One great purpose, then, in religious instruction is to attach the stimulus and appeal of religion to the common round of daily life and experience of the child.  As Christ came that we might have life, not a future life alone, but a full, happy, and worthy life in the present as well, so we come to the child as a teacher to help him in his life here and now.  Our task at this point is to lead him to practice the great fundamental virtues whose value has been proved through ages of human experience, to incorporate directly into his living the lessons learned slowly and with great sacrifice by generations which have preceded him.  Our aim will be to lead our pupils, out of their own choice and conviction, to adopt and follow a code of action such as the following: 

I will respect and care for my body. I will keep my body clean and pure.  I will try to avoid sickness and disease.  I will breathe good air day and night, and live out of doors all I can.  Because I shall need all my strength and endurance at their best, I will pay no toll to the poisons of alcohol and nicotine.  I will be temperate in my food, and eat such foods as will favor growth, health, and strength.  I will bathe often, play and work hard, and get plenty of sleep and rest.  My character will be judged by my poise and carriage; therefore I will try to walk, stand, and sit well, and not allow my manner to show slouchiness and carelessness.  Both because of my own self-respect and because I owe it to others, I will strive to make myself neat and attractive in dress and person.  I will treat my body right so far as I can know what is best for it, and will do nothing to defile or injure any part of it.  I will try to keep my body a fit dwelling place for my soul, for God gave them both to me.  And I will do all I can to make my home, school, and community a beautiful and healthful place for others to live.

I will keep good-natured, cheerful, and responsive. Tasks grow easier and loads lighter when one is cheerful.  I will therefore guard against gloomy and sullen moods, which not only make me unhappy, but cause unhappiness to those about me.  I will watch that I may not be cross and irritable at home, and shall do my part to make home the bright and happy place I wish it to be.  I will be careful not to grumble nor whine when things go wrong, or when I cannot have my own way.  I will remember that troubles flee when we refuse to think about them.  I will refuse to give way to ill temper, for I would not become its slave; rather will I learn to laugh at small troubles and annoyances that cannot be cured.  If I am feeling sad or unhappy, I will stop to speak a kind word or do a fine deed, and the gloom will disappear.