god ' s creatures ministry by richard h. schwartz, ph. d. november 6, 2006 not only do animals benefit from our compassion and concern - we, too, benefit by becoming more sensitive and more humane, as jews and people. jewish worshipers chant every sabbath morning, " the soul of every living being shall praise god ' s name " ( nishmat kol chai tva ' rech et shim ' chah ). yet, some come to synagogue during the winter months wearing coats that required the cruel treatment of some of those living beings whose souls praise god. to decide whether the use of fur is a significant jewish issue, we should consider several related questions : judaism and animals judaism has beautiful and powerful teachings with regard to showing compassion to animals. the following are a few examples : moses and king david were considered worthy to be leaders of the jewish people because of their compassionate treatment of animals, when they were shepherds. rebecca was judged suitable to be a wife of the patriarch isaac because of her kindness in watering the ten camels of eliezer, abraham ' s servant. rabbi yehuda the prince, the redactor of the mishna, was punished for many years at the hand of heaven for speaking callously to a calf being led to slaughter who sought refuge beside him. many torah laws mandate proper treatment of animals. one may not muzzle an ox while it is working in the field nor yoke a strong and a weak animal together. animals, as well as their masters, are meant to rest on the sabbath day. the importance of this concept is indicated by the fact that it is mentioned in the ten commandments and on every sabbath morning as part of the kiddush ceremony. the psalmist indicates god ' s concern for animals, stating that " his compassion is over all of his creatures " ( psalm 145 : 9 ). and there is a mitzvah ( precept ) in the torah to emulate the divine compassion, as it is written : " and you shall walk in his ways " ( deuteronomy 28 : 9 ). perhaps the jewish attitude toward animals is best expressed by proverbs 12 : 10 : " the righteous person considers the soul ( life ) of his or her animal. " the torah prohibits jews from causing tsa ' ar ba ' alei chayim, any unnecessary pain, including psychological pain, to living creatures. rabbi samson raphael hirsch, an outstanding 19th century philosopher, author, and torah commentator, eloquently summarizes


from causing tsa ' ar ba ' alei chayim, any unnecessary pain, including psychological pain, to living creatures. rabbi samson raphael hirsch, an outstanding 19th century philosopher, author, and torah commentator, eloquently summarizes the jewish view on treatment of animals : the pain of fur - bearing animals fur is obtained from animals who are either trapped or raised on ranches. both involve treatment of animals that appears to be far from the jewish teachings that have been previously discussed : animals caught in steel - jaw leg hold traps suffer slow, agonizing deaths. some are attacked by predators, freeze to death, or chew off their own legs to escape. it has been said that one can get a " feel for fur " by slamming your fingers in a car door. a canadian wildlife service report gives an idea of the terror that trapped animals face and their efforts to escape : over 100 million wild animals are killed for their pelts every year. many species of animals killed for their furs have become endangered or have disappeared completely from some localities. millions of animals not wanted by trappers, including dogs, cats, and birds, die in traps annually and are discarded as " trash animals. " many trapped animals leave behind dependent offspring who are doomed to starvation. treatment of animals raised on " fur ranches " is also extremely cruel. confined to lifelong confinement, millions of foxes, beavers, minks, ocelots, rabbits, chinchillas, and other animals await extinction nothing to do, little room to move, and all their natural instincts thwarted. the animals are simply a means to the maximizing of production and profit, and there is no regard for their physical, mental, or emotional well being. because of the enforced confinement and lack of privacy, naturally wild animals often exhibit neurotic behaviors such as compulsive movements and self mutilation. the animals finally suffer hideous deaths by electrocution by rods thrust up their anuses, by suffocation, by poisoning, which causes painful muscle cramping, or by having their necks broken. according to the international society for animal rights, inc., to make one fur garment requires 400 squirrels ; 240 ermine ; 200 chinchillas ; 120 muskrats ; 80 sables ; 50 martens ; 30 raccoons ; 22 bobcats ; 12 lynx ; or 5 wolves. is fur necessary? judaism puts human beings on a higher level than animals and indicates that animals may be harmed and even killed if an essential human need is


50 martens ; 30 raccoons ; 22 bobcats ; 12 lynx ; or 5 wolves. is fur necessary? judaism puts human beings on a higher level than animals and indicates that animals may be harmed and even killed if an essential human need is met. however, is the wearing of fur truly necessary for people to stay warm during wintry weather? there are many non - fur coats and hats, available in a variety of styles, that provide much warmth. imitation fur is produced at such a high level of quality that even among chasidim there is a small but growing trend to wear synthetic " shtreimlach " ( fur - trimmed hats ). based on the prohibition of tsa ' ar ba ' alei chayim, rabbi chaim dovid halevy, sephardic chief rabbi of tel aviv issued a p ' sak ( rabbinic ruling ) in march, 1992, indicating that jews should not wear fur. rabbi halevy asked : " why should people be allowed to kill animals if it is not necessary, simply because they desire the pleasure of having the beauty and warmth of fur coats? is it not possible to achieve the same degree of warmth without fur? " in his book, the jewish encyclopedia of moral and ethical issues, rabbi nachum amsel, a modern israeli educator, states : " if the only reason a person wears the fur coat is to " show off " one ' s wealth or to be a mere fashion statement, that would be considered to be a frivolous and not a legitimate need. " rabbi amsel also points out that hunting for sport is prohibited because it is not considered a legitimate need ( avodah zarah 18b ). the talmud teaches that jews are " rachamanim b ' nei rachamanim, " compassionate children of compassionate ancestors ( beitza 32b ). one has to wonder if the wearing of fur is consistent with that challenging mandate. are the words of isaiah valid today if we fail to show compassion to animals? even though you make many prayers, i will not listen. your hands are full of blood. ( isaiah 1 : 12 - 15 ) what kind of lesson in jewish values are young people getting when they see worshippers coming to synagogue in fur coats on the sabbath day? not only do animals benefit from our compassion and concern - - we, too, benefit by becoming more sensitive and more humane, as jews and civilized human beings. return to articles your comments are welcome fair use notice : this document may contain copyright


day? not only do animals benefit from our compassion and concern - - we, too, benefit by becoming more sensitive and more humane, as jews and civilized human beings. return to articles your comments are welcome fair use notice : this document may contain copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owners. we believe that this not - for - profit, educational use on the web constitutes a fair use of the copyrighted material ( as provided for in section 107 of the us copyright law ). if you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. god ' s creatures ministry is committed to spreading god ' s compassion to all he has made based on the scriptures. although we are a christian ministry, we encourage all to have their own animal welfare committee in their community. we extend our resources to those who would like to learn more or begin their own god ' s creatures ministry as an extension of us. god created us to have a vegetarian diet and commissioned us to protect his animals. instead, we have exploited them for our entertainment, fashion, appetite and useless, torturous research. these creatures have the right to live as they were created to live. because we live in this world, but are not of this world, we strive to bring god ' s mercy and justice to all. we live in god ' s kingdom now where jesus, the sacrificial lamb, the prince of peace, the lion of judah reigns. we look forward to that day when all of creation will be ' set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of god ' ( romans 8 : 21 ) where a little child will lead and guide god ' s creatures ( see isaiah 11 : 5 - 9 ). this site is hosted and maintained by : the mary t. and frank l. hoffman family foundation thank you for visiting all - creatures. org.


april 1957 | volume 8, issue 3 five successive benjamin harrisons created a private empire of tobacco and trade and a great virginia plantation one of the very first plantations settled in the new world, berkeley evolved out of the wilderness to become the demesne of the harrisons — presidents of the united states, governors of virginia, a signer of the declaration of independence, and an ancestor of robert k. lee. the harrisons helped shape their immediate region into one of the most powerful and fabled sections of virginia. their home place sat between the westover of william byrd and the shirley of the hills and carters ; president john tyler lived nearby, and when he was william henry harrison ’ s vice president it was probably the only time in the country ’ s history that a president and vice president had grown up in the same neighborhood. both george washington and thomas jefferson came to that section for their wives, and lee ’ s mother was born there. the aristocratic pattern which was to characterize the old south was created in that region, and the first democratic form of government on the continent was introduced there. the men were america ’ s first indian fighters, first patrician grandees, and first rebels, fighting the power of england a hundred years before the successful revolution. underlying all things, they were the country ’ s first planters. the southern plantation seems remote today, almost legendary, intertwined with the half - romantic and half - barbarous myths of the ante - bellum south. in these myths of the slaveholding south, the plantation seems always to have existed in some perpetual and semi - tropical feudalism, where time ceased in the slumberous heat, the seasons never changed, and the cast of characters in the white - columned mansions, identical on each plantation, were as impervious to the mutations of life as the characters in a familiar play. the protagonist was always old massa. ridden with debts and vice and high personal honor, always booted and spurred, with a whip in one hand and julep in the other, this highborn and arrogant wastrel kept a harem of mulattoes, a stable of blooded horses ( on which he repeatedly ruined himself by betting ), and, when he wasn ’ t out duelling under the live oaks, he was entertaining friends with prodigal lavishness. actually, for this composite image, many gentlemen in the south would contribute aspects to the whole. some were debt - ridden ( as william byrd iii ), some were always booted


live oaks, he was entertaining friends with prodigal lavishness. actually, for this composite image, many gentlemen in the south would contribute aspects to the whole. some were debt - ridden ( as william byrd iii ), some were always booted and spurred ( as john randolph even in the halls of congress ), some were addicted to drink and some to horse racing ( as president andrew jackson ), some were impoverished by hospitality ( as thomas jefferson ), and some had negro mistresses ( or there would be no mulattoes ). certainly all held a high sense of personal honor, and duelling in protection of personal honor was an established custom, though actual duels were few. but plantations were neither developed nor maintained by men who embodied all these traits or only these traits. they were built by men who, with whatever weaknesses of the flesh, combined the qualities which have made for success throughout the ages - ambition and energy, self - discipline and resourcefulness, and the power to conceive boldly. stripped of romantic connotations, the plantation was both a large - scale agricultural operation and a commercial center. in virginia, where plantations were first established, the money crop was tobacco. for this operation, the virgin forests were cleared, the seeds planted, the plants tended, the leaves cut, stripped, and hung ; then packed into hogsheads made on the place and shipped to england from the private wharf. besides marketing their own crops, the big plantation owners bought tobacco from the small planters, shipped it for export and brought in english goods beyond their own needs, which they handled as importers. in addition to tobacco, the planter raised food for his own people, who might number as many as 1, 000. some river plantations baked hard biscuits which they sold to ships ’ crews, as on the plantation of the berkeley harrisons ’ kinsmen. artisans made the clothes from cotton and wool, tanned hides, built the outbuildings and sometimes boats, as at berkeley hundred. kroni their sawmills the planter sold planks and clapboards to england. the plantation master was also responsible for every detail in the total group life of his microcosmic world : he represented law and order, the church, and the courts. the mayor, judge, sheriff, and preacher combined would not be so powerful as he. in combination with other planters, he formed the ruling bodies of his immediate country, and his state ; and from their ruling class the planters sent their own chosen representatives


