| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Republic by Plato: inadequate to the wants of the age; the authority of the poets is set
aside, and through the winding mazes of dialectic we make an approach to
the Christian precept of forgiveness of injuries. Similar words are
applied by the Persian mystic poet to the Divine being when the questioning
spirit is stirred within him:--'If because I do evil, Thou punishest me by
evil, what is the difference between Thee and me?' In this both Plato and
Kheyam rise above the level of many Christian (?) theologians. The first
definition of justice easily passes into the second; for the simple words
'to speak the truth and pay your debts' is substituted the more abstract
'to do good to your friends and harm to your enemies.' Either of these
explanations gives a sufficient rule of life for plain men, but they both
The Republic |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Pool of Blood in the Pastor's Study by Grace Isabel Colbron and Augusta Groner: Muller," he said with a low, soft voice.
The four men in the room looked at him in astonishment.
"This simple-looking individual is the man that every one is afraid
of?" thought the Count, as he walked forward and held out his hand
to the
stranger.
"I sent for you, Mr. Muller," said the magnate, conscious of his
stately size and appearance, as well as of his importance in the
presence of a personage who so little looked what his great fame
might have led one to expect.
" Then you are Count -?" answered Muller gently. "I was in
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Foolish Virgin by Thomas Dixon: and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking
all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both
shall live?'"
She looked at him and laughed.
"Why don't you answer?"
"Now?"
"Yes--that's the end of the question. Say, `I
will.'"
"Oh, I will all right! What scares me is that I'll
jump in on him and say `I will' before he gets halfway
through. Seems to me when he says, `Wilt thou have
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