Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 August 1877 — Knowledge is Power. [ARTICLE]

Knowledge is Power.

In one of our exchanges we find the following condensed sermon: Artemus Martin, of Erie. Pa., on whom the degree of A. M. was conferred by Yale College at the last comniencem nt, ia a market gardener, who sella vegetables in the streets of Erie twice a week. He is a regular contributor to foreign and American edm atlonal publications, and has a mathematical library of several hundred volumes. He Is self-educated. How far its moral may be apparent to the general reader cannot, of course, be estimated; but, to our mind, it contains a history as well as a sermon The market gardener or vegetable peddler, combined with the occupation of writer upon educational subjects of foreign and American magazines, would, at first blush, seem to be somewhat incongruous; yet a little further consideration of the matter will show, at once, the entire consistency of it. In the light of the explanation, “He is self-educated,” we can easily see how the two occupations can be combined so gradually that the interference of the one with the other shall not exist. Here is a market gardener with an ambition above a cabbage and a will above the trifling obstacles that are thrown in the path of the knowledge-seeker. We say trifling obstacles advisedly, and not without a full knowledge of its enormous import to weak-minded and lazy people. Beginning as a market gardener, Mr. Martin has occupied those leisure hours which the majority of our young men use for amusement, in storing bis mind with the special knowledge by which he is now enabled to make his contribution to educational literature. His time being fully occupied in this pursuit of knowledge, the little expenses, which fritter away the small change of the ordinary young men of the day, did not exist, and the money was ready at all times with which to make such additions to his mathematical library as have now amounted to several hundred volumes. Constantly learning to economize bis time, he has used his original business of market gardening simply for his support, and the real work of his life has been his pleasure. After advancing in the knowledge of his specialty, he was undoubtedly seized with the very natural desire to give the world at large any benefit to be derived from it, hence his contributions to the educational literature of the day. This brings him to the notice of learned men, who recog. nize his ability and confer upon him the Yale degree of Master of Arts—a reward far greater to such a man than all the wealth of the Indies. Such an honor, however,- has not puffed up his conceit nor caused him to look with contempt ujion the day of small tilings; has not caused him to change his original opinion, that the occupation of market gardener and that of professor of mathematics tare perfectly consistent with each other ‘and equally honorable. For the condensed sermon says, he “ sells vegetables in the streets of Erie twice a week.”

What Mr. Martin has done, each young farmer and mechanic in this country can do, if he only thinks so. Begin with a will, and make up your mind to occupy your leisure hours in some sludy suited to vour tastes, and one-half the battie is won. Perhaps you will say, “ I have no leisure.” If that thought were to occur to you, dismiss it at once, for you are deceiving yourself. One half hour each day would be 156 hours each year and 1.500 bouts in ten years—during which time an immense amount ot learning can be acquired ution any subject and wonderful progress be made in any art or science by a person who has decided to learn. Beside this, increased interest will induce increased hours of study. The objection may be raised that no liooks are handy or procurable for the purpose, by reason of the distance from public libraries. Here, too, you would be deceiving yourself. Two or three dollars will purchase for you the primary works for the beginning of almost any study you may choose to engage in, and the money saved from frivolous amusements while you are engaged in your studies, will «oon amount to more than enough to purchase all the books you can read with care and profit. In addition to this, there is hardly a community in which some owner of a library cannot be found who would take pleasure in encouraging, by the loan of books and in every other way, the honest efforts of any young man to acquire knowledge upon a particular subject As an example, we will suppose a young farmer desires to take up the study of botany, which bears a very close relation to his every-day occupation. The elementary works, of which there are many, can be procured at a very small cost, and by dropping a postal card to your weekly newspaper office, you can get the information as to what books to purchase and their price, upon the arrival of which you can start at once upon your studies and make practical observations and demonstrations of the science every day right on your own farm. Many young farmers learn by seeing before them the results of natural laws in vegetation; but bow few of them know those laws and the application of them to ether and more profitable results which they have not yet seen?

We are fully aware of the prejudice (and it is pure prejudice) against what is called “book-farming;” but there is no earthly reason why a man who knows the laws of Nature and the reasons for certain results, should not have quite as much practical knowledge of farming matters as the boor who produces his crops exactly as his father did, without a desire to know more. Nor need a young man take his half hour of study from his labor. It should be a pleasure, and should be taken from bis leisure. The advanced knowledge of agriculture to-day is due to the labors of men like Mr. Martin; and we will venture to assert, without knowing more of him than is contained in the foregoing sermon, that he is a happier and better man while peddling his vegetables through the streets of Erie, than the wealthiest, sleekest and fattest uneducated farmer in this country. He has resources of happiness in his knowledge and his studies which prevent all loneliness—which make his life a round of interesting pleasures. Our advice isnot “ Young man, go West,” but young man, get knowledge.— Rural New Yorker. “Yes, we have our trials and tribulations, same as other people,” answered one of the stall-keepers at the Central Market when interviewed the other day. “ I for one study human nature, but never interfere with it. Ten minutes ago a handsome and stylish lady got out of her carriage over there, sailed down to my stand, and with all the dignity of a queen she asked: ‘ Mr. Beans, have you any t real nice < huckleberries ?’•> . I replied: ' ‘ Madam, rhave the best lot of huckleberries in market,’.and I sold her two quarts. Five minutes later another lady came along and called out: ‘Mr. Beans, have you any cheap whortleberries?.’ I replied, * Madam, I have the cheapest whortleberries in the world,’ ami she took four quarts. It’s all the same tome, sfr;., whether they put the * buckle* or the.’ ‘ whortle ’to ’em—my business is to please the public.”— Detroit free Preet. There are 720 Browns in the city. Of these, twenty-eight answer when Charles is called, eleven when Frank is asked for, twelve when George is wanted, twentyfive when there is a demand for James, only forty when some one is looking for John, ten when Joseph is desired, and twenty-three when William is wished for. —OAfoapo Tribune.