, judge, sheriff, and preacher combined would not be so powerful as he. in combination with other planters, he formed the ruling bodies of his immediate country, and his state ; and from their ruling class the planters sent their own chosen representatives to london or, later, washington. if you accused the planter of not being democratic, he would look at you in surprise and say, “ of course not. i am an aristocrat. ” for all his aristocratic manner and belief, however, the planter was not the firstcomer to tidewater virginia ; others had preceded him. first to come and settle jamestown in 1607 were 105 “ gentlemen ” and “ men of the common sorte, ” picaresque characters all, all of them in search of gold and adventure. led by the resolute john smith, they found nothing of the former and rather more of the latter than they had bargained for, together with disease, starvation, and danger from powhatan ’ s powerful indians. successive waves of adventurers, some stockholders in the virginia company, many indentured to pay their passage, made up the depleted ranks, but virginia did not even begin to show signs of lasting until a sturdier breed arrived, of whom john rolfe is a good example. rolfe made himself a romantic place in history by marrying powhatan ’ s tempestuous daughter pocahontas, but a more significant one by experimenting with tobacco, which turned out in the end to be the real wealth of the new el dorado. soon, maintaining an uneasy peace with the remarkable indian leader, the colony spread out beyond the palisaded fort at jamestown, and small holdings spread up the lazy james river, which became a sort of watery main street for the colonists. now appeared in 1619 a boatload of indentured wives, sturdy but anonymous ladies from whom, apparently, no one in virginia is today descended, but a welcome sign of permanence in their own time. and there was established this same year a kind of popular government, the house of burgesses. this self - governing body would give england trouble later, but no more, certainly, than was foreshadowed for this new land by the arrival, also in the notable year 1619, of a shipload of black slaves from africa. it was in 1619 that berkeley hundred was founded as a private venture by a small group of english investors, headed by one john smythe, esq., of nibley. to


1619, of a shipload of black slaves from africa. it was in 1619 that berkeley hundred was founded as a private venture by a small group of english investors, headed by one john smythe, esq., of nibley. to stave off failure, the virginia company had begun chartering settlements known as “ hundreds ” ( either because a hundred acres was the basic grant for a share of stock or because 100 was the ideal number of settlers ). at berkeley, 38 settlers arrived after two and a half months on the ship margaret, to build their settlement on a tract of 8, 000 acres, stretching for three miles along the north bank of the james river. the next spring found the colonists living in split - log houses and experimenting with mulberry trees for silk and grape vines for wine, as well as with tobacco, while the english backers impatiently waited for the colony to become self - supporting. at this and neighboring hundreds, though the dream had shifted from gold to tobacco, the methods had not been discovered for the big killing. probably the british financiers would never have discovered the way to colonial riches. as it happened, they were not given the opportunity. the blow from which the virginia company and its proprietors never recovered occurred on good friday morning, march 22, 1622. by then the great powhatan had died, and his brother, ferocious opechancanough ( opie - can - canoe ) did not feel bound to the truce. with the kind of wiliness that used to be associated only with the savage, he encouraged the whites to believe in the indians ’ friendship until he had them set up, off guard, for the stroke designed to annihilate the colony. at breakfast time, at practically every holding in virginia, groups of friendly indians drifted in without weapons. at berkeley hundred they were received warmly and invited to sit down in the assembly hall for a breakfast of gruel. no white man or woman saw a signal given, but as if by some group impulse, the unarmed indians suddenly snatched up the muskets which the unsuspecting settlers had propped in corners. the men fought hard for their lives but the records list eleven berkeley settlers as “ slayne. ” many of the plantations were virtually wiped out. small family units perished and their holdings were reclaimed by the brush. the college recently founded at the new city of henricus, south of the river, and the iron works nearby were destroyed beyond repair. only jamestown was saved. a converted indian warned


. small family units perished and their holdings were reclaimed by the brush. the college recently founded at the new city of henricus, south of the river, and the iron works nearby were destroyed beyond repair. only jamestown was saved. a converted indian warned an adventurer on the mainland, and this richard pace, with no poet to make a paul revere of him, rowed at daybreak to the island and saved the colony from destruction. as it was, 347 of the 1, 200 inhabitants were killed in america ’ s greatest massacre. stored corn was burned in the crude barns, cattle and hogs were run off, and the wholesale disaster — just when the colony seemed to have turned the corner — was more than the virginia company could absorb. james the first, impatient for gain from this genesis of empire, withdrew the charter in 1624 and made colonizing the business of the crown. with this change, the age of the yeomanry began to supersede that of the adventurer. during the age of the yeomanry, half a century long, virginia had her only approach to a classless society. her citizens, in a soundly growing colony, formed what later became the stalwart middle class. yet, even while the yeomanry enjoyed its hour, the men of the future were settling in virginia. these were people of substance who dreamed of acquiring in the new world the positions of rank and privilege pre - empted at home by kinsmen. these were the embryonic plantation masters, who came with the baronial dream. of the first benjamin harrison only the barest facts are known. he evidently arrived in virginia some time after the massacre and settled south of the james river. of somewhat more substance than the average yeoman, he did not adventure to the colony with the means of, say richard lee and some of the later large landowners. he did, however, possess at least sufficient education to become clerk of the council, he enjoyed sufficient standing in his locale to he elected to the house of burgesses, and he laid the foundation on which his family was to rise into the ruling class. the year following his occupancy of the clerk ’ s job harrison bought 200 acres outright — a good average holding in that day of the yeomanry ’ s small agricultural operations — and at an unrecorded date he married a woman whom history can only know as mary. she was illiterate, signing an x for her name, though this was typical for the times. perhaps through his salary, more than through his small


at an unrecorded date he married a woman whom history can only know as mary. she was illiterate, signing an x for her name, though this was typical for the times. perhaps through his salary, more than through his small holding, harrison prospered sufficiently to buy in 1643 a 500 - acre grant on the south side of the james river, across from jamestown. in 1645 his wife bore a son, and shortly after, on an unknown date and at an unknown age, this sire of presidents died. the second benjamin harrison came into the world with the arrival of the cavaliers to virginia. these elegant gentlemen, followers of the late king charles i, came to virginia as refugees from the rule of oliver cromwell. virginians, loyal to the crown and shocked at the king ’ s execution, welcomed the cavaliers ; the colonial governor, sir william berkeley, made them at home in his green spring estate, the first great house in the new world. the cavaliers had a graciousness of manner, and a flair for fashion, which sonic of the natives admiringly noticed, and a taste for good living that was welcomed by those long exposed to the harshness of a dangerous frontier. the second benjamin harrison ’ s world was influenced by these courtly cavaliers and the elegant life they lived in virginia during the harsh years of cromwell ’ s protectorate. but it was shaped even more decisively by the impact on virginia of the restoration of king charles ii. that irresponsible monarch, whose reign brought ease and gayety to england, brought disaster to the yeoman economy of virginia. viewing the colonies simply as a means of fattening the royal purse, charles imposed restrictions on the tobacco trade which drove prices down to a penny a pound and ruined the small growers. the big planter could by volume operate on a smaller margin of profit. to benjamin harrison ii, growing into young manhood during these dynamic changes, the pattern of the big planters determined the course of his own ambitions. in his late teens, when charles ’ s navigation act began to crush the small planter, harrison was, in practical terms, among the relatively small himself — except that he did not think as they thought. in any emergency for the many there is opportunity for the few. harrison was among those men, of all ages, who can turn a time of crisis into personal advantage. since profit depended on volume and volume depended on workers, he must get more workers : further, since profits from small acreage were insufficient for the purchase of


