"What we call wisdom is the result of all the wisdom of past ages. Our best institutions are like young trees growing upon the roots of the old trunks that have crumbled away"

Henry Ward Beecher's quote speaks with the significance of gaining from the past. He suggests that our current wisdom is built on the knowledge of those who have actually come prior to us. He likewise recommends that our best organizations are like young trees, growing on the roots of the old trunks that have crumbled away. This indicates that our existing organizations are built on the foundations of those that have actually come prior to us. This quote motivates us to aim to the past for assistance and to build upon the wisdom of those who have gone before us. It also acts as a suggestion that our existing organizations are not best and that we need to strive to improve them. By gaining from the past, we can develop a much better future.