| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen: seem nothing but stupid nonsense, as I have often experienced
already--especially before I enlisted under the banner of the police, for that
dispels like a whirlwind all the visions of an unfettered imagination. All we
hear or say in a dream that is fair and beautiful is like the gold of the
subterranean spirits; it is rich and splendid when it is given us, but viewed
by daylight we find only withered leaves. Alas!" he sighed quite sorrowful,
and gazed at the chirping birds that hopped contentedly from branch to branch,
"they are much better off than I! To fly must be a heavenly art; and happy do
I prize that creature in which it is innate. Yes! Could I exchange my nature
with any other creature, I fain would be such a happy little lark!"
He had hardly uttered these hasty words when the skirts and sleeves of his
Fairy Tales |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Paz by Honore de Balzac: mortgaged her entire property on the breaking out of the insurrection
for an immense sum lent by two Jewish bankers in Paris. Comte Adam was
now in possession of eighty thousand francs a year. When this was
discovered society ceased to be surprised at the imprudence which had
been laid to the charge of Madame de Serizy, the Marquis de
Ronquerolles, and the Chevalier du Rouvre in yielding to the foolish
passion of their niece. People jumped, as usual, from one extreme of
judgment to the other.
During the winter of 1836 Comte Adam was the fashion, and Clementine
Laginska one of the queens of Paris. Madame Laginska is now a member
of that charming circle of young women represented by Mesdames de
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Concerning Christian Liberty by Martin Luther: "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. iii.
23), and also: "There is none righteous, no, not one; they are
all gone out of the way; they are together become unprofitable:
there is none that doeth good, no, not one" (Rom. iii. 10—12).
When you have learnt this, you will know that Christ is necessary
for you, since He has suffered and risen again for you, that,
believing on Him, you might by this faith become another man, all
your sins being remitted, and you being justified by the merits
of another, namely of Christ alone.
Since then this faith can reign only in the inward man, as it is
said, "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness" (Rom. x.
|
