may afford. We have long felt that the honors attaching to the profession of law or medicine are more imaginary than real. A few men of distinction have made these professions honorable, as is the case in nearly all the professions of life, but the great majority of those who choose a professional life fall vastly short of the laurels which are worn by the few. To be a lawyer or doctor in name is a cheat—a base fraud—but to be either in reality is an honor. If our young men, in choosing a professional life would keep this fact before them, they would not so hastily reach a conclusion. Let any boy, of ordinary mind and acquirements, determine to enter either of the professions mentioned, and he as soon begins to put on airs—simultaneously begins to flourish his gold headed cane in the air, and with his hat placed on his head obliquely. He lights his cigar and promenades the streets as though he was lord of creation. That he may be fully initiated in the profession he has chosen, he fains to believe he must take, now and then, a social drink, treat his comrades and join them in a game of cards, &c. Thus hundreds enter a profession and at the same time start in the downward road to ruin. Intellect, though bright at the outset, has lost its light and the soul has become dwarfed. Such cases are indeed pitiable and their presence in the family circle always produces unhappiness and too often leaves a sting which time may never extract. What the country needs, and what we would now earnestly insist upon, is young men of brain, nerve and muscle, and all these sanctified by divine grace. We have the brain, and to some extent the muscle, but are sadly deficient in nerve and moral courage. Let our parents take a calm and considerate view of this question, and not hurry their sons through college and to the bar or the practice of medicine. Lawyers and doctors are useful and we cannot do without them, but the crop at present is abundant—the demand in number is fully met. We need tillers of the soil. We undertake to say that there is as much honor in being a successful farmer as there is in being a professional gentleman. But, says one, "any man can cultivate the soil—it does not require brilliancy of intellect or mental culture to cultivate the ground." We think differently—we can scarcely think of any occupation which men follow which requires more head work—(and the best kind of head work) than that of the farmer. The proper kind of head work is as important as manual labor. What we wish to say to our young men, and we would say it with special emphasis, is this—do not be in too great haste to embark in a profession. You had better take time to consider the subject well. A mistake made in early manhood is not easily corrected, and too often proves fatal.—Raleigh Christian Advocate.