among those men, of all ages, who can turn a time of crisis into personal advantage. since profit depended on volume and volume depended on workers, he must get more workers : further, since profits from small acreage were insufficient for the purchase of new indentures or slaves, he must find another way to cash profit. he found it in trading and began to operate a river - front store. a planter ’ s “ store ” was something of a combination wharf, tobacco warehouse, and importing storage house. harrison had small boats built and he plied the bark creeks to take on the tobacco hogs - heads of small planters. in london, the tobacco would be credited against goods which he imported, and from his store some of the goods would be taken by the small planters in exchange for their tobacco. some he sold for cash. he profited both from a charge on handling their tobacco and a markup on the goods. by these manipulations he established favorable credit balances with his british factor and could sell his own tobacco for cash — to buy more people and get more land. his operation would grow bigger, and he would be recognized as a planter of substance — “ discreet, ” as the coldly sagacious were called — worthy to share the honors and the burdens of the ruling group. except for the few who came well endowed to the colony, this is the way they all got to be old maassa. harrison was still a young man when the yeomanry made its last stand against the domination of the planters in the affair known as bacon ’ s rebellion. harrison appears to have stood outside that struggle, but two years after the rebellion was over he had done well enough to be given the profitable and honorable steppingstone of sheriff of his county. in 1680 he was sent to the house of burgesses from surry county. once in the government, harrison showed himself to be as astute a politician as he was a planter. after serving five terms over a period of eighteen years, harrison was established among the political rulers even before he was tapped for the council at 53. as councilors were the recognized royalty of virginia ’ s untitled nobility, benjamin harrison ii had gone as far as there was to go. he had won the top position himself in a life of steady, unobtrusive acquisition. building soundly lrom the first 500 acres, and then his river - front store, he paid quit - rent on 2, 750 acres in several working plantations, in addition to land settled


in a life of steady, unobtrusive acquisition. building soundly lrom the first 500 acres, and then his river - front store, he paid quit - rent on 2, 750 acres in several working plantations, in addition to land settled on his sons. though he seems to have tended less to conspicuous consumption than some of his more lavish - minded friends, he made the standard investments in silver and books and furnishings from england. he wanted of all things to do well by his children, and this he most certainly accomplished. benjamin harrison ii had married a lady named hannah, whose last name, as with his mother, has remained undiscovered by the most diligent genealogists. evidently she belonged to the class of his birth and not to the well - recorded ruling class to which her husband was striving. with her children it would be a different story. hannah harrison ’ s children were trained for the large responsibility — to their estate, their class, their country ( virginia ). they were born too late to remember the frontier. they matured as aristocrats with an inherited sense of privilege, a position of rule, and a dedication to sustain the existing order. one daughter married philip ludwell ’ s son, himself a councillor, and from their union came an ancestor of robert e. lee. another married “ commissary ” blair, commissioner of the church to virginia ( unofficial bishop, as the church never established virginia as a diocese ), founder and first president of william and mary college, and long president of the council. benjamin harrison iii married the daughter of another councillor, colonel lewis burwell, who had done extremely well in land and indenture speculation. in sterner times the purpose of training was not to postpone a child ’ s assumption of responsibility but to hasten it. the early growth was particularly developed on plantations. at his father ’ s river store — that combination of wharf, warehouse, and trading post — young ben learned his ciphering and practical balancing of books. the knowledge of planting he also acquired in the same way, by observing and doing under tutelage. he had to know how tobacco plants needed to be guarded from suckers and worms and weeds, how the tobacco stem had to be cut in a single strong stroke downward and sliced off at the bottom, how the leaves were hung and graded as they cured in the sheds, and how the sizes were arranged for packing in hogsheads. it was not intended that young harrison should ever


in a single strong stroke downward and sliced off at the bottom, how the leaves were hung and graded as they cured in the sheds, and how the sizes were arranged for packing in hogsheads. it was not intended that young harrison should ever work in the hot fields or roll a hogshead to the boat, but he must be able to judge tobacco and know when others were working poorly. reversing the english procedure, benjamin iii, the oldest son, left the home place, and established his line of the family on the north side of the river at berkeley hundred. he might have been sensible of the ghosts of the early settlers who tried to farm those acres before the indian massacre, but the source of his attraction was that three - mile river front with a landing where “ the big boats could ride. ” when benjamin harrison iii was 27, he was given the special assignment of acting attorney general for the prosecution of criminals on trial, with the title of “ his majesty ’ s council at law. ” he went up very fast. within five years of his special appointment, he became treasurer of the colony, while already speaker of the house of burgesses. his berkeley hundred house was commodious and well built, but neither pretentious nor designed for the ages. around the time when william byrd ii became benjamin harrison ’ s neighbor, the big planters were just beginning to envision great houses as the crowning glory of their baronies. the governor ’ s mansion in williamsburg perhaps inspired the idea of the splendor that was to come later. then, too, as the planters began to buy slaves for the house as well as the fields, the families acquired the servants necessary to maintain a large establishment. benjamin harrison iii had the servants before the great house. along with his wharf and shipping enterprises, he worked eighty slaves at berkeley plus twenty at his south - side holdings. the broadly based sufficiency of his operations enabled his home plantation to run with such outward blandness that, on the surface, his life could appear to illustrate the idyll of the legend. place him in one of those typical paintings of a life in thrall. there, with family and friends, playing cricket of a warm afternoon, the group figure would be frozen in time, as graceful and as lifeless as a pageant. the frame would contain the broad, shaded lawn, the background of the tidal river and a cloudless sky. to one side of the happy cricket players would stand a sleek, saddled horse,


time, as graceful and as lifeless as a pageant. the frame would contain the broad, shaded lawn, the background of the tidal river and a cloudless sky. to one side of the happy cricket players would stand a sleek, saddled horse, held by a brightly liveried negro, and on the other side, to balance, little ben harrison iv, born in 1700, would be caught in some moment of childish grace with a fat mammy beaming over him. squarely in the center a negro butler, with starched front, would stand smiling with a vast silver tray containing decanters and goblets. in the foreground the master, in silver knee breeches, blue silk - lined coat with silver buttons and linen neckpiece, would stand transfixed forever with a mallet in his hand while the sun, breaking through a willow tree, would fall like a nimbus upon his head. like the legendary image of the old massa, all these components existed, though scarcely in such idyllic arrangement. the composite picture would fail to suggest what existed beyond its frame — the wharf and warehouses, tobacco fields and sheds, sawmill and stock barns, and the countless small buildings where wool was carded, hides were tanned, bread was baked, and hogsheads made. all that was outside the picture constituted the life of benjamin harrison far more than the idle hours passed on the shaded lawn. though no routine was fixed in benjamin harrison ’ s fluid pattern ( except for going to nearby westover church on sunday morning ), his mornings usually started early with a conference with his overseers and an inspection tour of his fields. some planters began the day by reading greek or hebrew, some by making love to their wives ( as recorded in diaries ) ; some ate a light breakfast and some ate heartily ; none by record began the day with a hooker of rum or brandy, and all began the day very early — between five and six. the long mornings were the least likely to be interrupted by visitors, and if house guests were around they amused themselves. after harrison assured himself that his planting and subsidiary operations were moving as they should, he went to his wharf and shipyard, where masts for his boats were cut from nearby virgin timber. the buying of tobacco and selling of imports were closely under his own supervision, as was the shipping on the boats which he either owned or had interest in. his shipping of other planters ’ tobacco was so extensive that his plantation came in time to be popularly called “ harrison ’ s


of imports were closely under his own supervision, as was the shipping on the boats which he either owned or had interest in. his shipping of other planters ’ tobacco was so extensive that his plantation came in time to be popularly called “ harrison ’ s landing. ” harrison had put in something close to an eight - hour day when, around two o ’ clock, the family gathered for the midday dinner. unless they were entertaining specially, wine was not likely to be served, though before a heavy meal the master might take a hot rum toddy in the winter or a cooled punch in the summer. this main meal was the time for casual visiting with intimates. in the afternoons, unless his visitors tarried, harrison settled down to his greatest time consumer — letters to london and what amounted to bookkeeping. he, like other planters, engaged in constant wrangles with british factors, who regarded virginia planters as existing entirely to be milched by english businessmen. factors showed endless ingenuity in finding new charges for handling tobacco and imports, and, to be blunt, they cheated all except the most wary. for his young son, benjamin harrison provided a school at berkeley, to which planters in the neighborhood sent their boys of ben ’ s age. young ben was still a boy when his father died suddenly at 37, leaving him heir to berkeley. benjamin harrison iv entered william and mary, to become the family ’ s first college man. “ the college, ” established at the new capital, williamsburg, taught him rhetoric, logic and ethics, physics, metaphysics, and mathematics. it was some time after he returned as master of berkeley that he married anne, daughter of robert “ king ” carter, the richest man in virginia, owner of 330, 000 acres, one thousand slaves, and large sums of cash. although he neither needed position nor had an interest in politics, benjamin harrison iv accepted his class responsibilities as a member of the house of burgesses. now in this generation, the dream of the private principality was completed with the erection of the baronial mansion to serve as the symbol and center for the new dynasties. the money was there ; it no longer needed to be earned. when the harrisons ’ neighbors built on either side, at shirley and westover, the new houses were erected near the site of the old, close to the river. from the living room at shirley, you look right into the water. at westover, the classically beautiful house is back about fifty yards on a broad lawn, so that


houses were erected near the site of the old, close to the river. from the living room at shirley, you look right into the water. at westover, the classically beautiful house is back about fifty yards on a broad lawn, so that the river, shaded lawn, and house form an open court of slumberous tranquillity. the harrisons abandoned the old site of berkeley closer to the river and built the new house on a slight elevation nearly a quarter of a mile back, which gave to their foreground ( it was not all lawn ) a vast and impressive sweep. during the civil war all of mcclellan ’ s army — one hundred thousand men with animals, guns, and wagons — camped there between the house and the river. at berkeley, the walls, three feet thick, were laid in english bond below the water table and flemish bond above. the unknown journeyman architect enclosed the top story with the first heroic pediment roof in virginia, which he presumably copied from a bookplate of james gibbs ’ s church at derby, england. the house at berkeley was, in brief, an advanced representation of the greatest architectural flowering ever in an american colony. when anne and benjamin moved into their new house in 1726, the design of the baronial life of the virginia planter was completed. they were, as far as they knew, as integrated in time as the country life of the british aristocracy on which they modeled themselves. harrison ’ s nearest neighbor, william byrd, writing to a friend in england, described the planter ’ s life : “ like one of the patriarchs i have my flocks and my herds, my bond - men and bond - women, and every sort of trade amongst my own servants, so that i live in a kind of independence on everyone but providence. … my doors are open to everybody … and a half - crown will rest undisturbed in my pocket for many moons together … we sit securely under our vines and figtrees … [ and ] can rest securely in our beds with all doors and windows open, and yet find everything exactly in place the next morning. we can travel all over the country by night and by day, unguarded and unarmed …. ” though byrd might have been trying to sell himself on “ the advantages of a pure air, ” his description evoked the aura of the perfected plantation life in the age of the aristocrat when, on the surface, there was not even threat of internal conflict or whisper of change. byrd had said that they


