October 6: The history of a nation is the building of its deeds

The history of a nation is the building of its deeds. As a body is built of cells, and a house of bricks, so a person's mind is built of thoughts. The various characters of people are none other than compounds of thoughts in varying combinations. Herein we see the deep truth of the saying, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." Individual characteristics are fixed processes of thought; that is, they are fixed in the sense that they have become an integral part of the character, that they can be altered or removed only by a protracted effort of the will, and by much self-discipline.

Character is built in the same way as a tree or a house is built, namely, by the ceaseless addition of new material, and that material is thought. By the aid of millions of bricks a city is built; by the aid of millions of thoughts a character, a mind, is built.