Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-01-19
CFrom the True Flag. ]
CHOOSING A PROFESSION;
The Broken-Dnyvn Minister.
BY OLIVER OPTIC.

in his fathers shop. The finishing touches had just
been given TO the work. and the young artisan
veyed his handwork with conscious delight.
| She is beautiful, isn't she Joe 9-I wish | could
do that replied John Emerson
Perhaps you could, if you ohly tried. 1t has ta-
ken nearly all the winter II do it. Do you know,
John, that mean to be a ship-carpenter 9 and the
eye of the boy kindled with aspiration of future
distinction, as he adjusted the gaff of the mo1el.
Il should like to be one too !: but know my moth
er would never consent
WHY not 2
! She says shall be minister
! you parson, John :?
| Il have fancy for it
| Then certainly wouldn't do it.
] Not if your mother wanted very much to have
you q
| L don't think would but my mother would not
want me to be anything dislike am sure never
J could make parson.
| Nor either; but mother says can
| You must reason her out of it,
| How
Show her what you can do Make boat, as
have done | am sure you can make as good a one
| as this
| j will make ship-thas would be more difficult
| i am sure could make one; and there was some
thing in the eye of John Emerson which showed that
he had the energy TO accomplish almost anything he
should undertake.
Good like your spunk. You shall work in
my fathers shop, and you need not tell any what
and mother will be surprised
'Pll do it, Joeh exclaimed John, cappng his
hands I'll show them what there is in me, at any
rate
| Bravo! and after dinner we will 90 down TO the
saw mill and pick out log for the hull
The plan was agreed to, and before night the log
was in the shop, and some progress made in shaping
it into the required form. But the task was not an
easy one and more than once the young mechanic
was obliged to leave the shop and 60 down to the
| IyUho rf IN StudU tha hn;Id Of oh
Joseph Broadly encouraged his friend and the work
went braVely on. Though John had projected an
enterprise which, ifsuccessuIly accomplished, would
! eclipse his own labors he not envious or lima
tured and did all he could to assist his young friend
without doing anything that would rob him of The
credit of his work
We have not space to mention all the trials and
difficulties which beset the embryo shpbui!der; but
al the expiration of months, having devoted all
his spare time from school 10 the work, the ship
completed There plenty of critics at hand,
men acquainted with every timber and every rope in
the ship and their judgment decidedly favora-
able Everybody that knew anything about ships
pronounced the young to be genius, and said
he would make mark upon the world.
| When everything was ready, the model ship was
placed upon little wagon and drawn to Johns
house.
His father and mother were summoned to the door
to view the handiwork of their son. Mrs Emerson
was in ecStacies, and Mr.. Emerson rubbed his hands
with delight.
Now mother, what do you think of my talent for
ship building said John as he pointed triumphanIy
to the work of his hands.
'lt is very pretty, isn't it, husband"
Now, moth r, am going to be ship-buder'
"A ship builder ! exclaimed the fond mother with
evident horror
Yes, mother; Captain Smith has offered to take
meas an apprentice
Nay, but my son, you know | want you to be
minister. You must be ready to enter college in
year more
Don't bother the boy. wife :; let him be a ship
bui der, if he wants to. You he has TALENT as
we'll as an inclination that way said Mr. Emerson,
as he went INTO he house again. followed by his wife.
! John bestowed the ship in the back room, and JOIN
ed the family circle.
Il have sci my heart making minister of him.
1t is so much more respectable than a carpenter,
anything of that sort continued Mrs. Emerson
'Po b. interposed the husband, with contempt
| uous sneeT.
| You needn't pooh me, Emerson You know
! that minister is better than carpenter
No, don't. | entirely dissent from your view of
! the sub ect. | think mechanic quite good
parson; and | am perfect satisfied that many
chanlcs are much BETTER more respectable, and more
useful members of society than ministers could
mention.
There il is again! If you had your way, we
should have preaching, and the world would go
back into heahenism again
And may yet, for all that half of the preach
/
ton to John becoming parson if he chooses But
| let him choose for himself
AS though a mere boy could know his own mind
1t is duty, husband, act for him, till he is old
enough to act for himself
True, but ought to consider the boys TASTE
and have some regard for his fitness
You don't mean to say he Is not fit for minister?
+ j don't say anything about it but know he has
both taste and fitness for the trade of hp-carpen-
! ter
| How unreasonable you are As though, when
he has been to college, he will no, have a las for
preaching When he puts his mind to it, he will be
perfectly satisfied with the calling; and if be don't
make one of the smar,est ministers in the country,
lose my guess
He will make better ship carpenter but let the
boy speak for himself He is old enough to under.
stand the suhjec.
| John did speak for himself but his mothers eIo-
quence too much for him. and after deal of
coaxing he consented abandon his ncIinations and
endeavor to make minister of himself He was an
excellent scholar, and his mother had predicted he
was prepared for college at the end of The year.
Mr.. Emerson, though he was satisfied his son had
been unwisely influenced in the choice of his future
profession deemed it prudent to urge further OBJ
| lection to the plan. He was we'll off in the world
and abundanty able to give his liberal educa-
| tion.
John was i'll at ease in view of his future calling
He disprited and gloomy; he felt how insufficient
his abilities to meet the requirements of the sa
cred profession Though he labored diligently in his
studies, he felt that he laboring to please his
mother, rather than advance Christ's Kingdom up
no earth -
| Technically speaking he had experienced reli-
gion but ii was only indispensable quafca-
ton for his future duties. There no religion in
his heart he knew it, and his conscience rebelled al
the thought f the denominations to which be laid
himself open by insncerely entering the sacred in