of a pure air, ” his description evoked the aura of the perfected plantation life in the age of the aristocrat when, on the surface, there was not even threat of internal conflict or whisper of change. byrd had said that they were independent of everyone but providence, and it was an act of providence that ended the idyll for benjamin harrison iv. in the summer of his forty - fourth year, a violent electric storm lashed tidewater virginia. harrison was not alarmed by the storm, only mindful of the rain driving through the open windows on his imported furniture. since no house servant was handy, the master went upstairs to close a bedroom window. he had been playing at the time with two of his daughters and took them along, one in his arms. perhaps he was telling them there was nothing to fear as he approached the window. in the instant that he stood there, a bolt of lightning struck, and harrison and his two little girls were killed instantly. benjamin harrison v was an eighteen - year - old student at william and mary college when his father ’ s death made him master of berkeley. tall and handsome, without the great weight that years would add to his frame, he moved with ease, grace, and the air of a born aristocrat. a genial good humor was the quality which his fellows most remarked in him, then as later. for this fifth of the line, the plantation offered small challenge. from the beginning of his career, when he entered the house of burgesses, he found politics his most absorbing interest. these were the years when the young washington, whose marriage to martha custis made him a brother - in - law of harrison ’ s wife elizabeth bassett, was making his reputation in the war with the french on the allegheny frontier. in the political events of that struggle, and later in the growing contest with england, benjamin harrison found a natural field for his talents. harrison was a man of the committees. while others harangued across the green - covered table in the house of burgesses wing, harrison lounged at ease in the small rooms where a few men worked at the serious business of preparing bills to be presented. to the give - and - take of committee work, he brought a bluff equanimity, a forthrightness that gained force by his good nature. with his uncomplex nervous system insulated within his huge frame, harrison smiled through wrangles that caused his friends to shout and sulk and grow damp under their tailored wigs.


a forthrightness that gained force by his good nature. with his uncomplex nervous system insulated within his huge frame, harrison smiled through wrangles that caused his friends to shout and sulk and grow damp under their tailored wigs. when business got snarled in personality clashes, harrison broke the tension with a spontaneous line of bawdy humor. for a man who seemed to move so indolently, he was very quick verbally, especially in terms of humor. however, when business reached the point of decision, he was immovable in his firmness, and supported his position with a soundly practical intelligence. harrison was one of the class whose members, said a visitor, “ are jealous of their liberties, impatient of restraint, and can scarcely bear the thought of being controlled by any superior power. ” that was true enough. but despite his own imperiousness, cheerful harrison believed that matters could be worked out with england so that he would be free of intruding control. by the time the political struggle with england came to a crisis, benjamin harrison was a man of substance, heavy in body and broad in face, with a habitual expression of humorous benevolence. neither political theorist nor rabble - rousing orator, the master of berkeley plantation was more typical than patrick henry or thomas jefferson of the men of estate who moved slowly in the decade from the stamp act protest to the formation of the extremely effective committees of correspondence between the colonies. his cousin, richard henry lee, originally a conservative, took a bigger jump and joined henry and jefferson in forming the potent committee. but benjamin harrison, though he participated in the activist committee, was operating from the manor house of a dynasty of which he was the titular head as his cousin was not, and he was weighted with personal responsibilities that henry never had and jefferson never fully assumed. when virginia responded to the call for a continental congress, harrison was chosen a delegate. in the hot august of 1774 he set out in his own fine planter ’ s coach, with two men on the box, for the long trip to philadelphia. in the three years that followed, harrison had plenty of chance to observe the north and his northern associates to observe him. an acquaintance recorded the impressions philadelphia made on harrison and his friends : “ they allow the city to be fine, neat and large … but they complain of the small rooms, uniformity of the buildings, and several other like faults. they call the inhabitants grave and reserved ; and the women remarkably homely,


friends : “ they allow the city to be fine, neat and large … but they complain of the small rooms, uniformity of the buildings, and several other like faults. they call the inhabitants grave and reserved ; and the women remarkably homely, hard - favored and sour! ” harrison personally offered to give a guinea for every handsome face found in philadelphia, if anyone else would give a copper for every face that was not comely. for their part, the northerners had some reservations about harrison. he was, wrote john adams in his diary, “ an indolent, luxurious, heavy gentleman, reported to be … at home … a cornerstone in which the two walls of party meet. ” though certainly adams did not mean this as a compliment, the description of harrison ’ s function in revolutionary times would describe a very useful citizen, and his fellow virginians so regarded him. even adams conceded harrison ’ s “ many pleasantries ” that steadied rough sessions of the congress, and the big virginian was almost continually made chairman of the committee of the whole, second in importance only to the presidency. it was harrison, replacing john hancock in the president ’ s chair, who solemnly read to the congress the words of the declaration of independence. “ when the time of hanging comes, ” the large harrison said to small elbridge gerry of massachusetts, “ i shall have the advantage over you. it will be all over with me in a minute, but you will be kicking in the air for half an hour after i am gone. ” more than three years had passed since the signer ’ s carriage had first carried him northward across the far pennsylvania countryside. now, as he started home, the cushions in the carriage were worn, the lamps no longer polished, and the homeward - bound planter, wrapped in a greatcoat against the winter ’ s chill, did not look — and probably did not feel — any part of the legendary master of a plantation. no harrison clan head had ever so diverted his attention from planting and mercantile enterprises. his long stretches away from home had made berkeley almost an absentee - owned plantation, and the marks of neglect were visible. the planter, despite the later - day virginian ’ s scorn of trade, was a trader and harrison ’ s trading markets were cut off. he was living off capital. harrison understood this but it was too late in the day for him to do anything about it. in the war years the radical party of henry and jefferson had won political ascendancy at williamsburg


trading markets were cut off. he was living off capital. harrison understood this but it was too late in the day for him to do anything about it. in the war years the radical party of henry and jefferson had won political ascendancy at williamsburg over the conservative party of washington and harrison. jefferson believed that a landed aristocracy long entrenched in power grew stultified and protective of its own interest, without regard to the welfare of the commonwealth. under his influence the virginia legislature passed measures which shrewdly undermined those supports which had sustained the oligarchy in power. it liberalized the land - owning restrictions on the voting franchise to increase the popular vote ; it abolished the english - inherited laws on entail and primogeniture ; it separated church from state in a statute of religious freedom, which broke the community power of the episcopal vestries. in the traditional revolution, the aristocrat was destroyed by the people ; in the american revolution the virginia aristocrat destroyed himself. in order to sustain his society, benjamin harrison had been led, step by step — often reluctantly, sometimes protestingly — into his present situation where, if his society were sustained at all, its idyllic quality was lost ; and within the broken idyll his family had lost security. along the way, there was nothing he could have done to change events. when issues he had fought became facts, he had adapted to the necessity and given of his time, talents, and fortune. he was speaker of the house of delegates when, in 1778, the military situation in virginia grew seriously ominous. two thousand british regulars, commanded by the traitor benedict arnold, landed by boat at the mouth of the james river and began a campaign of ravagement along both sides of the river. with the lion among them, the virginians hastily dispatched harrison to philadelphia to plead with congress for troops to defend them. it was washington who made the painful decision to hold his army outside new york, to immobilize clinton, and not come to the rescue of his countrymen. before leaving virginia, harrison had taken the precaution of moving his family from the exposed river plantation of berkeley to the less accessible plantations of other members of the family. it was fortunate for the girls that he did. on january fourth, arnold ’ s hard - bitten force disembarked at the foot of the wide lawn of westover, where the shade of elegant william byrd strolled in the evening, and pushed across to neighboring berkeley by the path that the byrd


on january fourth, arnold ’ s hard - bitten force disembarked at the foot of the wide lawn of westover, where the shade of elegant william byrd strolled in the evening, and pushed across to neighboring berkeley by the path that the byrds and harrisons had so often followed when visiting in the olden days. arnold did not miss the chance to hurt a signer of the declaration and a close friend of the man he had betrayed. as a fellow american, he recognized the sensitive point of a virginia aristocrat, and there was a subtlety in his cruelty which would touch harrison without destroying his plantation ’ s future usefulness. he removed all the portraits from the walls and placed them on a bonfire in front of the mansion. that not only hurt the signer ’ s family — for the planters spent heavily on journeymen artists to preserve their likenesses into earthly immortality — but also future historians seeking portraits of the harrisons. the festivities of the portrait fire incited the idling soldiers to practice target shooting on harrison ’ s cows while frightened negroes gathered in the nearby quarters. since the berkeley slaves belonged to washington ’ s friend, arnold directed his men to herd along forty of the likeliest and unknowingly dealt benjamin harrison a deadlier blow than the hurt to his pride. this capital loss ( one third of his active slaves ) was more than the fading fortunes of berkeley could absorb. by the end of the war, berkeley had drifted into a state of muted splendor which characterized the older plantations of virginia from the upheaval of the revolution to the destruction of the civil war. it was during this period that plantation life, observed by northern visitors when already in decline, assumed its mythical character. at berkeley an outsider would find the hot land and the crops, the great manor house and outbuildings, the gardens and the river - bordered lawn, grazing animals and playing children, and the negroes, wearing bright - colored cotton and speaking in soft, liquid voices, but the scene began to hold the hushed, slightly decayed quality of the legend. no boats were built on the fortune - making docks, and few ocean - going trading vessels rode the swells of the tidal river. the gristmill and sawmill, the blacksmith shop, and what they called “ merchant mills ” still operated, but on the lackadaisical schedule of overseers. produce was grown for the plantation ’ s people, providing that lavish self - sufficiency which gave plantation life its air of indolent abundance


