A boy hearing his father say, "It was a poor rule that would not work both ways," said, "If father applies this rule about his work, I will test it in my play."

So, setting up a row of bricks, three or four inches apart, he tipped over the first, which, striking the second, caused it to fall on the third, which overturned the forth, and so on through the whole course, until all the bricks lay prostrate.

"Well," said the boy, "each brick has knocked down his neighbor which stood next to him; I only tipped one. Now I will raise one, and see if he will raise his neighbor. I will see if raising one will raise all the rest."

He looked in vain to see them rise.

"Here, father," said the boy, "is a poor rule; it will not work both ways. They knock each other down, but will not raise each other up."

"My son," said the father, "bricks and mankind are alike, made of clay, active in knocking each other down, but not disposed to help each other up. But the gospel teaches us to do unto others as we would have them do unto us."