our care.

The bodily freedom of little children is the foundation of a most
beautiful mental freedom, which cannot be wholly destroyed by us. This
is plainly shown by the childlike trust which they display in all the
affairs of life, and also in their exquisite responsiveness to the
spiritual truths which are taught to them. The very expression of face
of a little child as it is led by the hand is a lesson to us upon which
pages might be written.

Had we the same spirit dwelling in us, we more often should feel
ourselves led "beside the still waters," and made "to lie down in green
pastures." We should grow faster spiritually, because we should not
make conflicts for ourselves, but should meet with the Lord's quiet
strength whatever we had to pass through.

Let us learn of these little ones, and help them to hold fast to that
which they teach us. Let us remember that the natural and the ideal are
truly one, and endeavor to reach the latter by means of the former.

When through hereditary tendency our little child is not ideal,--that
is, natural,--let us with all the more earnestness learn to be quiet
ourselves that we may lead him to it, and thus open the channels of
health and strength.

XII.

TRAINING FOR REST

BUT how shall we gain a natural repose? It is absurd to emphasize the
need without giving the remedy. "I should be so glad to relax, but I do
not know how," is the sincere lament of many a nervously strained being.

There is a regular training which acts upon the nervous force and
teaches its proper use, as the gymnasium develops the muscles. This, as
will be easily seen, is at first just the reverse of vigorous exercise,
and no woman should do powerful muscular work without learning at the
same time to guide her body with true economy of force. It is appalling
to watch the faces of women in a gymnasium, to see them using five,
ten, twenty times the nervous force necessary for every exercise. The
more excited they get, the more nervous force they use; and the hollows
under their eyes increase, the strained expression comes, and then they
wonder that after such fascinating exercise they feel so tired. A
common sight in gymnasium work, especially among women, is the nervous
straining of the muscles of the arms and hands, while exercises meant
for the legs alone are taken. This same muscular tension is evident in
the arm that should be at rest while the other arm is acting; and if
this want of