THE QUIET HOUR.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12390, 8 July 1933, Page 2

THE QUIET HOUR.

CRITICISM, CONSTRUCTIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE. (Contributed by the Pahiatua Ministers’ Association;. The word “Criticism," says a •writer in The Mar Cry, was m used to indicate the passing of censorious judgment, and risen two centuries later, to indicate a ‘■fair and balanced judgment, and these two definitions have survived to the present day. Thus in a broad seif.-e, when we find a person passing judgment on merit, we nu v regard him as a critic. In our association with people in the everydav life, we find that most are consciously or unconsciously verbal or silent critics. Considering their value to us, we divide them into two main and an intermediate group; and will call them the “destructive,” the ‘ constructive,” and the “negative critics.

Those whose judgment is biased bv prejudice, dogmatism, bad temper, etc., are worthless and may tend to embitter one, or toul the fount's of inspiration, and are thus destructive in the spiritual as well as the material sense, ihey are, then, obviouslv of no value to the person of average intelligence, because Man’s natural inclination is to build and develop rather than to destroy .. . . The negative critic is usually an unqualified person who instinctively “feels” that something is wrong, although he may be unable definitelv to point out just where or why. He is of value only in that he may draw attention to an hitherto unnoticed irregularity or defect which may became apparent on closed and more qualified investigation. The constructive critic is one who strives that hih judgment shall be unbiased, based oil a. sound knowledge. and well considered, and is usually backed by helpful suggestions/ The worth of this critic is well-known, and so in every field of human enterprise, we may find him rendering valuable service. .During our early education, we are under the supervision of teachers and inspectors; the team or person desiring to excel in sport or other endeavour, employs a competent coach; while the business man utilises the services of auditors and efficiency experts. These people are engaged for the express purposes of locating mistakes or misapplications of effort, to repair or point out a way to repair ill-effects of past mistakes, and to direct future efforts to the best advantage. They have been paid to "criticise and we endeavour to us their suggestions for our advantage. Then there are the unpaid critics, spiritual men and friends, who deal with “us.” When they detect in us what we subsequently realise to be actually faults and imperfections it is clear they do us no wrong, since it is not they who cause them, rather they render \is a service, as they inee us from the evil of ignorance of these defects. Although we naturally feel inclined otherwise, we should not be angry, because they know them, and we feel they must despise Us, if we are despicable. What, then, would we say to our own heart when we see it, in a quiet frame of mind? For ife it not a fact that we are inclined to hate the truth about ourselves and those who tell it us, and love those who deceive themselves in our favour, and that we wish to be esteemed as other than we often are? When we are inclined to criticise another, is it not wise to pause a moment and reflect? We have noticed mistakes other people make in criticism—may we not make the same mistakes ourselves? Are we in possession of sufficient knowledge to enable us to judge fairly ; is our judgment necessary for the other’s well-being? Having decided these in the affirmative, it calls for tact to convey our suggestions to the person concerned, in a clean-cut manner, yet which does not offend the sensibilities to such an extent that they are rejected unconsidered. On the other hand, we should not fall into what appears a modern tendency to exaggerate when the criticism is favourable; to hail new personalities, artists and achievements as the greatest and best since the world began. In reading of Christ’s earthly ministrations, we find He is often the critic . criticising among other things, the self-righteousness of the Pharisee and the misplaced zeal or unwise’y-directed efforts of His disciples. Tucked away in three verses if the Gospel of St. Puke, is one illustration of this. The mothers had brought their little ones that Christ might touch them ; but His disciples, solicitous for His welfare, thought the children might disturb H im, and told them to go away. Then .Jesus called them back again and uttered what is perhaps one of the most beautiful and conclusive t/houghts to be found in His Word : ‘‘Suffer little children to come unto Ale, and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of God. Verily, I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child, shall in no wise, enter therein.” The disciples had thought only of His comfort, but He gently showed them their indiscretion, and showed the children and adults of the world the way to Heaven, and thus, each time He criticised, He also pointed out a way of escape and of salvation. And down through the ages since, people have become public figures because of their constructive criticism . Florence Nightingale, in active criticism of the Inck of consideration for wounded soldiers on the Peninsula, organised her army of nurses and set about righting the wrong, the whole of civilisation profiting from her example. William Booth, appalled by the, conditions prevailing in the East End of London, critically surveyed the situation and inaugurated a campaign providing for the material as well as the spiritual welfare of those he made it his business to deal with And *0 to-day we find men and women inspired by such glorious

examples, whose business it is not “to thank God they are not as others are,” but rather, who metaphorically and literally take off their coats, roll up their sleeves and set to work' to improve earthly conditions, strengthen the moral courage of the aimlessly drifting human derelict, and by their kindly and helpful criticism to bring strength where weakness is apparent and generally to encourage the faulty and lift them towards a higher and better standard. That there is a place within the ranW.s for critiques of this character, no right-thinking person will gainsay. There is no place for any other kind.