| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians by Martin Luther: children of the Law will always persecute the children of the Gospel. This is
our daily experience. Our opponents tell us that everything was at peace
before the Gospel was revived by us. Since then the whole world has been
upset. People blame us and the Gospel for everything, for the disobedience
of subjects to their rulers, for wars, plagues, and famines, for revolutions,
and every other evil that can be imagined. No wonder our opponents
think they are doing God a favor by hating and persecuting us. Ishmael will
persecute Isaac.
We invite our opponents to tell us what good things attended the
preaching of the Gospel by the apostles. Did not the destruction of
Jerusalem follow on the heels of the Gospel? And how about the
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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 Vision Splendid by William MacLeod Raine: log. Now that she had slipped out of his rain coat he saw that she
was wet to the skin. From his bedroom he brought a bathrobe,
pajamas, woolen slippers, anything he could find that was warm and
soft. In front of her he dumped them all.
"I'm going down to the drug store to get you something that will
warm you, Nellie. While I'm away change your clothes and get into
these things," he told her.
She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "You're good."
A lump rose in his heart. He thought of those evenings before the
grate alone with her and of the desperate fight he had had with
his passions. Good! He accused himself bitterly for the harm that
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