| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne: "A happy journey to you," exclaimed Michel Ardan, with a sigh
of relief. "Surely infinity of space is large enough for a poor
little projectile to walk through without fear. Now, what is
this portentous globe which nearly struck us?"
"I know," replied Barbicane.
"Oh, indeed! you know everything."
"It is," said Barbicane, "a simple meteorite, but an enormous one,
which the attraction of the earth has retained as a satellite."
"Is it possible!" exclaimed Michel Ardan; "the earth then has
two moons like Neptune?"
"Yes, my friends, two moons, though it passes generally for
From the Earth to the Moon |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Disputation of the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences by Dr. Martin Luther: and against the pope.
78. We say, on the contrary, that even the present pope, and
any pope at all, has greater graces at his disposal; to wit,
the Gospel, powers, gifts of healing, etc., as it is written
in I. Corinthians xii.
79. To say that the cross, emblazoned with the papal arms,
which is set up [by the preachers of indulgences], is of equal
worth with the Cross of Christ, is blasphemy.
80. The bishops, curates and theologians who allow such talk
to be spread among the people, will have an account to render.
81. This unbridled preaching of pardons makes it no easy
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians by Martin Luther: curse because they worship creatures instead of Me.
Without the doctrine of justification there can be only ignorance of God.
Those who refuse to be justified by Christ are idolaters. They remain under
the Law, sin, death, and the power of the devil. Everything they do is wrong.
Nowadays there are many such idolaters who want to be counted among the
true confessors of the Gospel. They may even teach that men are delivered
from their sins by the death of Christ. But because they attach more
importance to charity than to faith in Christ they dishonor Him and pervert
His Word. They do not serve the true God, but an idol of their own invention.
The true God has never yet smiled upon a person for his charity or virtues,
but only for the sake of Christ's merits.
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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 Democracy In America, Volume 2 by Alexis de Toqueville: constantly driven to engage in commerce and industry. Their
origin, their social condition, their political institutions, and
even the spot they inhabit, urge them irresistibly in this
direction. Their present condition is then that of an almost
exclusively manufacturing and commercial association, placed in
the midst of a new and boundless country, which their principal
object is to explore for purposes of profit. This is the
characteristic which most peculiarly distinguishes the American
people from all others at the present time. All those quiet
virtues which tend to give a regular movement to the community,
and to encourage business, will therefore be held in peculiar
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