# The Heart

*Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-19 — 1 clipping.*

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> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Emma Maxie Jones, The Heart, bahai-library.com.
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> 
> THE HEART
> By Emma Jones
> 
> J would like to share with you this afternoon some thoughts on the heart of man. The heart is
> something we take for granted until something goes wrong - this applies to our spiritual heart as well as
> our physical heart.
> The heart is a small muscular organ situated in the left side of the chest. It is a single organ - we
> have two eyes, two ears, two lungs, two kidneys, etc. but only one heart. Without it's functioning we
> could not live. It is a single organ, but it has two halves - inlet and outlet. It's function is to pump the life
> force carried in the bloodstream throughout the entire body. If not sufficient force or energy is
> forthcoming from the heart's action, we see conditions of disease or imperfection become manifest. It       iJ
> "ecessary for it to be constantly nourished in order to perform perfectly. The lungs take in the breath of
> fife or oxygen but it is the heart's job to force it throughout the body                    . -.1
> There is a poiarity in the body - the negati vt! and the positive and an inlet and outlet. This applies
> .to thespiritual consciousness as well.
> The scriptures teach us about the two worlds - the physical and the spiritual - as above as below -
> "Thy Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven". The Kingdom couldn't be on earth as it is áin heaven if
> the earth and Heaven were not similar - similar conditions common to both.
> The scriptures teach also that the Kingdom of God is within us. Now how can the Kingdom of God
> be within us - man?
> In our search for the answer we find that the heart is used as a symbol for the love of God manifest
> to and through mankind. 7£{ t '-"                                                         : ;, (
> in Romans 10 _!'9&10-we are told the heart of man believeth - Peter 3 -3 &4 .....         the hidden man
> -0f the heart in that whi~1s not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet s'j;lrit.
> ln this day the same truth is stated by Baha'u'llah- 0 Son of Dust All that is in heaven and earth I
> ~ave ordained for thee_,except the human heart, which I have made the habitation of my Beauty and
> Glory.
> lt is interesting to note in the old and new Testaments the kinds of heart man is subject to. There is
> the, hard heart, the stony heart, the double heart, the bitter heart, the fearful heart, the adamant heart and
> the understanding heart, the large heart, the soft heart, the meek and lowly heart, the sound heart.
> These are all qualities of the heart - qualities that being expressed, color the actions and re-actions
> of the one giving out.
> Baha;u'Uah shows us some of the functions of the heart as well as describing the qualitie of th
> heart. He likens it unto a tablet upon which thin .scan be inscribed- it can al o be a mirror -refl ting
> whatever it is focusing on. He likewise likens    r fan in which can be planted seeds that will bring forth
> their kind. He al o refers to the cities of men's heart,s. In analyzing this analogy we disco er a citá i a
> center of great activity - has mllch light and energy; ti the hub or heart f r th urrounding area. It i a
> (oca1 point from which i generated many ideas and activities.                               ~the phy ical heart and the spiritual heart are one. The human heart is one in that h art in      ry
> roan, has the ame mu cular formation, the ame purpo e, th am n d and i obj l t th am
> THE HEART
> qualiti . It doe not matter what. part of the earth one lives in or what color of kin the body may be
> wra\)ped in. The hearts are one in nature and function.
> We speak of the heart of mankind- kind means species - so we speak of the species of man. There
> are atl kinds of men - just like we have all kinds of trees. There's a kind of man that has a short body and
> tong legs, or the reverse, there's the fat kind of man, or the thin kind of man, the tall, the short, the selfish,
> the generous kind of man- all kinds of man. These men all have the same kind of heart subject to the
> same kinds of qualities. We have all kinds of color in these various kinds of men. The long legs or the red
> color do not keep him from being man. He still belongs to the species and is one of the various kinds of
> inen.
> Also we find all kinds of qualities amongst mankind - loving, honest, generous, lazy, lying. These
> qualities show the color of the heart of men. "As a man thinketh, in his heart, so is he". Let's say this
> tlifferently - As a man thinketh in his hearc"o is he. Both give the-same coloring to the quality of the man.
> His heart's nature discloses the nature of the man. His every act, or thought expressed is colored by his
> feelings.
> The heart is the seat of emotions. We cannot give out what we do not have stored within. It is not
> ours to give because we do not have it. We cannot give out selfishness if we are free from that quality.
