that he is called to discharge the obligations of his vocation. Now, by what is he called? In some cases, no doubt, he may be called by his birth or inclinations or natural capacities. The duke's heir is called by his birth to occupy his father's position. Many a boy is called irresistibly by his inclinations to a sea-faring life. And natural capacities, early developing a special bent, call one boy to be an engineer, another to be a joiner, another to be a minister, and so on.
But if we restrict the "call" to mean nothing more than this, much of the ethical flavour of "vocation" evaporates. For the word vocation has ethical and religious implications of a very important kind. "Man's vocation is to do his duty in that sphere of life to which it has pleased God to call him." In all the tale of history the most conspicuous examples of loyalty to vocation have been afforded by men who were deeply impressed by the conviction that they were called of God. They may have been mistaken in their belief, the causes to which they attached themselves may have been unworthy; but the driving power of their loyalty was derived from the conviction that they were called of God to just those tasks and no others. But it is not only in great and noble vocations that this consciousness of a divine call exerts a powerful influence. It is solidly established by the experience of generations of men and women that what would otherwise be the monotonous drudgery of a mean occupation may be ennobled and inspired by the belief that the task is being done in God's sight and is in accordance with his will.
