| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce: TELESCOPE, n. A device having a relation to the eye similar to that
of the telephone to the ear, enabling distant objects to plague us
with a multitude of needless details. Luckily it is unprovided with a
bell summoning us to the sacrifice.
TENACITY, n. A certain quality of the human hand in its relation to
the coin of the realm. It attains its highest development in the hand
of authority and is considered a serviceable equipment for a career in
politics. The following illustrative lines were written of a
Californian gentleman in high political preferment, who has passed to
his accounting:
Of such tenacity his grip
The Devil's Dictionary |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Lysis by Plato: I certainly cannot refuse, I said, since you ask me; but then, as you know,
Menexenus is very pugnacious, and therefore you must come to the rescue if
he attempts to upset me.
Yes, indeed, he said; he is very pugnacious, and that is the reason why I
want you to argue with him.
That I may make a fool of myself?
No, indeed, he said; but I want you to put him down.
That is no easy matter, I replied; for he is a terrible fellow--a pupil of
Ctesippus. And there is Ctesippus himself: do you see him?
Never mind, Socrates, you shall argue with him.
Well, I suppose that I must, I replied.
Lysis |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians by Martin Luther: trust in my own good deeds, or despair because I have done no good deeds,
Christ would profit me neither way. I am not going to make him
unprofitable to me. This I would do, if I should presume to purchase for
myself the favor of God and everlasting life by my good deeds, or if I
should despair of my salvation because of my sins."
VERSE 3. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he
is a debtor to do the whole law.
The first fault with circumcision is that it makes Christ unprofitable. The
second fault is that it obligates those who are circumcised to observe the
whole Law. Paul is so very much in earnest about this matter that he
confirms it with an oath. "I testify," he says, "I swear by the living God."
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