CRITICISM.

White Ribbon, Volume 25, Issue 290, 18 August 1919, Page 10

CRITICISM.

(\ contribution \\ lit ten b\ one of oui “\ •' CWf.) WhiH is critici-m? Primarily it is a judgment in literary and artistic mat •■is. but the woid has a secondary me 'lung, li-ttnclv, that of (c'.-ciir ‘ The nitical faculty i- on*' of man' 1 ' in‘>st valuable ;i>Mt>, sa\s Miss (.ait wight, “but it becomes dangerous if Used des-rie t'vely. Mistakes there .ue and must be >o long as imperfeU man lives in an im|>crfect world.” The ijuestion which arises naturally in fur minds is: Have we, as prolessing followeis of Christ, an\ light to criticise in a carping "i>i iit those around U"? Have we any just reason for detracting from another’s character. Have we anything in the teachings of Christ to justify us in censuring our fellow-man?

In answer to these questions let us ti»:n first to the words of Jesu. Chii>t. In the Sermon on the Mount, the Mas tei says: “Judge not. that yr be not judged, l or with what judgment y u judge ye shall be judged.” •

great law <1 cause . nd effect provides that what a man sows that shall he list) reap; therefore if we judge our neighbour harshly, so surely shall wc ourvlves be judged. In the Epistle to the Romans, St Paul sa\s; “Thou art inexcusable () man whosoever thou art that judgest, for wherein thou judgest another thou condomnest thyself; For thou that judgest (loot the same things.” It is a remarkable thing that in the majority* of cases the man. who criticises a fellow for a certain fault, has in a larger or smaller degree that fault in his own character. In illustration of this, here is a story recently told front a neighbouring pulpit. A missionary and bis two small soils were walking from their home to attend a church service >OlllO distance away. I’he d ly was very warm and the heat shimmered upon the pavement. The missionary said to his sons, “Look at that man ahe'l of i«s. Ilis coat is smothered in flies; I wonder what he has beneath it?” One of his children exclaimed, “Oh! father, your own coat is exactly the same hut you can’t see it.” How often we ignoiantly censure a fellowman and how often if we onl\ looked in our own heart we would find that we must remove the beam from our own ryes before attempting to remove ftie mote out of our brother s eye. By condemning our neighbour we do our-

selves more harm in the long iuii t! »n we do our neighbour. Paul says, “Wherein thou judges another thou condemn* st thyself.*' The habit of critic Ling grows upon ik until we can see no good point in our neigh bouis, and this harsh judgm-nt will be returned upon ourselves in full men sure. “The highest culture is to speak no ill; The best reformer is the man whose e\ es Are quick to see HI oeauty and all worth; And by his own discreet, w* 11-ordt . ! life Alone reproves the ening. When thy ga/e Ferns it upon thy own soul, be mos* severe. Hut when it falls upon a fellow nun Let kindliness mntrol it; and icfiain Front that belittling (ensure that springs forth , t From common lips like weeds from marshy soil.” How easy it is to take away oui neighbour’s character! A toss of tin head, a contemptuous curl of the lip or a malignant word, and the story tin s from mouth to mouth magnified a thousand times, and the object of our unkind criticism finds himself or her self “a dog with a bad name.” M.ci all, it one’s good name gate, wh i else is there? Riches, position, fame. What are they compared to a spotless reputation? Shakespeare makes one of hi> characters say, “(»ood name in man or woman Is the immediate jewel of theii souls; Who steals my puise steals trash; ’tis something, nothing; ’Twas mine, ’tis his, and has been slave to thousands; Hut he who filches from me my good name Robs me of that, whidi not enriches him. And makes me poor indeed.” Well may we say* “Set a watch, <> Lord, before the door of my lips that I offend not with my tongue.” And well may we follow the advi«e of old l’olonius to , “(iive every man thine ear but few thy voice; Take each man’s censure hut reserve thy judgment.”

In the parable of the (»ood Smiatitan, C'hiist tells bow the priest and the Levitc neglected a sorely -wound | man, and left him for a Saman'an t succour. Hut we do not read that thiv stood bv with their arms folded and criticised the way the Samaiitan did his rescue work. Let iis ben thi> m mind in church life, business life, and

so« ial life. If we are either too lazy or ton heedless to help oui wcakci brethren at least let us h ivy the gian to pass right on and not criticise those who are willing to do what h our duty. Hut let us not be lazy oi heedless. How much nobler to emu la*e the example of the Samaritan and bind up oui brother’s wounds and take him to an inn and see that In his the Ix st of care. Let u* be up and doing, correcting our own faults, caring tenderly for oui weakei brethren, and then we will have neither time nor inclination to be always crPicising real or imaginaiv fault? in oui neighbours' characters. “I he heights by gie.it men iear lied and kept, Wcic not attained by sudden flight. Hut they, while their companion* slept, Were toiling upward in the night If these great men had stood still tu criticise then brethren foi sleeping, would they have attained to and kept those heights they weie toiling to reach ? “There are hermit souls that Ini w it lull aw n In the peace of their self-content ; There are souls, like stars, that dwell apart, lit a fellow less firmament; There are pioneer souls th it b' theii paths Where highways never ran ; Hut let me live by the side of tbe road And be a friend to man. Let me live in a Imuso by the side <>l the road Where the race of men go by— They are good, they are bad, they at'’ weak, they are strong, Wise, foolish mi am 1. Then why should I sit in the scoruet - seat, O, huil the cynic’s ban? Let me live in my house by the side 1 of the road. And be a friend to man.”