| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Paradise Lost by John Milton: In vain, though by their powerful art they bind
Volatile Hermes, and call up unbound
In various shapes old Proteus from the sea,
Drained through a limbeck to his native form.
What wonder then if fields and regions here
Breathe forth Elixir pure, and rivers run
Potable gold, when with one virtuous touch
The arch-chemick sun, so far from us remote,
Produces, with terrestrial humour mixed,
Here in the dark so many precious things
Of colour glorious, and effect so rare?
Paradise Lost |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Life in the Iron-Mills by Rebecca Davis: woman's face! It asks questions of God, and says, 'I have a
right to know,' Good God, how hungry it is!"
They looked a moment; then May turned to the mill-owner:--
"Have you many such hands as this? What are you going to do
with them? Keep them at puddling iron?"
Kirby shrugged his shoulders. Mitchell's look had irritated
him.
"Ce n'est pas mon affaire. I have no fancy for nursing infant
geniuses. I suppose there are some stray gleams of mind and
soul among these wretches. The Lord will take care of his own;
or else they can work out their own salvation. I have heard you
Life in the Iron-Mills |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Emerald City of Oz by L. Frank Baum: "Some of your passengers," added the Shaggy Man, "have never been out
of the Emerald City before, and the country is all new to them."
"If you go too fast you'll spoil all the fun," said Dorothy.
"There's no hurry."
"Very well; it is all the same to me," observed the Sawhorse;
and after that he went at a more moderate pace.
Uncle Henry was astonished.
"How can a wooden thing be so intelligent?" he asked.
"Why, I gave him some sawdust brains the last time I fitted his head
with new ears," explained the Wizard. "The sawdust was made from hard
knots, and now the Sawhorse is able to think out any knotty problem he
The Emerald City of Oz |
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 The Augsburg Confession by Philip Melanchthon: freely receiving remission of sins, without works, by faith
alone.
Article VII: Of the Church.
Also they teach that one holy Church is to continue forever.
The Church is the congregation of saints, in which the Gospel
is rightly taught and the Sacraments are rightly administered.
And to the true unity of the Church it is enough to agree
concerning the doctrine of the Gospel and the administration
of the Sacraments. Nor is it necessary that human traditions,
that is, rites or ceremonies, instituted by men, should be
everywhere alike. As Paul says: One faith, one Baptism, one
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