| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Large Catechism by Dr. Martin Luther: easily perceive, is not to lay hold of Him with our hands or to put Him
in a bag [as money], or to lock Him in a chest [as silver vessels]. But
to apprehend Him means when the heart lays hold of Him and clings to
Him. But to cling to Him with the heart is nothing else than to trust
in Him entirely. For this reason He wishes to turn us away from
everything else that exists outside of Him, and to draw us to Himself,
namely, because He is the only eternal good. As though He would say:
Whatever you have heretofore sought of the saints, or for whatever
[things] you have trusted in Mammon or anything else, expect it all of
Me, and regard Me as the one who will help you and pour out upon you
richly all good things.
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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 Lesson of the Master by Henry James: depressing, the deplorable illustration of the worship of false
gods!"
"What do you mean by your old age?" the young man asked.
"It has made me old. But I like your youth."
Paul answered nothing - they sat for a minute in silence. They
heard the others going on about the governmental majority. Then
"What do you mean by false gods?" he enquired.
His companion had no difficulty whatever in saying, "The idols of
the market; money and luxury and 'the world;' placing one's
children and dressing one's wife; everything that drives one to the
short and easy way. Ah the vile things they make one do!"
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