The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-07-07
ENLARGEMENT.

The Larger the Heart the Greater Its
Capacity for True Enjoyment.
An apostle speaking in behalf of his
fellow-laborers in the Gospel, said to
the early Christians to whom he wrote:
''Our heart is enlarged" and then he
exorted them, saying: "Be ye also
enlarged" This solicitude as to their
being enlarged was fully warranted, If
only the enjoyment of those thus cared
for were taken into account. Were
there no actual restraints upon rational
enjoyment in the heart which is con-
tracted by ignorance, selfishness and
sinfulness, yet there must be great
limitation Of Its capacities for true en-
joyment. No one supposes that the
child is susceptible of the same degree
of happiness as the man. The ad-
vancing maturity of years develops the
powers, and enlarges the capabilities,
for rendering available the various
sources of enjoyment open to any in
the ways of life which they may
pursue. 9.r .na
Suppose that degraded Hindoo or
Hottentot should be raised to the condi-
ton of a Sir Isaac Newton, in the mas
terry of science, and obviously his ex-
pansion of mind must qualify him for
inconceivably more enjoyment than he
could have experienced in the low and
circnmscribed sphere of his former ex-
istence. As large vessel will hold
more than q small one, so in the en-
largement of the heart, it can contain
more than in its lesser dimensions. II
is common illustration of the different
degrees of Heavenly blessedness to say
that while some will enjoy more than
others; as zone star differeth from an
other star in glory" yet all will be
perfectly happy, for every vessel will
be full; none being but partly filled.
but all ready to overflow.
Now it is obvious that the enlarge
ment of the vessel would result in the
increase of what it may contain. The
larger the heart, the more enjoyment
it can have; and it may be SO small as
to have next to none ut all. The hap
piness of all mankind, therefore, both
here and hereafter, necessarily depends
upon their compliance with the injunc-
ton; "Be ye enlarged. Whatever Is,
conducive to intellectual, moral and
spiritual enlargement is tributary to
happiness. Knowledge and benevol-
lence and piety all open the highest
and purest sources of blissful expert
encei while ignorance and selfishness
and irreligion are essential elements of
wretchedness.
By retaining their natural contract
edness of views and aspirations, multi
tudes will continue far removed from
that in which they may be said to go ON
their way rejoicing, for they must re-
main strangers to that high and pure
enjoyment to which all should aspire
in the cultivation and exercise of the
hearts best affections. But any, in,
knowing what they ought to know,
and doing what they ought to do, and
being what they ought to be, as intelli-
gent, benevolent and consecrated serv-
ants Of God, may be no strangers to
enjoyment that Is worthy of the name,
and they can from their own happy ex-
perience testify, with the fullest assur-
.ance, that:
Religion never was designed
To make our pleasures iess."
1t is not impossible, however, 70 be
so destitute of this enlargement as to
know very little of what real pleasure
is, the heart not being large enough to
hold more than the merest trifle of real
delight. Those who can say with Paul
and his gospel associates +" Our heart
is enlarged" can enter into the mean
ing of those other words of tho same
apostle: II am filled with comfort, 1
am exceeding joyful in all our tribula-
tions;" and they can heartily join with
him in giving the exhortation to others:
" Be ye also enlarged. - Watchman.