| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Poems by Oscar Wilde: The birds are singing for joy of the Spring's glad birth,
Hopping from branch to branch on the rocking trees.
And all the woods are alive with the murmur and sound of Spring,
And the rose-bud breaks into pink on the climbing briar,
And the crocus-bed is a quivering moon of fire
Girdled round with the belt of an amethyst ring.
And the plane to the pine-tree is whispering some tale of love
Till it rustles with laughter and tosses its mantle of green,
And the gloom of the wych-elm's hollow is lit with the iris sheen
Of the burnished rainbow throat and the silver breast of a dove.
See! the lark starts up from his bed in the meadow there,
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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 Large Catechism by Dr. Martin Luther: insane reason will not regard this, and because Baptism does not shine
like the works which we do, it is to be esteemed as nothing.
From this now learn a proper understanding of the subject, and how to
answer the question what Baptism is, namely thus, that it is not mere
ordinary water, but water comprehended in God's Word and command, and
sanctified thereby, so that it is nothing else than a divine water; not
that the water in itself is nobler than other water, but that God's
Word and command are added.
Therefore it is pure wickedness and blasphemy of the devil that now our
new spirits, to mock at Baptism, omit from it God's Word and
institution, and look upon it in no other way than as water which is
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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 The Smalcald Articles by Dr. Martin Luther: greater, and by their lies has caused and still causes them to
be brought to shame.
I must tell a story. There was a doctor sent here to
Wittenberg from France, who said publicly before us that his
king was sure and more than sure, that among us there is no
church, no magistrate, no married life, but all live
promiscuously as cattle, and each one does as he pleases.
Imagine now, how will those who by their writings have
instilled such gross lies into the king and other countries as
the pure truth, look at us on that day before the
judgment-seat of Christ? Christ, the Lord and Judge of us all,
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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 Koran: and has brought forth therewith fruits varied in hue, and on the
mountains dykes, white and red, various in hue, and some intensely
black, and men and beasts and cattle, various in hue? thus! none
fear God but the wise among His servants; but, verily, God is
mighty, forgiving.
Verily, those who recite the Book of God, and are steadfast in
prayer, and give alms of what we have bestowed in secret and in
public, hope for the merchandise that shall not come to naught; that
He may pay them their hire, and give them increase of His grace;
verily, He is forgiving, grateful.
What we have inspired thee with of the Book is true, verifying
The Koran |
