| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Sesame and Lilies by John Ruskin: "practical" children, that they would like some of the brass-headed
nails that studded the chairs; and so they set to work to pull them
out. Presently, the others, who were reading, or looking at shells,
took a fancy to do the like; and, in a little while, all the
children, nearly, were spraining their fingers, in pulling out
brass-headed nails. With all that they could pull out, they were
not satisfied; and then, everybody wanted some of somebody else's.
And at last, the really practical and sensible ones declared, that
nothing was of any real consequence, that afternoon, except to get
plenty of brass-headed nails; and that the books, and the cakes, and
the microscopes were of no use at all in themselves, but only, if
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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 Human Drift by Jack London: ALICE HEMINGWAY. [With sudden change of front, softly.] And how
about Loretta?
[NED gasps and remains silent.]
ALICE HEMINGWAY. The depths of duplicity that must lurk under
that sweet and innocent exterior . . . according to your
philosophy!
NED. [Earnestly.] Loretta is an exception, I confess. She is
all that you said in your letter. She is a little fairy, an
angel. I never dreamed of anything like her. It is remarkable to
find such a woman in this age.
ALICE HEMINGWAY. [Encouragingly.] She is so naive.
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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 Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians by Martin Luther: desire that they may turn from their evil ways to Christ and be saved with
us. A teacher chastises the pupil to reform him. The rod hurts, but
correction is necessary. A father punishes his son because he loves his son.
If he did not love the lad he would not punish him but let him have his
own way in everything until he comes to harm. Paul beseeches the
Galatians to look upon his correction as a sign that he really cared for them.
"Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous;
nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto
them which are exercised thereby." (Heb. 12:11.)
Although Paul seeks to soften the effect of his reproachful words, he does
not take them back. When a physician administers a bitter potion to a
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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 Augsburg Confession by Philip Melanchthon: righteousness, the Holy Ghost, eternal life. These things
cannot come but by the ministry of the Word and the
Sacraments, as Paul says, Rom. 1, 16: The Gospel is the power
of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. Therefore,
since the power of the Church grants eternal things, and is
exercised only by the ministry of the Word, it does not
interfere with civil government; no more than the art of
singing interferes with civil government. For civil government
deals with other things than does the Gospel. The civil rulers
defend not minds, but bodies and bodily things against
manifest injuries, and restrain men with the sword and bodily
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