after the first of November & nothing but the repeal of the act
will righten, the Consequence of its taking place here will be
bad, & attended with many troubles, & I believe may say more
fatal to you than us. I dread the Event.
--Extract From Hancock's Letter-Book

[Illustration: JOHN HANCOCK]


Long years ago when society was young, learning was centered in one man in
each community, and that man was the priest. It was the priest who was
sent for in every emergency of life. He taught the young, prescribed for
the sick, advised those who were in trouble, and when human help was vain
and man had done his all, this priest knelt at the bedside of the dying
and invoked a Power with whom it was believed he had influence.

The so-called learned professions are only another example of the Division
of Labor. We usually say there are three learned professions: Theology,
Medicine and Law. As to which is the greatest is a much-mooted question
and has caused too many family feuds for me to attempt to decide it. And
so I evade the issue and say there is a fourth profession, that is only
allowed to be called so by grace, but which in my mind is greater than
them all--the profession of Teacher. I can conceive of a condition of
society so high and excellent that it has no use for either doctor, lawyer
or preacher, but the teacher would still be needed. Ignorance and sin
supply the three "learned professions" their excuse for being, but the
teacher's work is to develop the germ of wisdom that is in every soul.

And now each of these professions has divided up, like monads, into many
heads. In medicine, we have as many specialists as there are organs of the