only secure but
high. The rewards of his services were comparatively large. He was a
leader of the people. From him came the inspiration of liberty. It was
in the meeting-houses that the Revolution was framed.

This dual character little exists now, but the principle is the same.
Teaching is the same high calling, but how lacking now in comparative
appreciation. The compensation of many teachers and clergymen is far
less than the pay of unskilled labor. The salaries of college professors
are much less than like training and ability would command in the
commercial world. We pay a good price to bank men to guard our money. We
compensate liberally the manufacturer and the merchant; but we fail to
appreciate those who guard the minds of our youth or those who preside
over our congregations. We have lost our reverence for the profession of
teaching and bestowed it upon the profession of acquiring.

This will have such a reaction as might be expected. Some of the clergy,
seeing their own rewards are disproportionate, will draw the conclusion
that all rewards are disproportionate, that the whole distribution of
wealth is unsound; and turn to a belief in and an advocacy of some kind
of a socialistic state. Some of our teachers, out of a like discontent,
will listen too willingly to revolutionary doctrines which have not
originated in meeting-houses but are the importations of those who lack
nothing but the power to destroy all that our civilization holds dear.
Unless these conditions are changed, these professions will not attract
to their services young men of the same comparative quality of ability
and character that in the past they commanded.

In our pursuit of prosperity we have forgotten and neglected its
foundations. It is true that many of our institutions of learning are
well endowed and have spacious buildings, but the plant is not enough.
Many modern schoolhouses put to shame any public buildings that were
erected in the Colonies. I am directing attention to the comparative
position of the great mass of teachers and clergymen. They are not
properly appreciated or properly paid. They have provided the
foundations of our liberties. The importance of their position cannot be
overestimated. They have been faithful though neglected; but a state
which neglects or refuses to support any class will soon find that such
class neglects and refuses to support it. The remedy lies in part with
private charity, in part with gover