> We discover through our study of the scriptures the heart of man and it's condition has been the
> theme of all the messages given by the prophets. From the time of Adarfi •p until now the prophets have
> all come for the purpose of enlightening the hearts of men and lifting them up and away from the earthly
> attachments.
> They have livedfught and pleaded for the regeneration of men's hearts - for the second birth, the
> awareness or consciousness of the world beyond. If you start on ajoumeyjou should have an idea of
> where you are going.
> Baha'u'llah said one of the paradoxes was that man was to live in the world, but not be of it. Our
> struggle is to keep our hearts or the centers of our affections, from being attached to the earth. The
> pl"ophets have given us many teachings on this subject. They have always drawn their followers, by word
> and life toward a higher affection. Man was created for love, and because he is a manifestation of love he
> has to express love. Love is the motivating _powerof the world. It is expressed by cohesion in the mineral
> realm~ and in other forms in the other realms. Man is the highest expression of love, so;therefor to be true
> to his kind, he has to express the highest love, and that is to love without any barriers or limitations.
> In order to have love to express we must open up the receptacles of love in our heart and tum them
> toward the source of the outpouring of love - as we would open up our hands and lift up our face toward
> the sky if we wanted to catch rain or sunshine. We have to connect with the source in order to have a
> supply. And if we do this just now and then, we have love to give out only now and then. In order to have
> love to enjoy within ourselves and to express to others, we have to keep the channel open in order for it to
> come into our hearts and pass through on to others.
> God sets the standard for us in our expression of love. All men regardles of their type or color,
> have access to the same sunshine, rain, wind, cold, heat, need for shelter and clothing - all can call n
> His Divine Mercy for forgiveness, all can rely upon Him for guidance, all can pray to Him, aJl rec i his
> THJ~HEART
> outpouring of love. And when one expr ásses love to anoth r by thought, xpression or deed, the ihrntion
> is the same. It is lo c expressed, regardless of the type of person.
> God's love is the same in the east as it i in the west. All the prophets have told o • the On God,
> one creation, one earth, one humanity and love summons people to the one God. The heart of all th~
> Religions has been love, and r ligion is the attitude toward God reflecting in Jif . Religion is lov
> expressed.
> In the scriptures we find many references to the conditions that will exist al the time of fulfillment,
> nnd the condition of men's hearts is dwelt upon. Mentjon was made earlier of the hard heart. and the stone
> heart. Also the scriptures tell us of the failing of the hearts in the latter days because of fear. Heart disea
> is the number one killer in our country, not the world. We consider ourselves a leader among the nations
> be~~auseof our material progr,s, and we have become perhaps the most materialisti nation - thereby
> being the least concerned with pour spiritual condition or progress. Hearts are afflicted with fear - the fear
> of not having enough money, or having security - and affiicted because we do not have faith and
> confidence in the Almighty provider. We do not know God's love. The world is full of fear and hate. This
> is the age of suspicion and mistrust - because the amalgamating force - love which binds together - is no
> longer present. Conflict and combat are the products of fear.
> Men have come to fear everything, 0th.er religions, other cultures, other classes, other races. There
> is no Jove of God being expressed today, so we have suspicion and fear to combat. If we had love we
> would have understanding.
> Our own country is in strife today because because we do not understand that color of skin does
> not have anything to do with the color of the heart, neither does it qualify the love expressed by the heart
> encased in a colored skin.
> Nowhere in the scriptures do we read about God creating the different races and which one was
> created first and which one was more important. All we can find is a statement of His having created man.
> ls it not possible to realize that grief is just as real to a yellow mother who has lost her babe as it is to a
> white mother'? When they both cry out in ang11ishand say "Oh God spare my little one", have we any
> reason to believe there is any difference in God's response? Aren't the tears shed by a redskin just as wet
> as those shed by the black skin?
> 1n a family I know, there is a set of twins - one is very dark and the other is blonde. Was this a
> cause for discord? Is either one discriminated against because of the difference in coloring? No - we think
> because they were born into the same family they should be equally loved and cared for. Cannot we apply
> trus on a wider area?
> The Divine teachings tell of the separating of the families or tribes and their scattering over the
> face of the earth. They also tell the time when these families shall be re-united again into one fold with
> one shepard.
> This is the time of fulfillment. There are not many who doubt it or even th se who professedly know little
> of the scriptures, are aware of the time in whkh we live. This js the tim when the prophc-cie~are to be
> fulfilled, when the spirit is to ouide us unto all truth. The time when we will have one fold and one
> shepard one lord and his name one. You see the criptures say it will be the time of onene , - ne fold •
> ./           1              •
> 
> onr shepard on Lord one home.
