The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-03-27

TOBACCO IN THE CHURCH.-We find in the
Baltimore Sun a report of the proceedings of
the Conference of the Methodist Church, at
which some six hundred reverend gentlemen
belonging to that highly intelligent and
pious denomination OF churches were pres
eni. In the proceedings occurred the fol-
lowing singular and instructive debate upon
the compatibility of tobacco chewing and
decent behavior in church. 1t will be seen
that the "weed'' had its defender, and that
tobacco chewing finds high authority as a
habit doing good: -~fes l9fa
Rev. Robert Gladden. here arose, and NOV
ed that not more than twenty members of
the Conference he permitted to be absent at
one time and engaged in smoking cigars
DIR. Gladden. proceeded with very good natur.
ed remarks to inveish against the evil prac-
tice of using the nauseous weed, which pro-
voked the members and excited the attention
of the whole house. He stated that he had
made a very careful calculation in regard to
the growing evil. and come to the conclusion
that the sum Of $4,000 was wasted annually
by the Methodist preachers Of the Baltimore
Conference for tobacco and cigars. That
calculation was based upon the belief that
two hundred of the preachers chewed Tobacco,
that he could not possibly conceive with
what kind OF conscience they could act thus,
when they knew they must give an account
to God of their conduct. The sum thus was.
ted would be amply sufficient to support two
missionaries in China. The speaker recol-
lec,ed how, during the last Conference, the
old consecrated ground of the Light Street
Church had been desecrated by the filthy
use oft, felt mortified when he thought oft.
He had once been slave to the vice, but
through the good providence of God, was led
to see his error and was finally converted.
Rev. Aquily A. Reese--I want TO know
how loug it has been since you were CONVEX
! ted!
| Rev. R. Cadden-About two years ago
strand now would like to see the whole
Baltimore Conference an anti-iobacco using
society. 4..4a
| Rev. Elisha Butler moved to refer the mat
ter to the Committee on Temperance.
| Rev. w. II. D. Clemm moved to refer it
to committee. and that Rev. T.. Butler be
reed 1T the head of that committee. ltss
| Rev. Samuel REGISTER, preacher in charge
! of the Monument street Church, arose end
informed the Conference that the building
had recently undergone thorough improve
ments and cleansing, al I'd that the members OF
the Conference who used tobacco, who found
they could not give it mp. and who sit
ting on the ladies' side of the house, should
sit on the opposite side, where they would
| ind number of spi,toons for their accommo-
daiion. lie sincerely hoped that the ladies'
side of the house would not be soiled.
Rev E. P. Phelps observed that he could
not look upon the use oftobacco merely as a
luxury. for it had its uses; it had done him
good. He concluded by moving to lay the
whole matter on the table. which prevailed
mot more than twenty-five members voting
in the negative.
| Bishop Waugh said that he could not see
how any member of the Conference could
assert that the chewing tobacco did him
Oood