| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Men of Iron by Howard Pyle: brightness of sunlight, and whence came a strange noise--a soft
rustling, a melodious murmur. The boys put their shoulders
against the door, which was fastened, and pushed with might and
main--once, twice; suddenly the lock gave way, and out they
pitched headlong into a blaze of sunlight. A deafening clapping
and uproar sounded in their ears, and scores of pigeons, suddenly
disturbed, rose in stormy flight.
They sat up and looked around them in silent wonder. They were in
a bower of leafy green. It was the top story of the tower, the
roof of which had crumbled and toppled in, leaving it open to the
sky, with only here and there a slanting beam or two supporting a
Men of Iron |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Smalcald Articles by Dr. Martin Luther: kill, and to destroy body and soul eternally, that is wherein
his papal government really consists, as I have very clearly
shown in many books.
In these four articles they will have enough to condemn in the
Council. For they cannot and will not concede us even the
least point in one of these articles. Of this we should be
certain, and animate ourselves with [be forewarned and made
firm in] the hope that Christ, our Lord, has attacked His
adversary, and he will press the attack home [pursue and
destroy him] both by His Spirit and coming. Amen.
For in the Council we will stand not before the Emperor or the
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Damaged Goods by Upton Sinclair: his father--that of notary--that he had made the acquaintance of
the young working girl. It may not be easy to believe, but
Lizette had really been a decent girl. She had a family to take
care of, and was in need. There was a grandmother in poor
health, a father not much better, and three little brothers; so
Lizette did not very long resist George Dupont, and he felt quite
virtuous in giving her sufficient money to take care of these
unfortunate people. Among people of his class it was considered
proper to take such things if one paid for them.
All the family of this working girl were grateful to him. They
adored him, and they called him Uncle Raoul (for of course he had
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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 Smalcald Articles by Dr. Martin Luther: here He is present of whose fulness have all we received, and
grace for grace, John 1, 16, and without Him no man can be
just before God. Therefore, if you wish to repent, repent
aright- your penance will not accomplish anything [is
nothing]. And you hypocrites, who do not need repentance, you
serpents' brood, who has assured you that you will escape the
wrath to come? etc. Matt. 3, 7; Luke 3, 7.
In the same way Paul also preaches, Rom. 3, 10-12: There is
none righteous, there is none that understandeth, there is
none that seeketh after God, there is none that doeth good, no
not one; they are all gone out of the way; they are together
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