| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Twilight Land by Howard Pyle: that you could just see his red nose shining through it, and his
bright eyes twinkling in the midst of the smoke-wreath, like two
stars through a thin cloud on a summer night.
"I'll tell you," said the Soldier who cheated the Devil, "the
story of a friend of mine. Tis every word of it just as true as
that I myself cheated the Devil."
He took a drink from his mug of beer, and then he began.
"Tis called," said he--
The Stool of Fortune
Once upon a time there came a soldier marching along the road,
kicking up a little cloud of dust at each step--as strapping
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The School For Scandal by Richard Brinsley Sheridan: [Going to push him out.]
Enter CHARLES
CHARLES. Heyday! what's the matter now?--what the Devil have you
got hold of my little Broker here! Zounds--Brother, don't hurt
little Premium. What's the matter--my little Fellow?
SURFACE. So! He has been with you, too, has He--
CHARLES. To be sure He has! Why, 'tis as honest a little----
But sure Joseph you have not been borrowing money too have you?
SURFACE. Borrowing--no!--But, Brother--you know sure we expect
Sir Oliver every----
CHARLES. O Gad, that's true--Noll mustn't find the little Broker
|
| 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: No wonder they abide under the curse of God.
Because God saw that we could not fulfill the Law, He provided a way of
salvation long before the Law was ever given, a salvation that He
promised to Abraham, saying, "In thee shall all nations be blessed."
The very first thing for us to do is to believe in Christ. First, we must
receive the Holy Spirit, who enlightens and sanctifies us so that we can
begin to do the Law, i.e., to love God and our neighbor. Now, the Holy Ghost
is not obtained by the Law, but by faith in Christ. In the last analysis, to
do the Law means to believe in Jesus Christ. The tree comes first, and then
come the fruits.
The scholastics admit that a mere external and superficial performance of
|
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 Westward Ho! by Charles Kingsley: "Nay, then," said Yeo, "he is in bliss now with the Lord; and you
would not have kept him from that, sir?"
"He would have waited as willingly as he went, if he could have
served his queen thereby. But what say you, my masters? How can
we do better than to spend a few days here, to get our sick round,
before we make the Main, and set to our work?"
All approved the counsel except Frank, who was silent.
"Come, fellow-adventurer," said Cary, "we must have your voice
too."
"To my impatience, Will," said he, aside in a low voice, "there is
but one place on earth, and I am all day longing for wings to fly
|
