From these illustrations we see that the sexual energy strengthens and develops every organ of the body, faculty of the mind and power of the soul. If a boy would have a strong, healthy and perfect body, this energy must be kept in the body and built into the muscles. If he would have a strong and brilliant mind, this energy must be directed to the brain. If he would be strong in moral character, he must learn how to use it in his moral nature. In the chapter on how to live a pure life this will all be made plain to you. CHAPTER XXIII FATHER’S THIRD TALK--IMPERFECT BOYS BECOME IMPERFECT MEN =Why some trees, kittens, calves, colts, do not become perfect.=--In the last chapter we found how perfect boys become perfect men. In this chapter we shall find why some boys do not become perfect men. If a crooked sprout is not made straight before it gets to be a young tree, it can never entirely outgrow the defect. If it received a wound before it grew to be a young tree, nature may heal the wound but the scar will indicate a weak place when it is grown. If the wound is a deep one, decay may follow and its life greatly shortened. If a kitten, calf or colt be starved or crippled while young, they will rarely outgrow these defects. =Boys may injure themselves.=--There are many ways by which a boy may injure himself physically, mentally and morally and prevent perfection in his manhood. We have learned that when the mind is kept pure and no bad habits are formed, that the sexual life will gradually change a boy into a perfect man. Now we are to study the bad effects of wasting this energy. Why are there so many men with defective bodies? When we study the lower animals in their wild state, or when the domestic animals have been well kept by their owners, we find nearly all of them to be perfect. This is due to the fact that the lower animals have not violated the laws of sex. They do not waste their sexual energy. =Many defective men.=--If you were to visit some of the insane asylums and look into the faces of from one to two thousand of the unfortunates, you would see some who do not possess a sign of intelligence. Many of them were born of parents who had violated these laws. Many are personally guilty and have brought on their own ruin. In the penitentiaries and hospitals we find that many are there because they have been guilty of the same wrongs. If many of these poor people had read the book you are reading, they would now be well and happy. The following story is told by an author: