More Important to Work on Mortal Minds Than Things That Decay

If we work on marble, it will perish; if on brass, time will efface it; if we rear temples, they will crumple into dust; but if we work upon immortal minds, and instill in them principles, with the just fear of God and love of our fellow men, we engrave on those tablets something that will brighten to all eternity. (Daniel Webster).