what they called “ merchant mills ” still operated, but on the lackadaisical schedule of overseers. produce was grown for the plantation ’ s people, providing that lavish self - sufficiency which gave plantation life its air of indolent abundance. after yorktown benjamin harrison was elected first governor of the independent republic of virginia. in a period of painful readjustment the governor ’ s job was a hard, inglorious one, but the men who had made the revolution did not feel that in conscience they could quit until the task was finished. unlike washington, whose years on the national scene had committed him to the cause of a strong union, harrison still thought as a virginian and, despite his great friend ’ s entreaties, opposed the constitution that was drafted at philadelphia. yet when there was talk of a new revolution against the constitution, it was harrison who rose to the floor, his face red and puffy, his heavy body held with effort in its customary erectness, to urge them against any effort to overthrow the union that he himself had opposed. it was the gouty old gentleman ’ s last outstanding act for his country. within three vears he was dead. that genetic drive to plantation mastery which spanned four generations in virginia faltered in the fifth, and benjamin harrison ’ s three sons did not want to work at planting, nor did any of his four sons - in - law. they still wanted to work, for they were not yet the idle generation, but the plantation was no longer a challenge to them. it was a home to support ; a way of life rather than a career. the youngest boy aspired to be a doctor, the middle boy became a lawyer, and the eldest, benjamin harrison vi, heir to the home plantation, was an unstable young man who failed in a mercantile business he started at richmond and returned to live at berkeley. there, free at last to indulge his true gift for fine living, he revived high style in the manor house, as if land and slaves could be sold off forever. to him berkeley owes the lovely adam woodwork with which, in a gesture of gallantry, he replaced the sturdier and simpler paneling deemed adequate by his vastly rich grandparents. berkeley was never more splendid than during his brief reign. the younger sons of virginia with energy and resourcefulness began to leave the state. among those who migrated to a totally new area, the most representative — with typical harrison adaptiveness — was the youngest of the signer ’ s sons,


brief reign. the younger sons of virginia with energy and resourcefulness began to leave the state. among those who migrated to a totally new area, the most representative — with typical harrison adaptiveness — was the youngest of the signer ’ s sons, william henry, who became president of the united states and grandfather of another president. william henry harrison was an eighteen - year - old medical student in philadelphia when his father died and left him a tract of land in the original berkeley hundred. there was in the slim, well - made six - footer a strong strain of self - reliance. a child at home during the impoverishing dislocations of the revolution, he had heard from his mother the tales of his ancestors ’ greatness, and had formed early the ambition to excel on his own. the physical tumult of the revolutionary fighting on his own land also exerted an influence on the impressionable boy, who at the age of eight had seen benedict arnold ’ s redcoats. nothing would indicate more keenly the fading glory of the plantation than the choice of the son of the master of berkeley to migrate west of the alleghenies — the dividing line between civilization and the wilderness. with a commission as an ensign in the army obtained for him in 1791 by washington, young harrison rose fast in what virginians called “ the west ” and won national fame for his victory over the indians at tippecanoe. he had inherited his father ’ s cheerfulness, generosity, and forthrightness, and it was simple to express his innate courtesy in the plain manners of the frontier. too self - assured for snobbishness, he quickly put others at their ease. all of this caused him to be accepted as a simple son of democracy. as in the day of the big planters his ancestors became the biggest, in the day of the plain man william henry became the plainest. it was harrison ’ s folksiness that the powers in the new whig party seized upon as a campaign asset when they nominated him for president in 1840. the son of virginia ’ s plantation aristocracy thus became “ old tippecanoe, ” the log - cabin candidate, and beat poor, foppish martin van buren, who was born over a saloon, to the tune of : and lounge on his cushioned settee. content with hard cider is he. on his way to washington, william henry made a sentimental journey to his birthplace. he perhaps knew that berkeley would not be much longer in the family.


tune of : and lounge on his cushioned settee. content with hard cider is he. on his way to washington, william henry made a sentimental journey to his birthplace. he perhaps knew that berkeley would not be much longer in the family. his 54 - year - old nephew, benjamin harrison vii, had deeded the remnants of the plantation to the bank of the united states for a twenty - thousand dollar debt, the top loan that could be made on the deteriorated property. the signer ’ s grandson was living on in such fashion as he could sustain in the manor house he no longer owned. berkeley ’ s fortunes were beginning a long decline in which the land would change hands many times and the great house would fall into disrepair, its fine chairs split up for kindling by mcclellan ’ s union army and its beautiful old brick painted over with red barn paint. not until another century dawned would the house at last fall into hands that would restore it with loving care as a relic of a distant past. by then the harrisons ’ last tie with berkeley would have long since been cut and the name of benjamin harrison would have been made more famous than ever by william henry ’ s grandson, a republican and an abolitionist, whose rise to the white house began with his command of a union brigade in sherman ’ s campaign of devastation through the south. all this lay in the future when william henry harrison, in february of 1841, returned to the great - roomed house and went into his mother ’ s bedroom, where he was born. from there he could look across the idle land to westover, where the harrisons and byrds had walked together in other years, and where benedict arnold ’ s redcoats made their landing. from the shelves in that eastern room he took down the books he had studied in his youth and marked the classic quotations with which he loved to fill his speeches. then, in the ancestral home that was fast becoming as remote from the pattern of american life as it was from his own later years, berkeley ’ s most famous son sat down to write his inaugural address as ninth president of the united states.


edward lear ’ s natural - history illustration won him scientific credibility. now his nonsense verse may do the same “ how pleasant to know mr. lear, ” begins one of edward lear ’ s poems. his bicentennary last year helped many people know him better, with multiple exhibits of his natural - history paintings and drawings. lear gained acclaim as an illustrator at age 19 for his work on parrots. shortly thereafter, the earl of derby invited lear to his estate near liverpool to make portraits of specimens in his vast collection of exotic animals and plants. “ lear was somewhat lonely at knowsley hall, ” says robert peck, a lear scholar and senior fellow of drexel university ’ s academy of natural sciences in philadelphia. “ he was overwhelmed at times by the english social class structure. ” to overcome this, he began making drawings and verses for the earl ’ s grandchildren. later he published the verses, but he used a pseudonym for many years. “ he was concerned that the frivolous nature of his limericks would undercut his credibility as a scientific illustrator, ” peck says. those verses have recently come to seem a bit less frivolous. margaret wallace nilsson, now a ph. d. candidate in history at linnaeus university, took up the question of how lear ’ s poems might help children learn. “ all children like repetitive rhyme sounds, ” she says. “ i thought, why not apply this to swedish students of english? it might help them improve their pronunciation and, later on, be able identify new words with the same phonetical patterns. ” in a 2011 master ’ s thesis for the school of teacher education at kristianstad university in sweden, nilsson taught a control group of fourth graders a list of vocabulary words taken from lear ’ s nonsense abc. an experimental group was asked to learn verses from it. “ the children in the second group not only learned to recognize the phonetical sounds of the verses, but actually started to spontaneously rhyme other english words, ” she says. when tested, students in the second group remembered words from the verses better. nilsson thinks nonsense poems may help adult language learners as well. and she ’ s not alone in her interest. in 2012, juliette smeed of new zealand tertiary college in auckland published an essay in he kupu, an early childhood education journal, describing types of nonsense verse and discussing strategies for responding to children ’ s nonsense play. lear ’ s poetry and sketches often employed the scientific knowledge he cultivated for his “ serious ” work. peck points to lear ’ s “


wildlife research at the ames plantation ames plantation is home to a wide array of wildlife, including species that are not usually found in western tennessee. for example, eagles have been seen here. rare species such as the painted bunting and bachman sparrow also have been seen at ames. these animals require special habitats to support them. these habitats are often found in places associated with areas maintained to support quail populations or places where intense forest practices have been conducted. on the other hand, game animals abound. deer and turkey are abundant. squirrels are numerous. and, of course, as home to the nation championship field trials, quail habitat is intensively managed to support excellent quail populations. research has been conducted on many wildlife species, including studies on mice, hawks, beaver, coyotes and deer, just to name a few. wildlife research often requires that students be at ames for weeks, and sometimes, months at a time. students from the university of tennessee, university of memphis and mississippi state university conduct research at ames. scholars from around the world come to see what is happening here. a hunting program to manage big game animals is in place at ames. hunters have the opportunity to hunt deer, turkey and squirrel. duck habitats and blinds are under construction. ames plantation ’ s wildlife provides unique opportunities to observe, hunt or conduct research. ames is place where wildlife can thrive.


