| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Large Catechism by Dr. Martin Luther: until the last day, the Holy Ghost abides with the holy congregation or
Christendom, by means of which He fetches us to Christ and which He
employs to teach and preach to us the Word, whereby He works and
promotes sanctification, causing it [this community] daily to grow and
become strong in the faith and its fruits which He produces.
We further believe that in this Christian Church we have forgiveness of
sin, which is wrought through the holy Sacraments and Absolution,
moreover, through all manner of consolatory promises of the entire
Gospel. Therefore, whatever is to be preached concerning the Sacraments
belongs here, and, in short, the whole Gospel and all the offices of
Christianity, which also must be preached and taught without ceasing.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Beast in the Jungle by Henry James: this admirable friend, pass away from him. He had never so
unreservedly qualified her as while confronted in thought with such
a possibility; in spite of which there was small doubt for him that
as an answer to his long riddle the mere effacement of even so fine
a feature of his situation would be an abject anticlimax. It would
represent, as connected with his past attitude, a drop of dignity
under the shadow of which his existence could only become the most
grotesques of failures. He had been far from holding it a failure-
-long as he had waited for the appearance that was to make it a
success. He had waited for quite another thing, not for such a
thing as that. The breath of his good faith came short, however,
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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 Rig Veda: effused
Upon the summit of the earth.
28 O Soma, Indu, very wise, drive, being purified, with thy
stream
All foes, all Raksasas away.
29 Driving the Raksasas afar, O Soma, bellowing, pour for us
Most excellent and splendid strength.
30 Soma, do thou secure for us the treasures of the earih and
heaven,
Indu, all boons to be desired.
The Rig Veda |
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 Lady Susan by Jane Austen: something in praise of her person. HE was all astonishment at the
appearance of my visitor, and at first observed Sir James with an attention
which I was pleased to see not unmixed with jealousy; but unluckily it was
impossible for me really to torment him, as Sir James, though extremely
gallant to me, very soon made the whole party understand that his heart was
devoted to my daughter. I had no great difficulty in convincing De Courcy,
when we were alone, that I was perfectly justified, all things considered,
in desiring the match; and the whole business seemed most comfortably
arranged. They could none of them help perceiving that Sir James was no
Solomon; but I had positively forbidden Frederica complaining to Charles
Vernon or his wife, and they had therefore no pretence for interference;
Lady Susan |
