The record-union., 1891-03-08
PEOPLE WHO CRIr1C1sE.
The More We Know of Subject the
Less We Are Inclined to Criticise.


There are some people in the world who
believe it to be their mission to criticise
others. They never by any possibility
accomplish anything of value themselves,
but they are always ready to offer un-
pleasant comments on what the worlds
workers are accomplishing.
Il once heard young man .grumbling
about the defects in benevolent society
in his native town. His father, a man Of
broad views and marked activity. was a
leading member of the society, and had
given much time and thought to it's man
agement. Although by no means salts
fed with its condition, he was so shaping
It's fortunes as to offer many hopes for its
future.
| 1t was at the dinner table that the son
| volunteered his fault-finding remarks,
The father listened politely for a time.
until it seemed to me, the one guest at the
table, that forbearance had ceased to be a
and with that decision which character
lzed his efforts, quietly observed:
My son, If you can better the affairs of
the society, shall be most happy to re-
sign my position IN your fayor.''
painful silence followed, but every
one at the table, unless perhaps the young
man himself, felt the justice of the inn
piled rebuke to one who had never been
known to manage the affairs Of ANYTHING.
Thus to place the pretensions of a
would-be critic in their true light is
wholesome, to compel him to activity is
still more wholesome.
A certain Mrs. R was once Presi-
dent of the Ladies' Society of a we'll
known church. She was a thoughtful.
earnest person, who was known to have
the true interests of the church at heart,
and was faithful. indefatigable worker.
In the course of her labors she learned
that the time and energies of those who
work n6 with hnr dnynta1 t<~t .,
terprises on hand, and to forming plans
| Tor future endeavors, while the people
who did little or nothing to assist were
profuse in their criticisms on all that was
done.
One lady, Mrs. B. we will call her. gave
her especial annoyance in this way. No
sociable at the church, for instance, ever
by any chance suited this lady. She was
| always ready to find fault with the re-
freshments, the method of entertainment,
or the lack of sociablity, yet she was
never known to contribute in the slight
est degree to Improvement in any of these
directions. In fact, SO far as sociability
| was concerned, she was the only lady
who attended the sociables who seemed
| utterly devoid of it. The most provok-
ing feature of her criticisms was that
they We're always prefaced with, "Ev
fault" etc.
One day Mrs. r. decided to take he
roic measures to end this nonsense. She
had Mrs. B. elected leader of section.
and formally notified her that she was
| expected to take charge of the sociable as
signed to this section. 1t was in vain that
Mrs. b protested that she had no time.
no strength, and more to like effect. The
matter was SO placed before her and the
rest of the society that she felt ashamed to
refuse.
1t is needless TO state, that from tho
| ffYt.p ,f n -
sociable, a new era began for Mrs. B.
She did not wish the others to despise her
etforts--she ceased deriding theirs. Be-
sides, having gained practical experience
| i'll the difficulties connected with the
work, she was prepared to be less severe
than formerly IN her criticisms on tho
efforts of others.
1t is the same in all departments of life.
in painting, music, letters and sculpture
The more we know of q subject the less
we are inclined to criticise. or at least tho
less aimlessly we criticise. Wholesome
criticism is helpful, 1t is well for us to
criticise ourselves, it is web for us to offer
intelligent criticisms ON their undertake
lngs to those over whom we have an in
fiuence, but if there is anything in tie
world that should be absolutely detested.
it is the habit of finding fault with mat
ters of which we have neither knowledge
nor appreciation.
If You are a worker yourself and have
any improvements to suggest in my
neighbor's work or mine, you viii do NV
neighbor and me. and the werld at large.
a kindness by freely and frankly making
the suggestion, ii you arc an idler, .
mere cumberer OF the soil, better make
ever so bungling an attempt to do some
thing useful than to fold your hands and
ignorantly growl at what some one else
Is doing, or trying TO do.
A curious phenomenon was recently
observed on the sea at FollSestone.
England. a ship laden with oil sunk in
collision and the water was covered with