The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-02-08
The UAe of Tobacco and wine.
RY REV. HENRY wARn PErnuEn


The UAe of Tobacco and Wine.
BY REV. HENRY WARD BEECHER,
There are many liberties that men
may take for themselves which, it seems
to me, wise consideration of their In
duence upon those around about them
should lead them to avoid. 1 rank
among these the use of tobacco and the
use OF wine, as matters of pleasure and
of indulgence.
honor my fathers memory. re.
member, from my earliest childhood,
that at time when it was the custom
or every minister, almost, habitually to
smoke, and occasionally to drink-the
occasions sometimes coming verv near
togetherI- father was remarka bic
for abstinence from the cup, and for to-
tai abstinence from the use of tobacco.
And every child of my father by nv
mother-every one of the eight Oldest
children-has walked in the way he
should go, and has not departed from
1t when he has grown up. And there
has not, perhaps, been an ounce of to-
bacco consumed by my father and the
children of the first family. Nor has
there been one of them that has
not been strictly and conscientiously
temperate. I can not tell how much /
owe my father, 1 cannot express nv
sense of obligation to him, in this re-
spect.
When I grew old enough to be foolish.
L wanted to smoke because other bows
smoked; and did, at last, bestride a
cigar; and got my first reward. 1 re-
member that the experience was fol-
lowed by something sharper than mar
cot1c influence, or unconcious influ-
ence. remember feeling separa ted
most worshiped him, although 1 was
not much of a worshiper: and I threw
away the weed. My first experience
was substantially my last experience.
From that day to this 1 have never
touched tobacco, in any form or me-
thod. And I thank my father for it.
NOW, perceive great many men
families, excusing themselves because
1t does not hurt them and they are
bringing up white. skinned, celebrated
children as the result. We are living
IN an age in which, by constitution.
children receive an overplus of nervous
influence. We are living in a climate
that is stimulating. We are living un-
der institutions that tend to acumipate
every nerve and intensity all cerebral
influences. We are just the people
that do not need any added stimulus.
AND yet, see a great many parents
who are bringing up their children so
nervous that II one or two things of
4AAAN 10 O0uCuS or
injury will be sure; and they will not
put them away. They will have no
consideration of the Influence which
they are exerting upon their children,
L am satisfied that the fathers them.
selves i'll many of these cases are strong
enough to maintain a moderation in
the use OF these stimulants; but, We
that are strong, bear with the weak.
perceive the same thing taking
place some times among clergymen.
l am happy to believe, however, that
the custom is going out of use. 1 do
not believe that clergyman can be
thoughtful at any rate, 1 can not con-
ceive how one can be thoughtful on
these th1ngs-and not suppose that his
example will be a temptation and be-
wllderment to those that are weak,
Do you say, ~ am not going, because
there are weak men in this world. to
deny myself of any lawful and proper
pleasure? Then you are not fit to be a
preacher and disciple of the Lord
Jesus Christ.
We ought to lay aside anything that
will be stumbling block to another.
We ought not to lay aside every thing
that Will provoke any body; but anV
thing that will lead brother to Stun
BILE; that will corrupt his stomach :
that will defile the secretions of his
body that, above all, will fire the ner-
hold almost certainly on other stimu-
lants, and as likely as not lead to in
to1ication and utter destruction-this.
we ought by all means to lay aside.
The risk of not doing 1t is more than
any one ought to take on himself who
is follower of Christ. It is perilous
thing for man by his example to fire
arrows which he knows will poison
whomever they hit. And it would be
sweet and blessed thing if, in ad-
ditiOn TO all mans positive works of
good in life, he could say, when he
comes to die, ''I have not consciously
done single thing, in eating or drink
ing or pleasure, that I thought had a
tendency to mislead or stumble to
their destruction any of those who are
around about me.
Now, it seems to me, that, in the
present state of the world, and In the
present state of life, 1t must be a mat.
ter of utter thoughtlessness on the part
of any persons that would offer, on
such day, for instance, as New Years
Day, to the young, the means of intox-
ication-knowing, as they do, that
there will be many coming to their
houses who arenot able to resist temp
tation; knowing, las they do, that
many, who, coming to their houses,
and to scores of other places, and being
tempted to drink, will turn that day
into disgrace to themselves and to
their friends knowing, as they do,
the unutterable mischiefs that spring
from intemperance knowing, as they
must know, what torments and evil
Experiences are going on about them.
1 can not conceive how any such should
spread upon their tables these means
of destruction for the young.
would not, for the price of my life,
turn out in my parlot whole box of
adders, saying, "1f men will keep their
eyes open, and be moderately careful
where they step, they. will not be Bit
ten." And yet could as easily justify
wine on my table and Offering it to the
young. cat last it biteth like q SER
pent," is written of strong drink. But
that is not the whole OF the truth. It
does not always wait to the last. 1t of
ten bites at first, and all the way
through to the end. IF you say that
the reason is thoughtlessness, L reply
that that is not the general reason, nor
is it worthy one. do not think you
put wine on your table for a reason of
real hospitality. I fear that most per-
sons put wine on their table from a ute
a different motive. For the most part,
we are not wine raising, nor wine
bibbing people. 1t is matter of FASH
ion and of intinitessimal vanity, ordi.
narily. Men pat wine on their tables
as matter of show, as a matter of
fashionable compliance. There is but
little distinction between these reasons,
They are great. vulgar mass. None
of them will bear examination, None
of them spring from feelings that are
worthy.
But it seems to me that there is one
motive which should rule in these mat