> }
> THE HEART
> Baha'u'llah, the Glory of God, prodaim tbi to be the time of oneness. He proclaims, among
> other things, we must become conscious of our oneness. All the barriers of differences that man has bujlt
> up over the past centuries - differences such as languages, boundari s, cultures, custom~ etc. - these
> barriers have fallen one after another in approximately 100 year .
> Do we think we can hold out against God? God deer ed centuries ago that at a certain time this
> oneness would come about. Does not history record the futility of man in trying to escape the Divine
> Decree. Why not acquiesce and say Thy will be done. The urge of the age is oneness. Why are people so
> afraid of the color of the skin? It does not rub off. We should be more concerned with the coloring of
> hearts, becau e that coloring does rub off.
> As a man thinketh, in his heart, so is he. Let us think loving thoughts. Let our hearts be mirrors and
> reflect love to our fell ow men that God bestows upon us.
> The Holy writings state:
> Love is of God
> Love worketh no ill
> There. is no fear in love
> Love is as stron~ as death
> Owe no man anything, but to love
> Love covereth all sins
> J
> Let us think about our hearts. W e have been told we are to be called to account for our doings.
> Can we freely respond? Are our hearts filled with love - are they the fortified city?
> Let us beware e;s our hearts become fearful and contracted - the blood cannot flow throughá       ,f
> 
> _ olherwis~we become ill physically and spirilually. If oul hearls are opRn, generous, loving, we have a .c::::,_
> large heart.                                                         A.
> A Tablet Abdu'I-Baha wrote to a Baha'i in Paris. Quote~
> When we acquiesce - when we have faith or confidence all things we be right in the ultimate, we
> are relaxed, free, content. However this is not a passive state where we sit and wait for God to
> work it out. Life is expressed in forms of action. Doubt is stillness. We have to do our part and
> show interest by asking for guidance and then doing as we are bidden and then the miracle of
> experiencin~ the working out of a difficult problem or situation is our own. We have to ha e faith.
> patience. For everything there is a sign, a season, a time we have been told by the Divine
> Messengers.
> Mrs. Hazelton. This soul demonstrated Faith and acquiescence.
> 
> Love is universal Hearts are universal. There is not a person without one. In order to be in tune
> with the urge of the age. we have to be universal in our concepts. To grow we have to become bigger and
> to become bigger we have to grow. Growth is our expansion and enlargement. Let's trive to enlarge our
> hearts to see how much love we can put into them. Of course we won't be able to hold onto it, because
> love ii;; a force and it moves. But we can see how large we can make our hearts, and how far and\ ide \ e
> 
> PrHr<> 4 ,..f7
> THEIIEART
> can seen"' tbc lo\át (ot\"t no~,o~ 1hroup u$. Tbc moro wt uw- ,;the W'Ollicr 11will be0omt' II 11dN
> ~~ ror« 10tbc ,.o,111, IItnunlr,h o,cr fc&n ~ bak~ No nun can •1lh1taod 1L
> --
> 62 & 6.' ICilld I ,chn31J
> ~ ..,.;thP 78. (Gl.td TidjnpJ
> 
> ACC0\1~A YING NO'I bS
> We ~nc 1$ .. Oood tc for IO\C Tbc 'IQICf qu.inlll)" "C t.akc •~C ITIOK lhc wall• o( our hcat1"'-;
> ~ c,pmdtn~. Thi~rnun (Of us 3 $(tl)QJ phy~cal hc.u1 a.,.,.               ell as o 6lt0Dg ,pint~  cood1t1on. Wbco e
> IO\c, &r\' .a•1tt o( be~ to,cct and c:an'-''c 001 IO\"C,.c ha\c no (car - only confidcoce or faith.
