hanged from a constantly unfulfilled yearning to an
immediately rewarded effort....

How we degrade and lower the human nature which we should raise, how
we weaken those whom we should strengthen, when we hold up to them an
inducement to act virtuously, even though we place this inducement in
another world! If we employ an outward incentive, though it be the
most spiritual, to call forth better life, and leave undeveloped the
inner, spontaneous, and independent power of representing pure
humanity which rests in each man, we degrade our human nature.

But how wholly different every thing is, if man, especially in
boyhood, is made to observe the reflex action of his conduct, not on
his outward more or less agreeable position, but on his inner,
spontaneous or fettered, clear or clouded, satisfied or dissatisfied
condition of spirit and mind! The experiences which proceed from this
observation will necessarily more and more awaken the inner sense of
man: and then true sense, the greatest treasure of boy and man, comes
into his life.

APHORISMS

I see in every child the possibility of a perfect man.

The child-soul is an ever-bubbling fountain in the world of humanity.

The plays of childhood are the heart-leaves of the whole future life.

Childish unconsciousness is rest in God.

From each object of nature and of life, there goes a path toward God.

Perfect human joy is also worship, for it is ordered by God.

The first groundwork of religious life is love--love to God and
man--in the bosom of the family.

Childhood is the most important stage of the total development of man
and of humanity.

Women must make of their educational calling a priestly office.

Isolation and exclusion destroy life; union and participation create
life.

Without religious preparation in childhood, no true religion and no
union with God is possible for men.

The tree germ bears within itself the nature of the whole tree; the
human being bears in himself the nature of all humanity; and is not
therefore humanity born anew in each child?

In the children lies the seed-corn of the future.

The lovingly cared for, and thereby steadily and strongly developed
human life, also the cloudless child life, is of itself a Christ-like
one.

In all things works one creative life, because the life of all things
proceeds from one God.

Let us live with our children: so shall their lives bring peace and
joy to us; so shall we begin t