The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-07-16
COMMON METHODS
OF JUDGING men
Are Both Narrow and Erroneous False to
Assume That Because a Man Commits
no 0ffense, He is Better Morally
Than He Who Does.


Pharisaism is a convenient form
Of spiritual blindness, quite as bad
as that which leads TO those forms
of sin which we call grosser. 1t is
convenient because it enables us TO
live life which we could not posi-
bly, live could we but see. 1t Is con-
venient because it enables us to
punish or take revenge on those who
trespass against us while convinc-
ing ourselves that we are acting as
Gods agents.
One of the very first things we
must do before we can progress spir-
itually or, in fact, before we can
make any decided social progress, is
to make some attempt to get an alb
solute basis of valuing human ma
ture. 1t is not an easy matter, but
it is easy to see that our common
methods of Judging men are both
narrow and erroneous. 1t is abso-
lutely false to assume that because a
man commits no offense against So
ciety he is good, and that if he does,
he is bad. We do not claim that all
men are equal; we do not deny that
there are those who are degenerate or
incapable. But we do maintain that
most of the talk about the criminal
class is nonsense. A child is not
condemned for what he is, but is
valued for what he may become. A
man is not to be condemned for
what he is, but is to be valued for
what may be made of him. 1t is not
that which shows on the surface, but
the latent possibility of good which
must count in the absolute valua-
ton. To brand man as crimi-
naP' until every possible means have
been used to evoke these latent pos
sibilitles, is more than i'll judged; it
is SANDER and libel, and is an Of
Tense against society worse and more
criminal than most of the offenses
| for which men are sent to the peni-
Tertiary.
Below the Surface
We Judge people by that which
manifests itself on the surface, but
it has been shown beyond question
that what manifests itself in con-
seriousness or in action is but a very
small part of the whole man. Be-
low the surface lies vast body of
what is called the subconsciousness,
reservoir of tendencies which un-
der normal circumstances never give
the least evidence of their existence.
but which may be called for by un-
usual conditions or by proper train
ing. We are all like composite
photographs; we have in ourselves
the natures of all our ancestors, or,
if we accept reincarnation. our past
lives. One man is so situated by
birth or environment that only the
good is drawn forth. with another
it is the bad. Witness the sudden
conversion of many desperate char
aclers-that is only an illustration
of what might be done with most.
were proper methods used. The
Judge and the criminal, the convict
and his keeper. probably differ but
little, judged by the absolute stand
ard; they are alike as two brothers,
and it is circumstance which placed
ODE on the bench, the other at the
bar. 1t is more good fortune than
innate virtue which keeps most of
us out of court or prison.
CKrist's Preference
The great expert in true values,
Christ, preferred the company of
sinners to that of Pharisees. Why?
Simply because he was able to dis
Germ the true value beneath the film
of circumstance, and saw that
the difference between the sin
ner and saint, 40 called is but skin
deep; He was able to behold the true
nature with all it's possibilities. He
knew that the self-righteousness of
the Pharisees was a greater bar to
their spiritual progress than the open
error of the sinners.
1t is beautifully said in an eastern
religion that as man is saved by low
ing God, so also God is saved by
loving man. II is profound truth.
Without love, God is Power only;
He becomes God by love. Christ
did not love sinners because he was
Christ, he was Christ because of his
love for the sinner; in that He found
his spiritual food. We are accus-
toned to regard it as virtue to
reverence those above us and to
climb towards their level, but to do
this and this only,is but to be syc-
ophant. Our religion is but a form