best times to reach me : before 7 : 50, 9 : 20 - 10 : 00, after 3 : 00 welcome to third grade!! welcome to another exciting year! i look forward to working with you and your child in third grade. some fyi news : birthdays - we celebrate every child ’ s special day. if you would like to send treats there are 25 students in our class. please be sure they are commercially packaged items. homework folders – daily we fill in a chart outlining the day ’ s activities and the evening ’ s homework. please take time to go over this each evening with your child. home links – most evenings there will be a math home link. each is an extension of a skill we are, or will be, working on. these are not designed to frustrate parents! they are activities designed to explore possibilities ; there is no one correct way for it to be done. it is also designed to allow families time to work together. have fun! spelling – each monday your child will make her / his own personalized list. the first five will be class words, coming from a high frequency list, curriculum, or usage needs. the other five will come from each child ’ s writing. throughout the week we will practice and use these words. friday there is a test. the goal is to improve daily writing. word a week – wednesday evenings we will have a word - a - week assignment. this involves finding a short definition, writing a sentence, and creating an illustration for a “ new ” word. the following friday we will discuss these words and then work on using them in conversation and writing. we are also always on the look out for wondrous words. if your child / family comes across a word that is particularly cool or interesting send the word to school on the gold wondrous words sheet. library check out – we are scheduled for library time on friday at 10 : 15. we also encourage each child to visit the many public libraries in our area. reading aloud to / with your child increases fluency, vocabulary and interest. this is a great before - bed activity. computer time is scheduled weekly. ( wednesday / friday ) we will be reinforcing skills and learning new ways to use the computer. daily reading minutes – the best way to become a better reader is to read. third grade encourages each student to read at least 75 minutes each week outside of school. this is about 10 minutes each evening. the day ’ s total is recorded in the homework folder


minutes – the best way to become a better reader is to read. third grade encourages each student to read at least 75 minutes each week outside of school. this is about 10 minutes each evening. the day ’ s total is recorded in the homework folder. a weekly total will be taken as one indicator of reading progress. evening writing – this year bendix will be focusing on making our writing better. we will continue to work on mechanics, spelling, and content in school, but i will be asking that students practice these skills more in an authentic setting at home. a notebook will be coming home outlining the requirements of the evening write. as you can see, we will be very busy this year. in addition to those things just described, we will be learning cursive handwriting and multiplication! there will also be time for lots and lots of fun. if you have any questions please feel free to call 274 - 8218 x1221 or e - mail ( firstname. lastname @ example. org ) see the links on the left for 3rd grade curriculum, supply lists, and additional links. 8 : 15 - opening ( current events, birthdays, picture books ) 8 : 30 - reading 9 : 15 - specials day one : music day two : phy. ed. day three : art day four : phy. ed. 10 : 00 - snack and silent read 10 : 15 - computer ( wednesday ), library ( friday ) 10 : 20 - writer ' s workshop 11 : 00 - math 11 : 50 - lunch and noon play 12 : 50 - story 1 : 15 - word work / spelling 1 : 40 - social / science / health ( t, w, th ) social : cultual studies, map skills, geography science : measurement, sound, human body health : let ' s eat, when bodies have problems, my family, your family, things you might catch, the better to see you word work / poetry ( m, f ) 2 : 20 - homework folders 2 : 30 - class novel 3 : 00 - dismissal


news - ocean observations photo credit : peter rejcek posted : july 7, 2010 courtesy : antarctic sun by peter rejcek underwater robots and marine animals outfitted with scientific sensors are part of a proposed strategy for monitoring polar oceans into the 21st century, particularly a stretch of sea along the western antarctic peninsula, which is undergoing rapid climate changes. the proposal comes in the june 18, 2010 issue of the journal science by a group of scientists who conduct research in antarctica, most of whom currently work on the palmer long term ecological research ( pal lter ) program. since 1993, the pal lter has monitored the region near the u. s. antarctic program a€™s palmer station, close to the northern end of the peninsula, mainly on an annual ship - based survey each january. the scientists suggest profound changes to the environment necessitate new ways to make measurements of the ocean and atmosphere. for example, midwinter surface temperatures have increased by about 6 degrees centigrade in the past 50 years. eighty - seven percent of the western peninsula glaciers are in retreat, and the sea ice season has shortened by nearly 90 days. in their report, the scientists describe a multi - faceted approach to ocean observation, using glider robots that measure ocean characteristics continuously for weeks at a time and tourist vessels, ferries, and other a€œships of opportunitya€ outfitted with chemical and biological sensors. in the last few years, the pal lter program added autonomous underwater vehicles called slocum gliders through a group from rutgers university led by oscar schofield, who is the lead author on the review paper in science. a€œin just the first few weeks that we had the glider out last year, we collected as much data as the cruises had collected since 1993, a€ said hugh ducklow, a co - author of the science paper and lead principal investigator for the pal lter, in an earlier interview with the sun. the authors also suggest outfitting oceanographic instruments on animals such as elephant seals and penguins to provide information on animal behavior and oceanographic conditions. recent tagging of adelie penguins nesting near palmer station has helped scientists understand the link between nutrient upwelling in underwater canyons and where penguins forage. a€œwea€™re looking for ways to use our existing capabilities to obtain data, a€ said ducklow, director of the ecosystems centerat the marine biological laboratory ( mbl ), in a recent press release from mbl. a€œour goal is to


solar storms active, but normal illustration showing blasts of particles and magnetic field from the sun that impact the magnetosphere, the magnetic bubble around the earth ( courtesy nasa ). outbursts observed on the sun last week do not portend new problems for gps reception or other systems as solar flares and eruptive events known as coronal mass ejections fire up during an increasingly active phase, said a national oceanic and atmospheric administration space weather expert. widespread reports of last week ’ s solar activity, following a very tranquil period, may have created an impression that solar storms were unusually powerful, the expert said. magnetic fields on the sun ’ s surface have intensified, showing up as increased sunspots and generating eruptive activity as a quiet portion of a well - known 11 - year sunspot cycle ends. “ we have come out of such a quiet period that it ’ s pretty interesting from that point of view, ” said joseph kunches, a space weather scientist for noaa ’ s space weather prediction center. “ the last outbreak was back in 2006. the sun has been pretty dormant. ” a ball of hot gas, the sun does not rotate as a rigid body. turbulent effects of that uneven rotation can produce explosive results on the surface, kunches said. the recently noted outbursts featured a coronal mass ejection measured at level 3 on a 1 to 5 scale for solar storms. putting that in context, level 3 events occur approximately 200 times during the 11 - year cycle, with most outbursts clustered near the cycle ’ s peak, kunches said. although a solar flare ’ s “ lightning - bolt - like quick indication ” can be the earliest evidence of a sudden release of energy on the sun, kunches said, a more subtle development scientists monitor is whether a portion of the sun ’ s outer mass - - its corona - - has been blown off into space. such coronal mass ejections are “ very directional, ” sending a cloud of charged particles hurtling away from the sun. when a coronal mass ejection is observed “ right in the middle of the sun, ” watch for a plasma cloud to head for the earth, taking between 30 and 72 hours to arrive. “ last week we had three eruptions from the center, ” he said. “ some time later we felt the effects of those plasma fields that disturbed and energized the earth ’ s magnetic field. ” spaceweather. com reported that an aug. 9 flare emanating from sunspot 1263 was followed


reishiki - the external expression of respect in iaido dojo you will practice with a wooden sword ( bokken ), or a training sword ( iaito ), or even a real japanese sword with a cutting blade ( katana ). there will be numerous people practicing, all in one room. following the rules of etiquette ensures that no one gets injured. also, following the rules of etiquette enhances practice in other ways. the teacher can more quickly determine skill levels when students line up in the order of rank. the ceremonial bowing serves as a concentration and focusing point ; when bowing, practitioners shows respect for others. maintaining observant silence allows students to focus their attention and practice reading body language. cleaning the dojo after practice leaves it ready for the next group. always remember, reishiki comes from the heart and without sincere respect it will be only an empty gestures. - be on time. - do not make class wait. - finger and toe nails must be cut short and all jewelry removed. - remove shoes before entering. - a sword should be untied and held in the right hand. - step directly in to the dojo. - do not block doorway. - stop and bow to shinzen. - avoid drawing or pointing a sword toward shinzen. - before practice, be sure your sword is in proper shape. - check the mekugi. - place it at shimoza ( opposite side of room from shinzen ) with the ha to the wall. - never touch a sword without the owner ' s permission. - do not knock or step over any sword. - the floor must be cleared and swept. - leave the dojo ready for those who practice after you. - eating, drinking, and smoking are not allowed on the dojo floor. - when on the practice floor do not have private conversations other than iaido related subjects. - tell the teacher of any injuries or problems, or of having to leave early. - do not leave without permission. - do not speak when teacher is speaking. - thank the teacher. - show respect to other iaidoka ( students ) - do not draw directly towards others. - do not do anything that may distract or injure a fellow practitioner or spectator.


what is a poster? a poster is a “ public ” piece of paper conveying information through text ( words ) and / or graphic images ( symbols or pictures ). it ’ s usually designed to be displayed vertically on a wall or window and is large enough to be seen and read from a relatively short distance. its main target audience is the person walking by. a poster must convey its message with immediacy and purpose, because people on the street are often in a hurry. posters are sometimes huge and can be seen from a long distance and may appear along highways ( on bill boards ) or on the sides of buildings. posters may also appear in much smaller versions, sometimes like a postcard, and are called handbills. whatever the size or shape, posters have a job to do and that is to convey information. posters carry many kinds of information : - they may call the population to rally, revolt or celebrate ( e. g. political or propaganda posters ) - they may alert citizens to health hazards or the presence of other dangers in the community ( e. g. educational posters ) - they may announce the coming of a wonderful theatre, music or dance performance ( e. g. marketing posters ) all effective posters must : - grab your attention - entice you to read the information they display - present the information clearly and fully, so that you understand what the poster wants to say - convince you to rally, revolt, take part, take precautions, be on the lookout or buy a ticket. the marketing poster is an important tool in most campaigns to sell arts events to the public.


