Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-11-30
LEARNING TO MAKE SOME.
THING"

more certainly and clearly than those
who, as journalists, are daily in the
habit Of seeing the result of advertising)
that the applicants for situations in
stores, offices, counting houses, as
clerks, book-keepers, etc., or to learn
to become such, are twenty times as
numerous as applications of youths and
their parents to learn trades. Let a
man advertise for a clerk, or a youth to
become one, and he may make what
conditions he pleases, and he will have
responses by wholesale. But let a man
advertise for a youth to learn u trade,
and he will rarely get a reply. Clerks,
it is supposed, are better dressed, can
keep their hands clean, sit at a desk,
and have more leisure and be more gen.
teel. Blinded by snowy advantages like
these, young people, and sometimes
their parents, lose sight of the more
solid advantages Of certain independence
and a sure foundation for a fortune.
But without a thorough knowledge of a
business by which a man can, if needtul,
procure a living through something
made by his own hands, he is hardly
ever safe from the assaults of a reverse
of fortune. Especially is this the case
where he has no capital of much extent
to begin with.
The ISraelitcs always used to bring
up their sons, however learned or
wealthy, to some handicraft business or
trade, by which, in case of n reverse,
they could support themselves. Paul,
the Apostle, born at Tarsus-a city at
the foot of the hills Of Cilicia and Tau
ruS-hills famous for a breed of wild
goats, whose skins made tents cele-
brated at once for their comparative
lightness of transportation, durability
and streugth-was brought up a tent
maker, developing thus the peculiar
native advantages OF his birthplace.
Sent afterwards to Jerusalem, instruct
ed by Gamaliel, a Pharisee of the Phar-
isees, learned as a rabbi, and in favor
| with the highest of the Jewish priest
hood, he yet never lost the advantages
of this early source of independence.
And when, from a love of right and
truth, he lost every old friend or iniu-
ence that could support him, it was this
that enabled him to preserve that noble
independence of character as q man, a
philosopher and a Christian leader
which has influenced all coming time
by his laborS and his writings. That
such a man as Elihu Burritt, the learn
ed blacksmith, should attract 50 much
attention in our day, proves nothing so
much rs how little the character and
ex]cellencies of St. Paul's life have yet
been appreciated. i'These hands, he
says, ''have ministered to my necessities
and to them that were with me-" Night
and day he wrought, that he might not
be chargeable to any, and wrought, too,
as a tent-mdker. And the fourteen let
tiers of this robust tent-maker are more
influential at the end of two thousand
years than all the wisdom of the Mars
Hill sophistS or the power of Roman
armies, emperors and orators.
A man must be independent of the
world in order to benefit it. 1t was
Franklin, the printer, whose philosophy
won friends for his country in the Court
of France. Many years ago a merchant
of great financial abilities sat in his
store waiting for business, which was
slow in coming. He had m expensive
family, such small means and so many
idle hours that he feared being broken
up las many others then were) before
his business could be established.
" What shall | do?" asked he, conf
dentially, of a friend. snake ome
thing" was the only reply. Those two
words saved him. After much refec-
ton he thought of an article of great
general convenience, then only made in
Europe. and manufactured it himself.
The demand grew, became great, and
gave him hope, energy and ready money
until his own business vas established.
After many years he was able to retire
on a comfortable independence, besides
selling the right to manufacture this
article for q considerable sum.
Let boys learn to make something"
Let them learn trades which they know
to the bottom, and thus become independ-
ent, instead of dangling after clerkships,
or, worse still, seeking public life and
popular favor through all sorts Of cor
ruption and intrigue, care and disap-
pointment.
NJ