| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Unseen World and Other Essays by John Fiske: inevitable corollary from his own conception of Messiahship. We
have seen that he had, probably from the very outset, discarded
the traditional notion of a political Messiah, and recognized the
truth that the happiness of a people lies not so much in
political autonomy as in the love of God and the sincere practice
of righteousness. The people were to be freed from the bondage of
sin, of meaningless formalism, of consecrated hypocrisy,--a
bondage more degrading than the payment of tribute to the
emperor. The true business of the Messiah, then, was to deliver
his people from the former bondage; it might be left to Jehovah,
in his own good time, to deliver them from the latter. Holding
The Unseen World and Other Essays |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Kreutzer Sonata by Leo Tolstoy: repressing a smile, and all ready to deride or approve the
merchant's words, according to the attitude of the others.
"What fear?" said the lady.
"This fear,--the wife must fear her husband; that is what fear."
"Oh, that, my little father, that is ended."
"No, madam, that cannot end. As she, Eve, the woman, was taken
from man's ribs, so she will remain unto the end of the world,"
said the old man, shaking his head so triumphantly and so
severely that the clerk, deciding that the victory was on his
side, burst into a loud laugh.
"Yes, you men think so," replied the lady, without surrendering,
The Kreutzer Sonata |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Disputation of the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences by Dr. Martin Luther: attend with all their ears, lest these men preach their own
dreams instead of the commission of the pope.
71 . He who speaks against the truth of apostolic pardons, let
him be anathema and accursed!
72. But he who guards against the lust and license of the
pardon-preachers, let him be blessed!
73. The pope justly thunders against those who, by any art,
contrive the injury of the traffic in pardons.
74. But much more does he intend to thunder against those who
use the pretext of pardons to contrive the injury of holy love
and truth.
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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 The Pool of Blood in the Pastor's Study by Grace Isabel Colbron and Augusta Groner: assistance. "What is there for me to do now?" he asked sadly.
"You must see that all the patients are shut up in their cells so
that the other attendants are at our disposal if we need them.
Varna's room has barred windows, I suppose?"
"Yes."
"And I suppose also that it has but one door. I believe you told
me that your asylum was built on the cell system."
"Yes, there is but one door to the room."
"Let the four other attendants stand outside this door. Gyuri will
be inside with us. Tell the men outside that they are to seize and
hold whomever I shall designate to them. I will call them in by a
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