Sarah Aaronsohn was a twenty-first century woman in a nineteenth-century world. She and her siblings were born as part of the first wave of Jewish immigrants who fled the pogroms of Russia and Eastern Europe in the 1880s; settling in the province of Syria-Palestine. By the outbreak of World War I in 1914 the settlers had come a dramatic distance in creating the Eretz Israel of their Biblical prophecies. Sarah’s home village of Zichron Ya’akov brought prosperity to their lands between the Mediterranean coast and the Mount Carmel range. But when the Ottoman Turkish Empire sided with Kaiser Wilhelm II and the other Central Powers in World War I; the Jewish settlements faced cruel oppressions.This book describes how the Aaronsohns; one of the most prominent families in the province; came to commit themselves and their comrades to the Allied side and how they formed the NILI espionage organization to spy against the Turkish Army. Late in the war; in 1917; Sarah assumed command of the spy network as the group’s penetration of the Turkish army reached a critical juncture. Sarah was idolized by T.E. Lawrence; the fabled Lawrence of Arabia who dedicated his flowery biography; The Seven Pillars of Wisdom; to her.
#380432 in Books Edwards Jonathan 2015-06-08Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.02 x .27 x 5.98l; .39 #File Name: 1614278202114 pagesThe Nature of True Virtue
Review
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. love to GodBy D. T. KlevenThis is the second part of two dissertations; the first being The End for Which God Created the World). The first deals with the glory of God; this deals with what constitutes true virtue. It was written to expose the fallacies of other views of virtue which sought to define it without reference to God; but only to the goodness of man.He starts with a basic definition: "virtue is the beauty of the qualities and exercises of the heart; or those actions which proceed from them...[or] what that is; which renders any habit; disposition; or exercise of the heart truly beautiful." His answer to what "virtue most essentially consists in;" sounds strange at first: "true virtue most essentially consists in BENEVOLENCE TO BEING IN GENERAL." He then develops this to show how since God is the source of all being and has infinitely more being than anything else; virtue must consist mostly in love (benevolence) to Him; and love to fellow creatures.He explains two types of love. Love of benevolence is "that affection or propensity of the heart to any being; which causes it to incline to its well-being; or disposes it to desire and take pleasure in its happiness." Love of complacence is "delight in beauty; or complacence in the person or being beloved for his beauty."As usual; there is so much to stretch the mind into areas never considered before. Have you ever been happy for God because He is so happy? "A benevolent propensity of heart is exercised; not only in seeking to promote the happiness of the being towards whom it is exercised; but also in rejoicing in his happiness."His chapter on "natural conscience" was very thought provoking. Edwards explains how it is that man by nature "approves or disapproves the moral treatment which passes between us and others." A sobering thought was that "The natural conscience; if well-informed; will approve of true virtue; and will disapprove and condemn the want of it; and opposition to it; and yet without seeing the true beauty in it." Similar to his reasoning in A Divine and Supernatural Light. His description of the final judgment at the close of this chapter is so helpful in describing the sinfulness of man and the total justice of that final judgment; so that "their consciences will approve the dreadful sentence of the judge against them."This is one of the most philosophical of Edwards's writings. It takes intense thought to follow his reasoning; but I found some of the most delightful meditations on love for God to be the result.Highly recommended.28 of 28 people found the following review helpful. Great Christian classic on True Virtue (virtue ethics)By Chris LeeAt the present time; .com is not listing that it's not just Edwards; but specifically; Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758); the same one that wrote "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God". Thus; he is strongly classically evangelical; believing in the doctrines of original sin; love for God... and subsequent Christian teachings such as love for enemy; love for neighbor.The summary of the book for those versed in virtue ethics is that Jonathan Edwards comes out as an agape-virtue ethicist. He thinks of the highest virtue of love ("The General nature of true virtue is love"; p.85); which he does not name as agape; but that he does describe as unconditional love towards God; and then proceeding from this virtue; the true virtue of love of neighbor.It's a rather difficult read; and unlike a lot of sermons which have a flow in argument or repeat their points over and over; and wrap up with a conclusion; Edwards more makes multiple stabs at various points.Virtue; to Edwards; is the beauty of the quality and exercises of the heart; or those actions which proceed from them (p.2); and true virtue most essentially consists in benevolence to being in general (p.3). Thus; virtue most essentially consists in love (that is to say; that true virtue should inspire acts of love; but acts of love may not be representative of true nature); and true beauty is also the individual's harmony to the universe. There is also a distinction between love of complacence (almost similar to 'eros'); which presupposes beauty; and love of benevolence (specifically looking at God's love; which is not limited to things we consider beautiful). Thus; God's love is uncondition; which is linked to His character; exemplifying true virtue. Also; true virtue is not related to love of gratitude or reciprocity.Agape love is also explained here; as the 'highest good of the object of love;' 'the highest good of all over the good of one;' and 'opposition of evil'. A number of these are further expounded in chapter 1."True virtue must chiefly consist in love to God;" Jonathan Edwards declares (p.14). And the secondary ground of love is moral excellency. Edwards also links that the love of God supremely is causal (and linked) with loving others; loving one's neighbor. But true goodness is tied into the purpose of glorifying God (p.25). And then morality must be God-focused and then subordinately benevolent (p. 26)Chapter 3; Edwards talks about primary beauties; such as benevolence; and virtues (or beauties) of justice; wisdom; and secondary beauties such as regularity; order; symmetry; proportion; harmony; etc.; as external beauty reflects true spiritual beauty.It should be noted that Edwards has a few anachronistic terms; such as "self-love" -- which is not narcissism; but it is "love for our own happiness" (p.44) or "love to himself with respect to his private interest" (p.45). Self-love causes us to love those who either help us or promote our interests; and Edwards argues that this could develop a moral sense (of good/bad) (p. 51).One of Edward's strongest assumptions is that of original sin; that man is not capable of true virtue (i.e.; loving God; and thus others) because of original sin; and that anger is not a good illustrator of virtue due to this original sin (depravity of man). He also describes this "true negative moral goodness" (p.91) in all men which also mistake things for true virtue; as well as desire wickedness or do wickedness; or have moral insensibility; or stupidity of conscience. He goes on to say that "all sin has its source from selfishness; or self-love not subordinate to a regard to being in general" (p.92) -- primarily resulting in resentment from God.Yet; genuine virtues restrain the advance of sin (namely pride and sensuality; p.96).
