falls upon the board before the potter, a rude mass, without form or
comeliness. But an hour afterwards the clay stands forth adorned with
all the beauty of a lovely vase. Thus the soul begins, a mere mass of
mind, but hands many and powerful soon shape it into the outlines of
some noble man or woman. These sculptors of character include home,
friendship, occupation, travel, success, love, grief and death.

Life's first teacher is the external world, with its laws. Man begins
at zero. The child thrusts his finger into the fire and is burned;
thenceforth he learns to restrain himself in the presence of fire, and
makes the flames smite the vapor for driving train or ship. The child
errs in handling the sharp tool, and cuts himself; thenceforth he
lifts up the axe upon the tree. The child mistakes the weight of
stone, or the height of stair, and, falling, hard knocks teach him the
nature and use of gravity. Daily the thorns that pierce his feet drive
him back into the smooth pathway of nature's laws. The sharp pains
that follow each excess teach him the pleasures of sound and right
living. Nor is there one infraction of law that is not followed by
pain. As sharp guards are placed at the side of the bridge over the
chasm to hold men back from the abyss, so nature's laws are planted on
either side of the way of life to prick and scourge erring feet back
into the divine way. At length through much smiting of the body nature
forces the youth into a knowledge of the world in which he lives. Man
learns to carry himself safely within forests, over rivers, through
fires, midst winds and storms. Soon every force in nature stands forth
his willing servant; becoming like unto the steeds of the plains, that
once were wild, but now are trained, and lend all their strength and
force to man's loins and limbs.

Having mastered the realm of physical law, the youth is thrust into
the realm of laws domestic and social. He runs up against his mates
and friends, often overstepping his own rights and infringing the
rights of others. Then some stronger arm falls on his, and drives him
back into his own territory. Occasional chastisement through the
parent and teacher, friend or enemy, reveal to him the nature of
selfishness, and compel the recognition of others. Thus, through long
apprenticeship, the youth finds out the laws that fence him round,
that press upon him at every pore, by day and by night, in workshop or
in store, at home or abroad