Character Built Stone by Stone, Deed by Deed
There is a structure which everybody is building, young and old, each one for himself. It is called character, and in it every act is a stone. If day by day we are careful to build our lives with pure, noble, and upright deeds, at the end they will stand a fair temple, honored by God and man. But as one leak will sink a ship, and one flaw break a chain, so one mean, dishonorable, untruthful act or word will forever leave its impress, and work its influence, on our character. Then let the several deeds unite to form a day, and one by one the days grow into noble years, and the years, as they slowly pass, will raise at last a beautiful edifice, enduring forever to our praise.