The Book of Ahkman

1Now we did adopt all those who desired into the church, meaning our tribe. And this we did that we might be one family, unified in all things. Now those who were adopted and had children it was not required that their children be adopted. For they were adopted through their parents. And we were also commanded that those whose parents were not faithful in the Law should be adopted into the church so that they could receive a portion of an inheritance. And Adoptions were also done by way of water. For after the man or woman had been washed, the Priest would take them into the inner walled court. Within the walled court would stand either myself, or my brothers Shurak or Kodal, or the husband of our sister Gura. For we were the patriarchs of our tribe. And he would fill the sado with water from the basin and sprinkle it upon the head of the person, and also upon the head of the patriarch. And he would grasp the head of both, the patriarch in his right and the person in his left hand. And he would place his thumb in the center of the forehead of both, one on the left and the other on the right. Thereafter the priest would pronounce the union of the two. This that they might be bound father to son, or father to daughter. Now this thing was done as it was commanded us.