Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-06-13
EFFICACY OF APPRECIATION.
Nothing Retards Spiritual Growth or
flights the JOY of Life Like-the
Habit of Criticism.

Nothing more retards spiritual
growth or more effectually blights the
JOY Of life than a habit of criticism and
depreciation. Motley says in his uni
versity Sermons" "a life of enmities
is greatly in opposition to growth in
holiness" but much more than that,
even the habit of discovering and en-
phasizing what we may regard as the
seamy side Of men. things and events is
intensely unwholesOme and injurious
That depreciative criticism is hurtful
we may soon perceive by watching its
influence upon our own heart. James
Smetham writes to correspondent:
Don't get into the focus of criticism
Many men spoil their enjoyment of art
by lOOking on it as something o pull in,
pieces rather than as something to en-
JOY and lead them to enjoy nature and
through nature to enjoy God. How
wretched is that feyerish, satiated,
complaining spirit of criticism. Never
contented, never at rest
By this self-same spirit Of determined
faultfinding, says the Wesleyan Meth
odIst Magazine, we not only spoil the
enjoyment of art, but our enjoyment
of everything. Of course, we must dis
criminate between the qualities and
values of things; life would be insipid,
and we should miss its great teach
lngs, without constant criticism of
character and affairs. but it is singu-
larly difficult to preserve criticism
pure and generous. Base alloys read
lily mingle with it. We complains of the
weather, the climate or the scenery,
when there is no ground whatever for
righteousness; our faultfnding is not
the expression of an exacting sense of
beauty, as we hatter ourselves but
simply ignorance. ingratitude and IL
reverence. We complain of the mo-
notonousness, meanness and misery of
our lot, and suppose that such criti-
cism is the revolt of great soul dom
mated by noble ideals; the fact being
that our discomfort is bred of blind
ness, pride and unthankfulness. We
complain of the doings and achieve
ments of our fellows. insisting on their
general unworthiness; and although
we delude ourselves that our criticism
is purely impersonal and intellectual
and wholly inspired by love of per-
lection. God knows that our harsh
judgments are sicklied DER with envy,
jealousy and uncharita bleness. Moth
ing is more difficult than to preserve
criticism sweet, reasonable and gen
erOus.
The habit of running things down is
no sign of mental superiority, al
though many think so; it is far oftener
an indication of mental impotence and
obliquity. THE monkey" according
to Mr.. Lockwood Kipling, ''has a pas
sion for picking things to pieces" but
that passion is not characteristic of
really able men. 'Intelligent men are
easily pleased testifes the Turkish
proverb; and it is true. Without ques-
ton the highest intellects are specially
appreciative. We prove the quality of
our genius not by cavil and detrac ton,
not by unwillingness to be pleased and
a readiness TO censure, but by doing
some worthy thing handsomely. AS
Drummond puts it: st is easier to crit
icise the best thing superbly than to
do the smallest thing indifferently."
To blow upon people, to carp a their
endeavors and to handle things gener-
ally in a fastidious and disparaging
spirit, is the sure sign of a mean and
narrow intellect. Neither is the habit
of picking holes in our brethren any
evidence of moral and spiritual superb
GRITTY ''And Jesus spake also this
parade unto certain which trusted in
themselves that they were righteous
and set all others at nought'' That
was the sting of their condemnation
"they despised Others they "set all
others at nought." It was chiefly this
habit of depreciation that branded
them as being superficial and false. To
suspect men, to impute to them poor
motives, to construe their actions I'M
charitably and to be niggardly of en-
enlargement and praise, is to discover
and perpetuate the hollowness of our
own character.
All! too easily Go we get Into the
focus of criticism and it chills our
whole being and life. 1t is possible to
be angry without sin, but only rare
saints in rare moments touch that fire
without being burned; and while it is
possible 10 criticise in the pure love of
truth, such criticism remains a dan
gerous ordeal even to the saintliest.
Whenever we diagnose, disapprove and
condemn, we need 10 be richly satu-
rated wiki the spirit of DOR Master, if