--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We know that the gifts which men have do…" description: "\"We know that the gifts which men have do not come from the schools. If a man is a plain, literal, factual man, you can make a great deal more of him in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaa/henry-ward-beecher-175_apples_we-know-that-the-gifts-which-men-have-do_624398.jpg" --- # We know that the gifts which men have do not come from the… ![“We know that the gifts which men have do not come from the schools. If a man is a plain, literal, factual man, you can make a great deal more of him in his own line by education than without education, just as you can make a great deal more of a potato if you cultivate it than if you do not; but…” quote by Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaa/henry-ward-beecher-175_apples_we-know-that-the-gifts-which-men-have-do_624398.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaa/henry-ward-beecher-175_apples_we-know-that-the-gifts-which-men-have-do_624398.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaa/henry-ward-beecher-175_apples_we-know-that-the-gifts-which-men-have-do_624398.jpg) > “We know that the gifts which men have do not come from the schools. If a man is a plain, literal, factual man, you can make a great deal more of him in his own line by education than without education, just as you can make a great deal more of a potato if you cultivate it than if you do not; but no cultivation in this world will ever make an apple out of a potato.” [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Education can enhance a person's abilities but cannot change their fundamental nature. **In simple terms:** Education improves skills but not innate traits. Key Takeaway Focus on strengths while using education to refine them. Themes education potential limitations Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - teaching - career development - personal improvement Key Concepts human nature skill development growth mindset Questions to Reflect On - What innate qualities do you value most? - How can you align education with your core strengths? A Different Perspective Education cannot transform a fundamentally different nature without intrinsic change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apples/) [Cultivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cultivation/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [You learn how to be an individual quick after 15 schools, man. After the first five or six, you realize you're always gonna be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yelawolf/you-learn-how-to-be-an-individual-quick-after-15-schools-man-after/) [Yelawolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yelawolf/) > [I wanted to see if the American man in plain brown pants and a bare torso could speak profound things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shawn/i-wanted-to-see-if-the-american-man-in-plain-brown-pants-and-a-bare/) [Ted Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-shawn/) > [A man who is invested takes the time to get to know you well, and his gifts will be a testament to his expert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-hussey/a-man-who-is-invested-takes-the-time-to-get-to-know-you-well-and-his/) [Matthew Hussey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-hussey/) > [We are born into a particular place and time with a particular set of gifts and limitations. The challenge isn't to pluck the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justine-musk/we-are-born-into-a-particular-place-and-time-with-a-particular-set-of/) [Justine Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justine-musk/) > [Know your gifts and share them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-brown/know-your-gifts-and-share-them/) [Les Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-brown/) > [We therefore need to know the gifts given us by God, so that we may use them, for by these we shall be saved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-hilton/we-therefore-need-to-know-the-gifts-given-us-by-god-so-that-we-may/) [Walter Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-hilton/) > [“God's gifts put men's best dreams to shame.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/god-s-gifts-put-men-s-best-dreams-to-shame/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [“Unless it was Cokie, gifts from men weren't free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/unless-it-was-cokie-gifts-from-men-weren-t-free/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [The sense of belonging is one of the great gifts men get in battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/the-sense-of-belonging-is-one-of-the-great-gifts-men-get-in-battle/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [ “God gives gifts to and also of men/women for His purposes in promoting the cause of Christ and His Kingdom". ~R. Alan Woods \[2012\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-alan-woods/god-gives-gifts-to-and-also-of-men-women-for-his-purposes-in/) [R. Alan Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-alan-woods/) > [“Be careful that you don't give charitable gifts before men to be seen by them, otherwise you have no reward from your Father who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-hoehn/be-careful-that-you-don-t-give-charitable-gifts-before-men-to-be-seen/) Frederick Hoehn > [It takes a man to make a devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/it-takes-a-man-to-make-a-devil/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [You can never find your ideal Man but you can make you ideal Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rt/you-can-never-find-your-ideal-man-but-you-can-make-you-ideal-man/) Rt > [Awise man will make more opportunities than he finds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/awise-man-will-make-more-opportunities-than-he-finds/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [If you wish to know what a man is, make him king.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/if-you-wish-to-know-what-a-man-is-make-him-king/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) ## More by Henry Ward Beecher > [Astronomers have built telescopes which can show myriads of stars unseen before; but when a man looks through a tear in his own eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/astronomers-have-built-telescopes-which-can-show-myriads-of-stars/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [A lie always needs a truth for a handle to it. The worst lies are those whose blade is false, but whose handle is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/a-lie-always-needs-a-truth-for-a-handle-to-it-the-worst-lies-are/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Even a liar tells a hundred truths to one lie; he has to, to make the lie good for anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/even-a-liar-tells-a-hundred-truths-to-one-lie-he-has-to-to-make-the/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Laws are not masters but servants, and he rules them who obey them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/laws-are-not-masters-but-servants-and-he-rules-them-who-obey-them/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Our sweetest experiences of affection are meant to be suggestions of that realm which is the home of the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/our-sweetest-experiences-of-affection-are-meant-to-be-suggestions-of/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [In America there is not one single element of civilization that is not made to depend, in the end, upon public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/in-america-there-is-not-one-single-element-of-civilization-that-is/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The best lessons a man ever learns are from his mistakes. It is not for want of schoolmasters that we are still ignorant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/the-best-lessons-a-man-ever-learns-are-from-his-mistakes-it-is-not/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [I never knew an early-rising, hard-working, prudent man, careful of his earnings, and strictly honest who complained of bad luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/i-never-knew-an-early-rising-hard-working-prudent-man-careful-of-his/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [THERE are joys which long to be ours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/there-are-joys-which-long-to-be-ours/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [People may talk about the equality of the sexes! They are not equal. The silent smile of a sensible, loving woman will vanquish ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/people-may-talk-about-the-equality-of-the-sexes-they-are-not-equal/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Mirthfulness is in the mind and you cannot get it out. It is just as good in its place as conscience or veneration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/mirthfulness-is-in-the-mind-and-you-cannot-get-it-out-it-is-just-as/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Mirth is God's medicine. Everybody ought to bathe in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/mirth-is-god-s-medicine-everybody-ought-to-bathe-in-it/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Some of God's noblest sons, I think, will be selected from those that know how to take wealth, with all its temptations, and maintain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/some-of-god-s-noblest-sons-i-think-will-be-selected-from-those-that/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [You have seen a ship out on the bay, swinging with the tide, and seeming as if it would follow it; and yet it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/you-have-seen-a-ship-out-on-the-bay-swinging-with-the-tide-and/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) [Explore all 990 Henry Ward Beecher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) ## More Apples quotes > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I named my son Noah for the same reason Chris Martin named his apple: we're asses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-named-my-son-noah-for-the-same-reason-chris-martin-named-his-apple/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I think, however, that Astaire's coordination is better than Kelly's... his sense of rhythm is uncanny. 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It just happens to miss Earth every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-dediu/like-a-satellite-in-orbit-apple-is-perpetually-falling-it-just/) Horace Dediu > [I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-have-always-said-if-there-ever-came-a-day-when-i-could-no-longer/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Positive thinking is so firmly enshrined in our culture that knocking it is a little like attacking motherhood or apple pie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srikumar-rao/positive-thinking-is-so-firmly-enshrined-in-our-culture-that-knocking/) [Srikumar Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srikumar-rao/) > [Therein lies the rub of a place like Berkeley Bowl. 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