The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1868-05-01
TILE Use OF ToBAocO AND WYE.
BY rEy. HENRY WARD rEEcIEEr.

may take Tor themselves which 1t seems
TO me wise consideration of their in
fiuence upon those around about them
should lead them to avoid. / rank
among these the use of tobacco and the
use of wine, as matters of pleasure and
of indulgence.
j honor nay fathers memory. ] re-
member, from my earliest childhood,
| that at time when it was the custom
of every minister, almost, habitually to
smoke, and occasionally to drink-the
occasions sometimes coming very near
together-my father was remarkable
for abstinence from the cup, and for to-
tai abstinence from the use of tobacco.
And every child of my father by my
mother-eyery ono of the oldest eight
| ehiidren-has walked in the way he
should go, and has not departed from it
| when he has grown up. And there has
not, perhaps, been an ounce of tobacco
consumed by my father and the chill
dren of the first family. Nor has there
been one of them that has not been
strictly and eonscientiously temperate.
| cannot tell how muciI / owe to my
father; cannot express my sense of
obligation to him, in this respect.
When l grew old enough to be fool
ish, l wanted to smoke because other
boys smoked and did, at last, be-
stride cigar; and got my first re-
ward. / remember that the experience
was followed by something sharper
than narcotic influence, or unconscious
influence. remember feeling separat-
ed from my father. revered him; I
almost worshipped him, although ] was
not much of worshipper; and i threw
away the weed. My first experience
was' substantially my last experience.
From that day to this j have never
touched tobacco, in any form or meth
cd. And 1 thank my father for it.
Now, see great many men that are
employing narcotics in their families.
excusing themselves because it does not
hurt them and they are bringing up
white-skinned, cerebrated children as
the result. We are living in an age in
which, by constitution, children receive
an ovcrplus of nervous influence. We
are living in climate that is stimulat-
ing. We are living under institutions
That tend 70 -ae6minate every nerve and
intensity all cerebral influences. We
are just the people who do not need
any added stimulus. And yet / see
great many parents who are bringing
up their children so nervous that If one
or two things of this kind be added,
their destruction or injury will be sure !;
and they viii not put them away. They
viii have no consideration of the lnilu-
ence which they are eXerting upon their
children. am satisfied that the fathers
themselves in many of these cases are
strong enough 10 maintain modera-
ton 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 GUS
tom is going out of use. ] do not be-
lieve that q clergyman can be thought
ful-at any rate / cannot conceive how
one can be thoughtful on these things
and not suppose that his example will
be temptation and beWilderment to
those that are weak.
| Do you say, Il am not going, because
there are weak men in this world, to
deny myself of any lawful and proper
pleasure 2" Then you are not fit TO be a
| preacher and disciple of the Lord Je-
sus Christ.
We onght to lay aside anything thai
will be a stunbling-block to another
We ought not to lay aside everything
that will provoke anybody; but any
thing that will lead a brother to STUN
BILE; that will corrupt his stomach
that will defle the secretions- of hi:
body that, above all, will fire the nerv
Gus system in such a way as to TAXI
hold almost certainly on other stimu
lants, and as likely as not lead to intox
ication and utter destruction-this, W.
ought by all means to lay aside. TIL,
risk of not doing it is more than an!
lone ought to take on himself who is
follower of Christ. 1t is q perilou
thing for man by his example to fir
arrows which he knows will poison
, whomever they hit. And it would b.
sweet and blessed thing if in addition
to all mans positive works of good il
life, he could say, when he comes to die
Il have not consciously done singl
, thing, in eating or drinking or pleasure
: that / thought had tendency to mis-
t lead or stumble to their destruction an
e of those who are round about me-
Now it seems to me that in the pres
ent state of the world, and in the pres
: ent state of life, it must be a matter G
: utter thoughtlessness on the part of an
+ persons that would offer on such da
. Tor instance as New ear Day, to TIA
: Young, the means of intoxication-
: knowing. as they do, that there will b
many coming to their houses who al
not able to resist temptation; knowing
as they do, that many, who, coming
II their houses. and to the scores of OthC
places. and being tempted to drinI
n will turn that day into a disgrace
;, themselves and their friends; KNOWN:
= as they do. the unutterable mlschIe
that spring from intemperance; know
ing. as they must know, what tormen
and evil experiences are going on abol
= them, cannot conceive how any sue
IN should spread upon their tables the
-e means of destruction for the young.
"a l would not, for the price of my lii
4 turn out in my parlor a whole box
adders, saving, IF men win keep the
eyes open, and be moderately caref
where they step, they viii not be b
ten" And vet, could as easily JUST
myself for doing that as for pRttiI
6 wine on my table and offering it TO {
% Young SAT last it biteth like a serpen
is written of strong drink. But that
g not the whole TRUTH 1t does not aiwa
wait to the last. 1t often bites at FIR
-, rs and all the way through to the end.
st YOU say the reason is 1houghtlessness
ses reply that is not the general reason, n
a is it a worthy one. / do not think y
", nut wine ON your table for reason
he real hospitality fear that most D
Tor sons put wine on their table from gu
vn 4 different motive. For the most pa
ds we are not q wine raising, nor NJ
40 40 bibbing people. 1T is matter of FL.
cv. ion and of intinitessimal vanity ordn
re, rilv. Men put wine ON their tables a
or, matter of show, as matter of fashiG
ere able compliance. There is but III
"a distinction between these reaso
md They are a great vulgar mass. None
I'M them will bear examination. None
ook them spring from feelings that are y
/ in thy.
But 1t seems to me that there is
to motive which should rule in these n