Meddling and Marring

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Feb 9, 1882

Meddling and Marring.

A good many people seem to understand all kinds of business except their own—in that they fail—but they have advice, counsel, suggestions, and orders to offer others, whenever occasion presents itself. Sometimes it is well to let them have their own way.

The Cultivator tells of a Boston artist, who received a commission to paint the portrait of a lady. During the first few sittings he had things all his own way, without interruption or annoyance; but when the picture began to take shape, there came a series of criticisms and suggestions, which drove him nearly wild. After contending against them without effect, he decided to accept each and every one of them; in a word, to paint to suit the lady and her friends, rather than himself. It took a long time to do it, but at length their criticisms and suggestions were exhausted, and they admitted that the picture was satisfactory. It was accordingly framed and sent home, and the painter promptly received his check for the stipulated amount.

About a month afterward he received a call from one of the ladies of the family, who came to say that, while the picture was in every respect satisfactory, one thing had been forgotten. "What is that?" asked the artist. "Why," replied his caller, "you neglected to sign it." "By no means," answered he, in his blunt way. "It isn't my picture, you know; it's your picture. If you're proud of it you'd better put your name to it. I wouldn't sign it for a thousand dollars." And he bowed the lady out of his studio.

It is perfectly right that the persons who direct enterprises should have the credit of their work. And if they ruin everything they touch let them take the honor to themselves.

When men who have no religion undertake to manage churches, when men who cannot preach themselves try to rule and control preachers; when men who cannot write, sit in judgment upon writers; when men who cannot establish or build up institutions, undertake to pervert those which others have fostered, it is sometimes well to let them have their own way and show themselves; but when they have wrought folly, confusion, and disaster, then if they are proud of it they had better put their names to it.—The Christian.