SUNDAY COLUMN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 34, 19 November 1938, Page 3

SUNDAY COLUMN

NEWS OF THE CHURCHES. (Conducted by the Ashburton Ministers’ Association). A SOUND HEART. Solomon said: “A sound heart is-the life of the flesh.” In this.ho expressed a truth that every age since has confirmed. If the heart is unsound there cannot be a healthy body. The heart is the engine of the body, and a good engine may make up for many other defects; but a defective engine will detract- from all other excellencies. But it is not only to the body that- the heart gives such vital service; it is equally essential to wholesome character. That there are over nine hundred direct references in the Bible to the heart is proof of the significant part i<* performs in all phases of our lives. There are

Two Functions of the Heart to which I wish to give consideration. They arc the physical and the spiritual. Physically it performs the vital function of circulating the blood through the body. In this way it feeds the body and carries off impurities. It performs this work of complete circulation in approximately three minutes, -and then sets off to repeat the work of pumping the- blood through- the body in complete circulation every three minutes throughout one’s lifetime. The work is done so quietly and regularly that we are not conscious of its action.

The labour required of the heart to keep the body sound can he judged by the following figures. The power exerted by the heart in 24 hours, if concentrated in one big lift, would raise a man 2000 feet high. In one year it would raise him 730,000 feet-. If calculated on a. life time it would lift him 9678 miles. We might visualise it better if we say that, could we conserve the power the heart exerts over a lifetime, it wo-uld he sufficient to send the body it inhabits right around the coast of Australia, give it a trip across to Tasmania, and then have pouler in reserve. This is an impressive achievement for an organ of the body, which in men weighs only eleven ounces and in women nine ounces. The workings of the heart alone would make us reecho the words of the Psalmist, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” The physical achievements of the hieurt are amazing, but they are far from being its greatest achievements. The mightiest power exerted by the heart is its

Power for Good or Evil. It is because of this that Solomon wrote, “Keep thy heart with all diligence ; for out of it are the issues of life.” Its power for evil is stated by Jesus when lie said, “For out of the heart proceed -evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.” Before there can he war, murder, massacre, or any of these appalling evils, it must he endorsed by the heart- of someone. Consider the result of the thougnt of -somebody’s mind*and endorsed by their heart, which was responsible for the war of 1914. Think of the sorrow, suffering, and death that resulted. Ten million men were slain. It is not easy to comprehend such a number. If these ten million slain were to pass your door, marching from daylight to dark, ten abreast, with each line only two seconds behind the other, it would take 46 days to pass. That would he true enough to receive the impression. One wonders what the feelings of those would he who were responsible for that war if they were to witness such a procession. Jeremiah knew something of man when he said: “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?” The world’s greatest tragedy—the crucifixion of Christ —was the outcome of wickedness of heart. John relates it in these words, “And supper being ended, the devil having now put it into the heart- «of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him.” ‘■Only a thought, hut the work it wrought Could never by pen or tongue he taught.” It is when the thought finds lodgment in and endorsement by the heart that mighty things, ho they good or evil, happen. A Powerful Instrument

Although the heart can be such for evil, it has just as great capacity for good. As the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringetli forth evil things, so the good man out of the good treasure of bis heart bringeth forth good things. Everyone knows the power for righteousness five temple was to the Jews; how God and holiness were always associated with it in their minds. • The interesting story of this great house begins in the heart of David. Solomon, referring to it, says: “And it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the Lord God of Isratel.” The restoration of the walls of Jerusalem, by which the reproach was lifted from Israel, was conceived and nourished m the heart of Nehe-miah. One ceases to wonder at its pewter for good when one remembers t-.iat the heart can be the dwelling place of deity. John in the fourteenth chapter of his Gospel gives us tliis assurance. Paul repeats it in his epistle to the Ephesians: “Christ may dwell in vour hearts by faith. ’

The heart is also the habitation of the Holy Spirit. “God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts” (Gal. 4:6). There is one other service in which we can all employ our hearts. In Ephesians d: 19 Paul refers to it thus: “Making melody in your hearts to the Lord.” Should we not sing with prayerful mind : “Oil, for a heart to praise my God! A heart from sin set free, A heart that’s sprinkled with the blood So freely shod for me. “Thy nature, gracious Lord, impart; Come quickly from above; Write thy new name upon, my heart. Thy new best name of Love.” THE WRONG LESSON. « Many a pointed story has been told in illustration of the necessity of making sure that the class or audience, before which Scripture is expounded receives the intended lesson. Unless the speaker iias a clear conception himself. and expresses the meaning of the narrative clearly and simply, extra*

ordinary misconceptions can anse. Wo dnro not vouch iov the truth oi the following charming story told by “The Congregational Quarterly. but it points a moral. “A little bov m Sunday school was asked by his teacher cvliat iesKon lie got from the story oi the Good iSaiharitan. ‘The lesson 1 get from it,’ he said, ‘is that when you are in trouble your neighbours ought to help you.’ ”