Chapter 12
Es, the Chief nurse, had said: I must tell you about the wonderful Light of Jehovih, that always comes to us in time of emergency. Even at the moment despair is about to reach us, lo, His Light provides for us.
I had undertaken to nurse, with bottles, ever so many babies, more than was possible for one woman to attend, taking one at a time on my lap, but I could not get around in time. So, also, I had observed that babies should be held in somebody’s arms, and that when they cried they should be taken up, held upright, and diverted by walking with them or by tossing them.
To do these things for many babes was not possible for one nurse; so, after I had prayed for strength and light as to what would be best to do, the Voice came to me, plainly, as if I had read it in a book, saying:
My Daughter, why thwart the way of My creations? If I had designed My little ones to be upright, I would have provided a way for them.
You shall permit them to lie down, and to roll about. Neither shall you encumber them with pillows and cushions. Permit them to exercise themselves by crawling in their own way.
And when the proper time comes for them to stand upright, and to jump, behold, I will be with them. ||
Es said: And so, I began a new system. I not only searched to know myself, but to develop these little ones. And when I took away the pillows and cushions, giving them double blankets to lie on, and opportunity to exercise by rolling about, behold, they grew in strength daily, and not only soon ceased to cry, but began to sing songs (to me they were songs) and to laugh and amuse themselves with their hands, toes and whatever they got hold of.
From this little light, of applying the law of development to babies, I applied myself to make them understand that they should divert themselves, without depending upon their nurses. For many of the orphans we had received were little tyrants, having been spoiled by former nurses, and they screamed constantly, to make someone carry them about and divert them.
With that experience I perceived that Jehovih required more of me than merely to feed and clean these little ones; the minds of the spoiled ones had to be remodeled; they should be made to comprehend that no one was slave to them; and, moreover, that they themselves should cultivate patience, gentleness and love, as better attributes than fretfulness and authority.
For, let no one be surprised, even babies can be spoiled to think themselves an authority, with power to command obedience from adults. And they discover, at an early age, that giving vent to peevishness and passion brings the nurse to do them service.
And I saw, too, that some, even among those who could barely hold up their heads, became jealous, to be the first fed, or the first washed, and answered my negligence with fearful screams.
Now it came to pass, when I ceased taking them up to feed them, and did away with the pillow-props, and laid them all down alike, and gave them food at the same time (according to their groups), I had not only provided them better corporeal development, but better spiritual development.
Those who had been peevish and jealous stopped these former habits, and began to look with respect to the other babies rolling beside them.
Not many months passed till they began to be interested in one another, examining their feet and hands, and evidently trying to comprehend who they were, and where they came from. And they also saw in one another a representation of themselves, appreciating a fellowship that was surpassingly beautiful.