| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Roads of Destiny by O. Henry: Desrolles had torn open the door of the king's carriage, thrust his
weapon against the body of the dark figure inside, and fired.
Now, with loyal reinforcements at hand, the street rang with cries and
the rasp of steel, but the frightened horses had dashed away. Upon the
cushions lay the dead body of the poor mock king and poet, slain by a
ball from the pistol of Monseigneur, the Marquis de Beaupertuys.
THE MAIN ROAD
/Three leagues, then, the road ran, and turned into a puzzle. It
joined with another and a larger road at right angles. David
stood, uncertain, for a while, and then sat himself to rest upon
its side./
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Koran: Say, 'If ye would love God then follow me, and God will love you and
forgive you your sins, for God is forgiving and merciful.'
Say, 'Obey God and the Apostle; but if ye turn your backs God
loves not misbelievers.'
Verily, God has chosen Adam, and Noah, and Abraham's people, and
Imran's people above the world,- a seed, of which one succeeds the
other, but God both hears and knows.
When Imran's wife said, 'Lord! I have vowed to Thee what is within
my womb, to be dedicated unto Thee, receive it then from me. Verily,
Thou dost hear and know.' And when she brought it forth she said,
'Verily, I have brought it forth a female'- but God knew best what she
The Koran |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Frances Waldeaux by Rebecca Davis: ventured timidly.
"Most certainly, no!" he said vehemently. "Of all mean
frauds the perfunctory priest is the meanest. If I
could be like one of the old holy gospellers--then indeed!"
He was silent a moment, and then began to stride up and
down the long hall, his head thrown back, his chest
inflated.
"I have a message for the world, mother."
"I am sure of it," she interrupted eagerly.
"But I must deliver it in my own way. I have lost two
years. I am going to put in big strokes of work now. In
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The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from Concerning Christian Liberty by Martin Luther: flesh while the world standeth" (1 Cor. viii. 13); and again, "I
know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing
unclean of itself; but to him that esteemeth anything to be
unclean, to him it is unclean. It is evil for that man who eateth
with offence" (Rom. xiv. 14, 20).
Thus, though we ought boldly to resist those teachers of
tradition, and though the laws of the pontiffs, by which they
make aggressions on the people of God, deserve sharp reproof, yet
we must spare the timid crowd, who are held captive by the laws
of those impious tyrants, till they are set free. Fight
vigorously against the wolves, but on behalf of the sheep, not
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