| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Camille by Alexandre Dumas: selecting what she had come to buy. I might have gone in, but I
dared not. I did not know who she was, and I was afraid lest she
should guess why I had come in and be offended. Nevertheless, I
did not think I should ever see her again.
She was elegantly dressed; she wore a muslin dress with many
flounces, an Indian shawl embroidered at the corners with gold
and silk flowers, a straw hat, a single bracelet, and a heavy
gold chain, such as was just then beginning to be the fashion.
She returned to her carriage and drove away. One of the shopmen
stood at the door looking after his elegant customer's carriage.
I went up to him and asked him what was the lady's name.
Camille |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians by Martin Luther: in the place of Christ, they attribute to the Law the power to save, a power
that belongs to Christ only."
The papists quote the words of Christ: "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the
commandments." (Matt. 19:17.) With His own words they deny Christ and
abolish faith in Him. Christ is made to lose His good name, His office, and
His glory, and is demoted to the status of a law enforcer, reproving,
terrifying, and chasing poor sinners around.
The proper office of Christ is to raise the sinner, and extricate him from
his sins.
Papists and Anabaptists deride us because we so earnestly require faith.
"Faith," they say, "makes men reckless." What do these law-workers know
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from A Drama on the Seashore by Honore de Balzac: "And she wept.
"'You are a this and a that,' he said; 'you have always wanted to ruin
me.'
"Cambremer turned white and said,--
"'Such language to your mother increases your crime. Come, to the
point! Will you swear?'
"'Yes.'
"'Then,' Pierre said, 'was there upon your gold piece the little cross
which the sardine merchant who paid it to me scratched on ours?'
"Jacques broke down and wept.
"'Enough,' said Pierre. 'I shall not speak to you of the crimes you
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