“Character is born in one but it is altered after birth by the different influences and experiences encountered.

“At the time of birth the child is a composite embryo of its parents, but, owing to various influences afterward it acquires different traits and inclinations than those of the parents.

“The trend of the character of the child can be firmly established by the parents before its birth through their own thoughts and actions and after birth by close association and guidance.

“The child begins life with a physical formation and mental inclination derived from the parents, and it is essential that these elements should be the very best that good thoughts and conduct of the parents can make them.

“The physical attributes and mental attitude of the parents during two years prior to the birth of a child is that which will largely influence it afterward.

“If, within that period, the thoughts of the parents have been evil it is certain that the child will have evil tendencies, while on the other hand if during the two year period prior to birth the parents have had pure thoughts and have accomplished noble deeds, then it is certain that the child will be inspired that way.

“The parents owe to the child they are about to bring into the world the observation of strict compliance to natural laws during two years prior to its birth, and every precaution should be taken to develop their bodies and minds toward a state of perfection. They should endeavor to establish the best conditions through exercise, nourishment and rest and by permitting only thoughts of the highest value to enter their minds.

“Self sacrifice and the will to accomplish good deeds must be observed by the parents in order that such qualities will be inoculated into the seed and embryo formation of the child.

“Love and kindness shown by the parents to each other during the pre-birth period will have a good influence upon the unborn child and help to make it kind and considerate in after life both towards its parents and towards other living things as well.

“Parents must treat each other in every day affairs with that respect and esteem that they would like their children to subsequently bestow upon them.

“Any habit that tends to weaken one physically and mentally also tends to weaken one morally, for that which deadens the senses eliminates pride and will power and the desire for great principles.

“It is essential then that parents must formulate good physical, mental and moral habits that the child may be born with a well balanced body and character.

“Everything that happens is but an effect of a preceding cause and as we build so shall be the structure.

“Natural laws are continuous and the offspring pays a penalty for the follies of the forbear. To have splendid children, parents must cause the good effect by their own preceding thoughts and actions.

“Nature is inexorable. It gives nothing for nothing. It provides a rule of penalty and everything must pay. There is a scale of balance and you are exactly what you weigh. Natural weight is only recorded according to useful effort and self sacrificing development. If you over-balance the scales in one direction you are shorn in another.

“You cannot cheat nature. You only receive what you work for. No work, no reward. One transgression, one penalty. One hundred transgressions, one hundred penalties. It is cause and effect, over and over again through one’s life, through many generations, through all eternity. The farther you go away from it, the farther you must go back to strike the balance. The greater evils you have practiced the heavier the burdens you must carry. When you cheat you cheat yourself.

“The face is the outward expression of what we think. Each thought either expands or contracts a muscle of the face and continual thinking along any particular line leaves a distinct mark upon the face which grows deeper and more prominent as time goes on.

“One who has made a study of the subject can read in faces the trend of what the owners have been thinking about during their lives.

“Expression is reflected from the faces of people with whom we associate.

“One may be able to deceive his neighbor, or one may be able to deceive himself but one will never be able to deceive his own face. Every thought, good or bad, serious or trivial, strong or weak, constructive or destructive, noble or ignoble, inspiring or idiotic, leaves its impression upon the face, and for those who can read that language the character of man is as plain as if a record of it was printed in bold, black type across his countenance.

“The reason that character is expressed on the face is because the seat of the senses is located in the face and head and the utilization of the senses requires the movement of innumerable minute muscles of the face causing various contractions and developments, or by non-use the lack of development.

“Hunger, gluttony, selfishness, egotism, fear, hate, self-denial, kindness, are all manifested by muscular development and combinations of facial contortions caused by mixed desires of the senses.

“The shape of the chin, the size of the nose, the curl of the lip, the gleam from the eye, the lobe of the ear, the set of the cheek and different lines of the face combine to show what the brain of any man and his forbear have been thinking about. No man can hide behind his own face.

“If it was not for character whereby man will make every known sacrifice even to giving up life itself for the sake of principle, man would be no better than the beasts of the field.

“A good character, clear conscience, happy disposition, and high aims in life go far towards keeping one healthy, ambitious and young. Bad morals cause early decay of mind and muscular system.

“Superior character is built by superior effort. Children must be taught early in life that character is the key to success and must be trained to give their best efforts in every undertaking, no matter how trivial it may be.

“Thinking good thoughts develops mental functions for a good moral character; thinking bad thoughts creates a mental appetite for a bad moral character.

“As you think so you grow mental functions that crave more and more those conditions which you think about. Thoughts lead to acts and increasing desires that create habits that are difficult to eliminate. Habits then become the power that mould the character and enslave the will.

“A trifling immoral thought started in the mind grows like a weed in the brain-at first a temptation and then a fixed habit-spreading forth disease; it overpowers the conscience and finally controls the mind. As it grows it builds rotten machinery in the brain and little by little crowds out every symptom of good character that remains.

“Association with immoral people is as dangerous for those with good morals as contact of healthy bodies is with people with smallpox, or venereal diseases. The germs of moral diseases are as penetrating and poisonous as are the germs of physical diseases.

“A mind dependent upon immoral thoughts, vulgar stories, or obscene pictures for the pleasures of life reflects a brain whose intricate mental functions are intertwined with twisted roots of mental corruption.

“Study your face in the mirror and you will see a true reflection of your character made up of every thought that ever passed through the mind of yourself and forbear.

“The will to do right must become the master of man.

“The idea of nature is to instil into man the power to stand and act upon his own resources. To do this successfully he must be able to control his senses and develop a mind and body that will tend toward a state of perfection in appearance and usefulness.

“A powerful mind that will attain its greatest results must be incased in a strong and healthy frame.

“A powerful mind incarcerated in a weak frame is like power congested in a bubble; it does not remain long.

“A powerful body without a strong mind cannot withstand temptations and soon wrecks itself through acquired weakening habits.

“The use of drugs, strong beverages, tobaccos, licentiousness, obscenity, brutality, cheating, foul language, gluttony and misrepresentation are all old-fashioned practices indulged in by the weakest of our forefathers and it is time we abolish them and adopt new habits that will strengthen our bodies and minds and develop the moral and spiritual nature within ourselves.”