turner created a revolution in painting at the beginning of the 19th century, responding to a modern industrial landscape with a freer style and new approaches to composition. yet a lasting dialogue with the 17th - century painter claude lay at the heart of these developments. this exhibition offers the chance to compare closely related works by turner and claude and discover the extent to which turner was inspired by claude ' s mastery of light and landscape. works on display ' turner inspired : in the light of claude ' is the most in - depth examination of turner ' s experience of claude ' s art to date. the exhibition includes oils, watercolours and sketchbooks and introduces visitors to the story of the turner bequest and its importance in the history of the national gallery. the final room of the show exhibits archive material dedicated to this relationship. on his death, turner left the national gallery two paintings – dido building carthage and sun rising through vapour. he made the gift in his will on condition that the works were hung between two pictures by claude, which he named as ' the seaport ' ( seaport with the embarkation of the queen of sheba ) and ' the mill ' ( landscape with the marriage of isaac and rebecca ). turner inspired : in the light of claude is a national gallery exhibition created in collaboration with tate britain.


understanding children who have been affected by maltreatment and prenatal alcohol exposure both maltreatment and prenatal alcohol exposure result in lifelong impairments that significantly affect multiple developmental processes of school - age children, including language, social communication, social cognition, and executive functioning. this program provides a framework for the creation of more effective assessment and intervention processes for this population by speech - language pathologists and audiologists. you will be able to : - discuss the brain structures and functions that are affected by complex trauma and prenatal alcohol exposure and the relative effects on the developmental functions of attachment, affect regulation, and information processing. - recognize sensory modulation difficulties in children with the potential to have maltreatment and / or prenatal alcohol exposure. - use a framework appropriate for assessing the social communication of children who have been affected by maltreatment and prenatal alcohol exposure. - discuss connections among emotional competence, alexithymia, and communication and language impairments. - recognize cultural issues involved in appropriately identifying the occurrence of maltreatment. - enumerate various ways the child welfare system affects the lives of the children and families who have been affected by maltreatment and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder ( fasd ). view the table of contents [ pdf ] 6 / 17 / 2012 to 5 / 3 / 2015


kalash is a common sight in the indian household, at the altar. any auspicious function has the kalash in place is a kalash? earthen or brass pot is a pot with an opening at one end and is blocked to hold things, usually water. a pot is empty, but has the potential to contain many a thing! the pot thus represents the inert body, which when filled with the water of wisdom becomes a fully functioning body, capable of fulfilling life ’ s needs! kalash is a pot which contains water, on which a few sprigs of mango leaves are placed at the mouth and finally a full coconut also placed, with its head into the mouth and the conical part of the coconut springing out. sometimes, this coconut is placed on a cloth containing rice. a pot is tied with a thread across its length and breath to form small diamond shaped pattern. kumbha ( pot ) when filled with rice representing fertility and prosperity is called the poorna kumbha, signifies completeness. it also could mean that water and food that are needed to nourish our body. is decorated with a symbol of swastika and filled with water too. the ‘ swastika ’ a sanskrit word literally translates as swasti meaning the well - being of all and ‘ ka ’ meaning symbol. the swastika symbol that looks alike from all directions, also represents the sun - the life giver. when portrayed on a pot of water, the kalash automatically symbolizes power, the water being the water of wisdom. means prosperity, wisdom and divine consciousness, as it is the waters of the seas that brings down the rain, plants need water, and it is in the seas that in days of yore, people conducted trades. a ship laden with goods, even today is considered a fortunate symbol. thus, the kalash with water in it and the swastika symbol decorated outside symbolizes the importance of both sun and rains for a good yield of crops! the coconut placed at the mouth of the kalash represents the vegetation that grows with the help of sunlight and water. although some kalash contain a lotus flower, most have a coconut. coconut trees dot the sea - shore and coastal areas are incomplete without these trees. coconut also known as the kalpa vruksha is a tree whose every part is used by humans. tender coconut water is as sweet as nectar to the parched throat and the shells in ancient days were used to produce fire. the leaves are still used to


as the kalpa vruksha is a tree whose every part is used by humans. tender coconut water is as sweet as nectar to the parched throat and the shells in ancient days were used to produce fire. the leaves are still used to cover roofs in huts. the fine stalk in between the many leaves is collected and toed around to form a broom! need there be any mention of the famed coconut oil? little wonder then why coconut is placed at the mouth of the kalash! times, instead of mango leaves, the leaves of peepal tree ( bodhi - ficus religiosa ), jackfruit leaves are also placed. while the bodhi or peepal tree is associated with buddha ’ s enlightenment, the mango is a very sweet and rare fruit and jackfruit also a prosperous tree. thread across the pot length and breath of the poorna kumbha is tied with a thread, to form a diamond shaped pattern. this thread is the common thread of love that binds all beings across the world. a smile is a universal symbol of love, compassion, acceptance and happiness. a smile and love, is the thread binding the universe. wisdom of the four vedas, the waters from holy rivers and the blessings of all deities are invoked when anything auspicious is undertaken. thus, the couple united in wedlock, the young brahmachari boy, whose spiritual journey begins with the tying of the sacred thread on his torso, the woman who is blessed for the smooth delivery of her progeny and the family that enters into a brand new house, all place the kalash, seeking the wisdom of the waters, the fertility and prosperity of the leaves and rice, the omnipotence of the coconut, well - being of the swastika and the love that binds all.


what can we learn about land stewardship from the lord of the by john amodeo, asla build me an army worthy of mordor, ” commands sauron in the fellowship of the ring. with a maniacal greed for power, the easily corrupted saruman turns his cavernous lair beneath isengard into a frenzied factory of orcs and armor, fueled by burning the region ’ s trees, which he clear - cuts with reckless abandon. when an orc reports to saruman, “ the trees are strong, my lord ; their roots grow deep, ” saruman barks, “ take them all down, ” and down they come. thus j. r. r. tolkien draws the lines of evil in his wondrous tale, the lord of the rings. since the trilogy ’ s initial publication in 1954, many have analyzed, debated, and deconstructed tolkien on the topics of linguistics, history, anthropology, sociology, mythology, and war, but rare is the discussion on tolkien ’ s environmental commentary, though all the signs are there. although tolkien, who died in 1973, vehemently discouraged using his books as an allegory for real events, he favored use of them in ways that are applicable to readers ’ own thoughts and experiences. looking beneath the fun, the action, and the mysticism of tolkien ’ s fantastic creation, landscape architects need only observe the ways in which the forces of good and evil treat mother earth to discover that tolkien wove a conservationist morality tale within its pages ( evident in the films as well ) that resonates strongly in the society in which we practice.. to read the entire article, subscribe to lam! | annual meeting


without a doubt, the dominant strain of early ozarks settlers was scots - irish. troubled by continued reports of turbulence in his irish population, king james i decided to repeople the island with protestants. that was in 1607 and became known as the ulster plantation. not surprisingly, the forced immigration caused conflict. the scots held the native irish in contempt as an inferior people, and irish considered the scots invaders. fleeing hardship and religous persecution, the scots - irish flocked to america ' s shores in the early 18th century. these relative newcomers contributed 12 of the 56 signers of the declaration of independence and 12 of the 54 delegates to the constitutional convention. they and their direct descendents have given america 13 of its 33 presidents. the scots - irish immigrants had an aversion to large population centers and migrated westward in large numbers to kentucky and tennessee. often referred to derisively as " hillbillies, " these hardy folks endured in a harsh and unforgiving land. in the early 19th century they pushed on to the ozark highlands. nowhere is the heritage of the region more evident than in music. the fiddle may have given way to the ipod, and the barn dance to mtv, but the celtic - inspired tunes of our forefathers will always hold a special place in our hearts. the missouri department of conservation has produced a delightful cd filled with traditional, ozarks folk music. quoting from their web page : " you might call it an " ozark " river dance. our new folk - music cd is a spirited mix of traditional celtic jigs, foot - stomping ozark bluegrass, and narrative enhanced by nature sounds. the cd brings to life the scots - irish and their trek from the lowlands of scotland to the shores of america, and on to missouri ozark country. with more than 20 songs, " fiddles and forests " is the brainchild of fiddle player and department employee mike fraser. the concept began as a live program in which he used music to entertain audiences while educating them about ozark forests and history. the two - disc set features the story and songs on one disc and the music alone on the other. " if you like good fiddle music, fiddles and forests just might be for you.


