The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1890-05-28
THE CARPING TONGUE.
How We May Become Pleasant
Objects in the Superior View.
Thoughtloss Criticism should De Avoided
by Wcll-McaninS Persons because
Through Love and federation Alone
Can They Serve the World.

| III Ouio dBo VI OrlIlClSln- aU noun
ing II not CRITICAL" says Iago-when we
all live under microscopes, and those of
us who are not undergoing curious self
scrutiny are the victims OF scrutiny
from every one else, the necessity Of
exercising gentle Judgment and of con-
trolling the tongue is more apparent
and more binding than it ever was be-
fore, says Harpers Bazar.
The advance of the race is certainly
very apparent from century to century,
and in the increased respect for women,
the abolition Of slavery, the discussion
of the death penalty, the growth of tho
accurate scientific spirit, the widening
application of mercy, this advance rs
plainly to be seen; an advance which Is
the leavening Of the lump, the eleva-
tion Of the individual making itself felt
in the whole race, the practical extern
sion and development of active Chris
tianity.
All this then proves the need Of q
high standard. But, Of course, the OK
istence Of this high standard must give
rise, In the nature OF things, to an ex-
acting spirit In relation TO 1t, and to the
utterance Of carping remark pertaining
to any falling short from 1t.
But it is to be doubted If carping and
criticism do much good In the world, II
they do not arouse hostility, and make
their subjects more determined in the
course that is found Objectionable. |
Surely that good which Is achieved by |
us through fear Of the remark Of others
or any thing Of that kind is not good,
is not growth, is perhaps merely ab-
stention from evil II IL arrives at even
so much as that, since that only Ia good
and Is growth which nrises from our
inner selves, the publication Of our do
sircs, the loftiness Of our motives aad
Intentions II 1t were not for the stim-
ulus Of this inner self, the aspiration to-
ward holiness, II not perfection, there
could be no real growth OF any sort,
since no normal growth comes fron tho
outside; the mere fact OF inheritance
through our fathers and forefa! a!hers
would impel as backward rsthor than
forward. We should revert 70 the saw
age and to the brute type Of our early
instead Of thrusting forward
70 the angelic type.
Thus we see that the existence Of q {
ofty standard Il itself . sign Of growth,
md that IL requires for its real useful
iess the gentle Judgment and controlled
peech.
As none Of US can know with certainty
ven what is attained BY sthsrs, since
Ve are neither omnipreselt or snai-
cient, we as certainly can NOT know l
ghat Is resisted and what is overcome,
nd thus our Judgment must always be
o incomplete In any case rs 10 be child
sh and fstile. In every creature Of US
II how many spiritual and physical hs-
uests from how many agss OF parents !
nitc, antagonizing and struggling and :,
iaking an inharmonious whole that !,
he inheritor has to do his best !,
accommodate to all the facts Of q
is own life, and from wkIAb he has to q
raw his strength snS inoentivol We K
light possibly have some right to u
1ticdse could We weigh and measure all II
ie separate elements, and form any n
'rrect idea at all Of that inner life q a.
le subject Of the criticism which Is SC
ldden from all human eyes, and usually "
great measure even from his own. ~
e can Of course regulate our own oon- 81 81
let where 1t Is wise or otherwise 10 "
pose trust and confidence IN this or
at person; but the cases seldom occur
here 1t becomes duty to expose these
asons, and he approaches the nearest
lofty standard in this regard who
aintains silence even where he thinks
knows with certainty as to another's
'ong-doing, until necessity or duty re-
Tres him 70 speak.
For, In fact, 1t is through love and IA
Ve alone that we serve the race, and ~
serving the race, without dreaming
1t, Serve ourselves. Love IL the ulti- J
Ite word Of the universe; love Is the =, ~
filling Of the law. u
Dur highest conception OF deity Is as
'eing Of love; and II Is only in exor- -.
ing the kindly faculties which lead
love OF humanity, In forgetting our \
yes In others that We approach divine az
'als and become pleasant objects In -
superior view. And one OF tho first
thods Of that kindly exercise, and CHI
OF the easiest after little practice, Gu
he suspension Of harsh Judgment and
bridling OF that unruly member
ich St James described as q fre and 4
world Of iniquity, saying; Behold t anl
v great . matter q ittlo fre kin ane rne
tn" .....r GoI