396. (9) It also flows into the souls of the parents, and joins itself with the same atmosphere in the little children; being insinuated principally through the instrumentality of touch. The innocence of the Lord flows into angels of the third heaven, where all are in an innocence of wisdom; passes on through the lower heavens, but only through the innocent affections of angels there; and so descends directly and indirectly into little children. Although little children are in a state not much different from that of sculpted forms, still they are receptive of life from the Lord through the heavens. Nevertheless, if parents did not receive that influx also in their souls and in the inmost levels of their minds, the innocence of their little children would fail to affect them. An equivalent and comparable element must exist in another for communication to take place, and to bring about reception, affection, and so conjunction. Otherwise it would be like a tender seed falling on flint, or like a lamb thrown to a wolf. That, now, is the reason for the statement, that innocence flowing into the souls of parents joins itself with the innocence of little children. [2] The fact that this conjunction is occasioned in parents through the instrumentality of the physical senses, but especially through that of touch, is something we can know from experience. As for example, that the vision is inmostly delighted by the sight of them, the hearing by their speech, and the sense of smell by their fragrance. Evidence that the communication and thus conjunction of innocent states is occasioned especially through the instrumentality of touch is clearly seen from the gratification of carrying them in one's arms, and from their hugs and kisses - especially in the case of mothers, who are delighted by the resting of their mouth and face upon their bosoms, and at the same time then by the touch of their hands there; in general, by their suckling at their breasts and nursing; and in addition, by the patting of their naked body, and by their untiring work of diapering them and washing them upon their knees. [3] We have already shown several times before that communications of love and its delights between married partners are occasioned through the sense of touch. Communications of the mind are also occasioned by it, for the reason that the hands are the terminal elements of a person, and his first elements are present together in the terminal ones. This is also what holds all things of the body and all things of the mind that are intermediate in an unbroken connection. So it is that Jesus touched little children (Matthew 19:13,15, Mark 10:13,16); and also that He healed the sick by touching them,** and those were healed who touched Him.{#} That, too, is why inaugurations into the priesthood today are performed by the laying on of hands. It is apparent from this that the innocence of parents and the innocence of little children meet through the instrumentality of touch, especially through that of the hands, and thus join themselves as though by kisses. * As, for example, in Matthew 8:3, 8:15, 9:29,30, 20:34; Mark 1:41,42, 7:33-35, 8:22-25; Luke 5:13, 7:14,15, 22:51. ** As, for example, in Matthew 9:20-22, 14:35,36; Mark 3:10, 5:27-29, 6:56; Luke 6:19, 8:43,44,47.