| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians by Martin Luther: But faith won the victory and routed reason, that ugly beast and enemy of
God. Everyone who by faith slays reason, the world's biggest monster, renders
God a real service, a better service than the religions of all races and all
the drudgery of meritorious monks can render.
Men fast, pray, watch, suffer. They intend to appease the wrath of God and to
deserve God's grace by their exertions. But there is no glory in it for God,
because by their exertions these workers pronounce God an unmerciful slave
driver, an unfaithful and angry Judge. They despise God, make a liar out of
Him, snub Christ and all His benefits; in short they pull God from His throne
and perch themselves on it.
Faith truly honors God. And because faith honors God, God counts faith for
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from My Antonia by Willa Cather: If I got all things like you, I make much better.'
She was a conceited, boastful old thing, and even misfortune could
not humble her. I was so annoyed that I felt coldly even toward
Antonia and listened unsympathetically when she told me her father
was not well.
`My papa sad for the old country. He not look good.
He never make music any more. At home he play violin
all the time; for weddings and for dance. Here never.
When I beg him for play, he shake his head no. Some days
he take his violin out of his box and make with his fingers
on the strings, like this, but never he make the music.
My Antonia |
