Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-11-25


Eco, before the srtsh Literary |
AasOcistlOn of Memphis. NSvem-
her 33 1875.
Mr. President and gendemeu
| have chosen the subject "VOca-
ton" as the theme Of my discourse
this evening. 1t is a subject in
which every individual should feel
exceedingly interested, for upon it
depends in a great measure the
welfare and happiness of all during
our short soioum in life. The
word vocation comes from the
Latin verb vocare, to call, and by
it we understand that particular
business or employment selected by
individuals either as means OF
support or pleasure. Very often
the word ayocation is misused to
convey the same meaning. Voca-
| tion is the business in which we are
engaged, and avocation is the call
ling aside, temporarily, of our atten-
| tion from that business, to engage
it for the time being in affairs OF
secondary Importance. Therefore
we might correctly say that amuse-
ment is an ayocotion that takes US
momentarily from our vocation.
hold that each and every one Of ui
came into the world gifted with
certain faculties and powers of MIND
and body which God gave to us fol
the purpose of obtaining an end
and accomplishing o good; II
other words we are here fol
an object. Could all men but dis
cover the latent power which rest
within them, and give it the full
development which it requires il
. order 10 fulfill its purpose, hay'
no doubt that the works Of man
wonderful as they are, would ye
be grander and more marvellous
and orr Websters and our Frank
Inns. our Grattans and orr Bnrkei
our Newtous and our Shakespeare
: more numerous. But the grea
difficulty lies in the fact that yer
. few persons are able to find ont
t especially in their young age, tina
It faculty which needs particular DC
n velopment, and which must poir
the way to vocation in other word
= they are unable to ascertain the po
2 sibilities of their natures. | rC
= member that once, while at schoo
| heard an eloquent divine preac
a very beautiful sermon, from whlc
| remember but one remark, and
was fixed firmly in my memor
He said in substance: "Young mel
sou will be convinced, as you a'
Vance q little further in age, thu
!, one dC the most difficult tasks
lire is he nndiog of a yocatio
fa Z; suited to your neturai powers whe
;, at school," he continued, "my 90
bition was to become q renoWne
N soldier. My after life tinds me
! clergyman, and entirely Ot II
Ia Other extreme of that vocatic
which youth setmed to tell n
would be mine" This is general
:. the case with college boys VII
hard study, at their books, tn
very seldom think of vocation; or
ST they do think of it, they hold !
IS. before their minds but the briiilal
m and gorgeous picture Of fancy al
" look forward to after-life ae Z
m realization of their college dream
.m If | could place implicit faith
''' chronology, | would suggest to
all heads of institutions Of learning
S for procure able phrenologists ar
ms have them examine the head
every applicant for admission, a
md direct the boys studies aceordi
Inc to the bumps. That many perso
we are unpleased with their pursui
ore and scarcely know what they
~. ST fit for, is proved by the fact Il
whenever a phrenologist makes
= announcement that he is to lectI
+ and examine skulls, ,hedraws arou
= him a goodly crowd, and, not I
frequently, gives momentary G
\ ISOLATION, and induces some to q
Ss =. present vocations to engage
'Tn Others, for which the bump III
pre-, iGTc Gates they are pre-eminently sHit
o.. DC Petrarch studied law but