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Here are the storyboards I referred to in my blog, along with my comments and interpretations (and best guesses) about the meaning of these diagrams. The titles are taken from the notes written on the slides that I received from a seminary classmate years ago.

My assumption is that these paintings were done under the guidance of a missionary who sought to depict the Gospel message in a way that was comprehensible to persons in the culture. But, what culture? While it is obviously Asian, I have no clue as to the intended audience. The eighth board has some characters. Perhaps a reader can decipher it and let me know what language it is (and whether or not I scanned the images backwards).

1. The Sinful Heart

The heart is black, not illuminated by the Holy Spirit (dove) nor the Holy Scriptures (bible).

This guy seems to be happy enough. He just doesn't know what a mess he is in. The devil appears to be clouding his vision. Is that a Star of David at the center?

Let's see, the seven deadly sins, right? The peacock must be pride. The pig seems to be an obvious reference to gluttony. The tiger looks like the best candidate for anger. For the others, I'll borrow some ideas from deadlysins.com: the goat is sloth and the dog is envy. I'm not sure about a goat being slothful. Besides, goat symbols have all sorts of occult associations, don't they? Whatever, let's just say this is a slothful goat.

Hmmm, that leaves the turtle and the snake. Snake, serpent, Garden of Eden, Eve, Freudian symbolism... How about the snake being lust? And the turtle? According to deadlysins.com, a frog is historically associated with greed. Close enough. Let's move the turtle into the greed slot.

2. Exposed to the Gospel

It is striking what happens when the light of the Spirit and Scriptures begins to permeate the heart. The eye begins to clear (enlightenment?). The animals (sins) are disturbed. The disturbance shows on the man's face.

I know from my evangelical tradition that this phenomenon is referred to as "conviction." The man is feeling guilty and perturbed about the state of his life. Conviction is often experienced when one contemplates the message of the Gospel, namely that we are "dead in trespasses and sins," and so forth. It is an anxiety-provoking event!

Historically, famous Christians referred to a similar experience in their own lives. Augustine, for example, describes the flooding light of God into his dark soul, creating a sense of exposure and shame. Teresa of Avila, in her The Interior Castle, symbolized the entrance into the soul (and one's interior journey) as threatened by wild beasts.

What are those fireballs?

3. Cleansed by the Blood

I take it from the four small holes at the top of each panel, that these storyboards may have been constructed as a flip chart, with each succeeding panel being revealed as the previous one was flipped over to the back.

The progression here is pronounced. The man is smiling. His soul is doing much better, thank you. His eye is clear. Where did the mouth come from? I take it that he now has a voice to express the good things that are happening to him. The Spirit and Scriptures have now found a place in his heart. The star is cleansed and the brilliant cross has taken the place of the vices.

It appears that each deadly sin has been cast out and languishes on the periphery of the man's life. Check out the dog, with its tale tucked squarely between its legs. Personally, I would have painted the turtle as retracted into its shell!

Unless the new convert miss the point, I'm sure the presentation emphasized the necessity of maintaining spiritual disciplines in order to stay on the right path. The next panel shows what happens if he or she doesn't . . .

4. Backslider's Heart

Sorta reminds me of Michael Martin Murphy's song, Backslider's Wine. But, that's a story for another day.

We're in regression here, letting all the beastly vices find a tentative welcome. See, I told you. The man quit reading his bible and praying in the Spirit. The eye is squinting and his mouth is shut. He's got nothing good to say, spiritually.

What? Is he asleep, or just ashamed of himself? Either way, he'd better wake up and start tending to his soul again, else that green demon will start poking him.

There is no stasis with the soul. Either you are moving forward, or you're moving backward. It is like the current of the Brazos River--you swim with it or against it--but regardless, it is going to influence you.

Is the message starting to get through to you?

5. Rejector's Heart

On to a different scenario. Depicted here is the state of the soul that rejects the Gospel. Each vice now has its own commander and takes on a life of its own. Look who's on the throne!

This soul is on a slippery slope, heading down fast. From the look of his expression, nothing much has been gained by taking the path of self-determination.

6. Death of the Lost Man

Lest we miss the point, the artist renders the drama of death for the person without Christ. A life in shambles now meets its horrifying and tortuous end.

The man is alone. A portrait of loved ones hangs above his bed as his sole source of comfort. To his right and left are devils taunting him, even reading the Scriptures to him. His judgement is spelled out clearly.

His pursuers arise from the flames of hell to escort him to his eternal home.

Scared, yet?

7. Death of the Righteous Man

On the other hand, there is the death of the person who has given his heart to Christ. It isn't so much that the man is righteous, but that his sins are forgiven.

The gates of heaven open and await his entry. A angle stands ready to escort him to paradise. His room shows the decor of a person well cared for. Kneeling at his bed are his wife and children, near to his side and accessible.

He's in good shape.

8. The Way of the Cross

I love this slide for a number of reasons. First, it shows the nature of grace: we can make it to heaven if we'll just take the right path. And, in case we might miss it, the path is pretty obvious. It just requires a little humility and detachment.

Check out the folks who are trying to constuct an alternate route using planks and stones. They symbolize the futile efforts of trying to save ourselves.

This is the only slide with writing. If anyone can decipher it, please let me know!

9. The Hand of Evil

The artist's focus shifts to a much broader perspective in the remaining slides. This ghastly apocalyptic scene conveys the permeating influence of evil in a world of violence, sorrow and destruction.

10. The Risen Lord

Here is a vision of the world as restored by Christ.

From chaos to peace.

From darkness to light.

From violence to civility.

From despair to hope.

From death to life.

Which would you choose? Door #9 or door #10?

11. In the Hollow of His Hand

And they lived happily ever after. Thanks be to God.

Notice the tree of life and the river of God. These are symbols drawn for Genesis and Revelation. In the end, God restores the world to its originally intended state.

May you have the peace of God that comes from being in the hollow of God's hand.

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