> 111:a,,t'
> \1/c ll.l't &<airc: .and \\hen a ,ácu,cl 1~ (ull)'OU c&Q.OOt
> pul llll)'lh10, cl~ 111it - 11,pell• out Fe.ataousa ooe lo
> dtl• up - I.be-muscl(S 10contnK't )(I t&rc is a rcune11on on the nowof rbc bfood - the hfc fon:c. tbe
> ellefl)' Then "C b«omc weu. dcbth.ated, l~c\: of cn1huua.,m no 11mbl11onThe life,~                      h1, bttn
> ~ l"'-liJac bo..,,yourhc.t.11,~ opcocd '"''ck. Ilic blood begao, lO arc,.,t..1c ,note fr«I) &ad ,..,lb ao
> <12CfJ1t1ngfon.-c You become \UOOJ and rou~icou, fc:chn11\.ombiuou..; You 11ra_01                10 ,o out aDd cooqucr
> ~n~.           Th\" t.bc~od111ono( a 10,,ag bc.a11.Do we-not ~pea). o( people-& bc1n, bi, hearted Ilg.ht
> bQJted. de.~ B«a~ lhc) it.n they hJ,c 1umed 10 lbe power house of love, aDd tbc) h.a,c Of)CJ)c:d                 up 11II
> tbc doon and 111\JUIJ.loi thtoud) tbcni l'bey uc b3ppicr, bea.11.lucr            3.Ddla~• hcattcd bcclu~ the) att {M,lJ
> ol~          q~11.trs 8ah.t u UahQ)'!i I\\Jcd~cannot grasp mr. men•~ bcaru cootlln me
> -               IA'o-cbu.aids II ttca:.C$. II geocnies the quahtJcs o( lovr workclb no 111b1s no fear. tJ as w-oni u
> dQl.h.keeps lhc u111tyo( !be $pint
> 
> RF.A.r-tENCES
> GIAdT1d111p
> De~     o( J>(dect1onp ire bouom pp
> a-nep78
> flurt U A lllllTOt p 98
> Trucsc-ckcr-banu,c::uo(Rc,ct.1,on           p88&     Pcrnlln IZ1 H\V
> TaN~ cl he3n p 76
> Smt-tiried ~3n p 72
> Sm, C ~lJi ~ :and_, p 69
> BhDIIN's.,of bc.ut, p 6-1
> RadLAA!  ~ p 6J & 52
> llldinc hc::uu. p 63
> rá1amc& ~rch ,n beam p 62
> ~dhe.rt,      p61 &62
> FAO!o~<n1cl be-anp 60
> HW1,     p61
> ~ hc.ln p'.SS
> C1tit, cl mtn ~ Mtm. p s,
> TJ{EHEART
> addened heart, p 49
> Differ n sin apacit of individuals, p 36 lop
> Maturity of man, p 26
> Purp se & shepard, p 21
> 
> Gleanings - - -
> The heart p. 323 - very good
> 
> Hidden Words - - -
> 1am within thee p 14
> #:2Pond.er this in thy heart, how it behooveth thee to be
> -& 43 & 44 & 76 Persian 81?
> 1/36Gladness of heart
> 148 For everything there is a sign - patience
> #66 Hearts cannot contain me
> #68 all created from same dust
> 
> Bible - - -
> Hard heart - Mk 8: 17
> Double heart - Chr 12:33
> Understanding heart - Kng 3:9, 12
> Largeness of heart - Kng 4:29
> Heavy heart - Prov 25:20
> Soft heart - Job 23: 16
> Heart is deep - Ps 64:6
> Sound heart - Ps 119:88
> Better heart - Prov 14: 10
> Fearful heart - Isa 35:4
> Stone heart - Ezek 11: 19
> Adamant - Zach 7: 12
> Meek & lowly - Mat 11:29
> Discerning heart - Eccl 8:5
> With the heart man believeth - Rom 10: 10
> Hi-dden man of heart Peter l :3,4
> When fear shall be in the way - ,eel 12:5
> Ht>~rtsfailing hec.nuseof fe~r - rAlke J2:26
> Fca1 uf man brir1geth a. narc- Pwv 29.25
> Fear of Lord tcndeth to life - Prov I :23
> Not high minded hut prayerfull - R m l :20
> Lov • is of the Lord - 1 John 4:7
> THE HEART
> Love worketh no ill - Rom 13: 10
> No fear in love - 1 Jn 4: 18
> Love is as strong as death - Song of S 8:6 (?)
> Own no man anything, but to love - Rom 13:8
> Love covereth all sin - Prov 10: 12
> None other name given among men - Acts 4: 12
> New Name which mouth of Lord shall name - Isa 62:20
> One Lord and his name one -Zech 14:9
> Keep the uruty of spirit - Eph 4:J
> One fold one shepard - John 10:16
>
> — *The Heart (Used by permission of the curator)*