logging in or signing up robot arm asguest58216 download post to : url : related presentations : share add to flag embed email send to blogs and networks add to channel uploaded from authorpoint lite insert youtube videos in powerpont slides with as desktop copy embed code : embed : flash ipad copy does not support media & animations wordpress embed customize embed url : copy thumbnail : copy the presentation is successfully added in your favorites. views : 1039 category : product traini.. license : all rights reserved like it ( 0 ) dislike it ( 0 ) added : august 02, 2010 this presentation is public favorites : 0 presentation description no description available. comments posting comment... premium member presentation transcript build your own robot arm : build your own robot arm trinidad september 2008 nico beute what will we do today? ( 1 ) : what will we do today? ( 1 ) we will build a robot arm from simple materials the arm would pick up a plastic cup from a distance of 45cm lift the cup to a height of at least 15cm bring the cup back to rest and release it you cannot get too close … : you cannot get too close … cup student robot arm 45cm you cannot get any closer than 45cm to the cup at any time what will we do today? ( 2 ) : what will we do today? ( 2 ) lift and release the cup when it is upside down lift and release the cup when it is full of candy do not spill use the same design ( possibly with a modified end effector ) to lift a pen why is this experiment useful to teachers and students? : why is this experiment useful to teachers and students? it teaches technological design it requires mathematical calculations for design it relates to the studies of motion and force it requires communication in writing ( design ) and orally ( explaining the design principles ) principles & standards for school mathematics : principles & standards for school mathematics geometry : use visualization, spatial reasoning, and geometric modeling to solve problems analyze characteristics and properties of two - and three - dimensional geometric shapes and develop mathematical arguments about geometric relationships problem solving : recognize and apply geometric ideas in areas outside of the mathematics classroom apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies communication : communicate mathematical thinking coherently and clearly to peers, teachers, and others outline and procedures : outline and procedures divide into teams of two ( 2 ) review the requirements discuss a solution and create a sketch of your design build a model of your design with given materials test your model redesign after testing


| avesta - - zoroastrian archives | | contents | | prev | | history3 | | next | | glossary | the idea of god in the millennium yahweh, the only god of the hebrews. we have already seen the eclipse of the old gods and the rise of the new ones in india during the millennium that opened with zarathushtra and ended with the advent of jesue. the monotheistic idea greatly developed during this period among the jews who were a subject race under the persians and whose religion was influenced by zoroastrianism. as judaism later gave much to christianity and mohammedanism, the knowledge of the belief in the godhead among this people is of great interest, and we shall discuss it in brief. a race of sturdy nomads of semitic stock tending their flocks from times immemorial in the arabian desert, of handsome features with prominent aquiline nose, is seen settling down in palestine about thirteen centuries before the christian era. many of their kinsmen had laboured and suffered as slaves in egypt, until moses brought them deliverance. the hebrews, as the people are known to history, found their new settlement already populated by the civilized canaanites. the new - comers intermarried with them and adopted their civilization. they succeeded later in founding a kingdom, and under the heroic ruler david, jerusalem became the centre of jewish religious life and the sanctuary of their national god yahweh. during the period of the divided kingdoms of judah and israel prophetic literature of great value arose and enriched human thought. the kingdom of israel ended in 721 b. c., and judah met with her destruction in 586 b. c. the persians brought the jews deliverance and allowed them to restore the temple of jerusalem that was destroyed by nebuchadnezzar. they flourished under the tolerant persian rule, codified their religious laws, collected and copied the sermons and teachings and songs and ancient writings that they stilt possessed. thus in a few centuries more there came into being the scriptures known as the old testament, the most precious legacy of the hebrews to mankind. when they had lived in small groups, each tribe had its god, whom the people worshipped. gradually a more powerful god from among these won the universal respect of the race. he was yahweh, worshipped in the earlier stages in the form of a brazen serpent, until the idol worship gave place to a purer form of godhead


a more powerful god from among these won the universal respect of the race. he was yahweh, worshipped in the earlier stages in the form of a brazen serpent, until the idol worship gave place to a purer form of godhead. his dominion over men was contested by baal of tyre who received devotion from the people side by side with him both in israel and judah. yahweh ultimately came out successful and remained the only god of the hebrews. the prophet amos ( 760 b. c. ) raised him to monotheistic grandeur and spoke as the mouth - piece of yahweh. hosea and isaiah preach against idolatry and the prophets are incessantly enjoining upon the people not to make idols or graven images and they exhort them not to worship any other god but yahweh. it is said that yahweh is a jealous god and brooks no homage but to him. the children of israel had suffered in egypt where they were in bondage. god heard their groaning and had compassion on them. he appeared unto moses in a flame of fire, burning in a bush, and said that he had come down to deliver the suffering children of israel from bondage to a place flowing with milk and honey. he gave him ten commandments for the guidance of the people. therein he demands that man shall fear him, walk in his ways, cleave unto him, obey him, love him, and serve him with all his heart and all his soul. he has chosen israel unto himself above all people as a beacon of light and righteousness to mankind. consequently, he demands that they shall serve him faithfully, and transgress not his commandments. if people walk in the lord ' s statutes and keep his commandments, he gives them seasonal rains, full crops, protection against the attacks of animals and men, victory and offspring. he goes with the armies of israel to the battlefield and fights for them against the enemies. but when they transgress his commandments, worship idols or other gods or turn apostates, he breaks the pride of their power, lets loose their enemies over them, and chastises them by visiting their country with plagues and pestlences, famines and droughts, desolation and death. it was for the inequities of his wayward children that yahweh sent tiglath - pileser as his scourge to punish them and put them under the


famines and droughts, desolation and death. it was for the inequities of his wayward children that yahweh sent tiglath - pileser as his scourge to punish them and put them under the assyrian yoke. the prophet isaiah tells the people that yahweh uses assyria as his rod to punish them. those who seek yahweh, find him. he does not fail or forsake them. but when they forsake him, and provoke him to anger, he casts them away forever. but even then if people repent, humble themselves before him, fall down on their faces, rend their clothes, and weep, he relents, forgives them, comes back to them, takes them under his protecting wings, helps them, and prospers them. the psalms and prophets are replete with higher ethical sentiment and aim at reforming the motives of conduct rather than regulating it by ceremonial observances. they are full of fervent expressions of religious emotion. god is depicted here as the compassionate father who looks to all as his children. judaism prepares the way for a nobler type of godhead that was to be preached by jesus. taoism and confucianism. animism and ancestral worship ministered to the spiritual needs of the people in china from the earliest times. as in the other parts of the world, the higher conceptions of gods or of some one supreme principle like heaven as god were gradually evolving among the sages. tradition places the golden age of china in about 3000 b. c. but the authentic historical records do not go beyond a millennium before the christian era. it is in this period that great religious and social ideals were preached that have shaped the chinese life for all time. the country was harassed by feudal warfare, and famine and pestilence worked havoc, adding to the misery of the people. perplexed at the visitation of misfortunes and calamities, wail goes up to heaven from a poet in the eighth century b. c. complaining that heaven is unjust and merciless in its dealings with mankind. such complaints are however drowned in the chorus that heaven does not will evil. it is man ' s own fault, in consequence of which he suffers. man is born good, it is said, but when he goes astray from the path of goodness, he brings calamity on his head. when there were strife and chaos stalking the earth, the sages


in consequence of which he suffers. man is born good, it is said, but when he goes astray from the path of goodness, he brings calamity on his head. when there were strife and chaos stalking the earth, the sages felt that peace and harmony reigned above in heaven. perfect was the way or heaven or the tao or the one universal principle, the ultimate reality. happiness would fall to the lot of mankind, if it followed faithfully the way. the imitation of the way or heaven was therefore the ideal of earthly conduct. it was virtue and virtue brought happiness. man ' s duty was to cultivate the way and the sages undertook to teach it to mankind. the way was one which to all thinkers looked alike, but the methods of reaching it as taught by them were different. lao - tze, a great mystic born in 601 b. c., is the founder of taoism. he teaches quietism. confucius ( 551 - 479 b. c. ) is the man of the world and teaches a moral code of personal conduct. his relgion is a discipline of life and his system is a reaction against taoism. ahura mazdaahura, mazda, and ahura mazda. the name of god still retains its two elements separate. these have not yet coalesced into one word. in the metrical sections of the younger avesta the two elements are sometimes used apart from each other, or either one of the terms may be used to designate the supreme being, but in the prose compositions the collocation ahura mazda generally occurs as a compound phrase. in the formation of compounds, however, either ahura or mazda alone is used for the sake of convenience. the ahura compounds such as ahura - dhata, ' created by ahura, ' ahura - tkaesha, ' of the faith of ahura, ' or the adjectival form ahuiri, ' of ahura, ' invariably represent the divine lord ahura mazda. similarly, the mazda element in the compounds mazda - dhata, ' created by mazda, ' mazda - yasna, ' worshipper of mazda, ' mazdo - frasasta, ' taught by mazda, ' mazdo - fraokhta, or mazdaokhta, ' spoken by mazda, ' invariably stands for ahura mazda himself. | ahura mazda is the highest object of worship. ahura mazda still holds sovereign sway over both the worlds ;


mazdo - fraokhta, or mazdaokhta, ' spoken by mazda, ' invariably stands for ahura mazda himself. | ahura mazda is the highest object of worship. ahura mazda still holds sovereign sway over both the worlds ; his authority in the world of righteousness is undisputed, and his imperial right is unchallenged. he is the greatest and the very best of the angels. 1 the old persian inscriptions speak of him as the greatest of the divinities. 2 the archangels and angels dutifully carry out mazda ' s orders. reverence for him has never abated, and adoration of him does not languish with the advent again of the old indo - iranian divinities. like the dual divinities varuna - mitra who received joint invocation during the indo - iranian period, ahura - mithra or mithra - ahura are invoked together. ahura generally takes precedence and mithra stands second in the compound, 3 but in the nyaishes composed in honour of hvare khshaeta or the sun and mithra, as also in the yasht dedicated to mithra, 4 the order is reversed and we have then mithra - ahura. he is yet the sublimest goal of human aspiration. the best of all sacrifices and invocations are those of mazda. 5 | | 1. y16. 1 ; yt17. 16. 2. dar. pers. d. 1 ; xerx. elv. 1 ; xerx. van. 1. 3. y1. 11 ; 2. 11 ; 3. 13 ; 4. 16 ; 6. 10 ; 7. 13 ; 17. 10 ; 22. 13. 4. ny1. 7 ; 2. 7, 12 ; yt10. 113, 145. the faithful acknowledge their indebtedness to ahura mazda and devoutly offer to him their homage and sacrifice. 6 they worship him with the very life of the body, 7 and they long to reach him through the medium of fire, through the good mind, through righteousness, and through the deeds and words of wisdom, as well as through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds. 8 ahura mazda, in fact, is implored to be their very life and limb in both the worlds. 9 it is through the best righteousness that the true in heart aspire to behold the lord to approach him, and to associate with