The Portland daily press., 1873-01-15
A Tract for Trask.
A LEAF FROM MY SUNDAY JOURNAL.


Have had, as usual, an interesting time in
our Bible class. l think it was Pau.'s remark
touching meat offered to idols, that brought
up, by-way of Illustration, the use of tobacco
and wine. On the wine question, there was
not enough difference of opinion to excite
much discussion; but when we came to the
tobacco, then there was a smoke straightway
Il mean, of course, a moral sort of smoke.
IL Is very singular that no one ever takes up
the cudgel in favor of tobacco in The abstract,
however much he may rejoice in it personal
~. One would almost think these self-con-
aud confessing and SHINING over AGAIN they
do It with such proud Show of humility.
Still we have much diversity of opinion from
that OF the extreme left wing, that sstis sin
per sc, most unsavory sin, ,"-up or down.
through the "flthy habit, ''slavish weak,
ness" "useless luxury" 'no worse than a
good many other things'( (D,-to the charm
less, stimulating pleasure, often beneficial, If
not used to excess" One member OF the
class thought that whatever else might be
said oft, the habitual use of tobacco cClti-
Yates an unconscious selfishness, the worst
kind of selfishness, because it leaves no room
for repentance, which seemed to me not far
wrong. l remembered how gentleman of all
classes come into my shop, and, without
even saying by your leave" commence
putting away at their pipes or cigars, compell-
ing me to breath the smoke they have had in
their mouths, and odorizing my best over
coat to that degree that L was ashamed to
wear it to church or anywhere else in good
company. Ofcourse these same gentlemen
would scom to trespass on my private right
to pure air and clean clothes in any other
way; and yet, if say word of protest, Pm
''prig," and my offended friend can hardly
conceal his contempt. He assumes that
what is agreeable to HIM is agreeable to me,
or ought to be, and that is where the selfish
ness comes in.
Another opinion by competent observer
of humanity was, that the use of tobacco by
young men almost inevitably creates a desire
for something stronger. He did not say at
what age man outgrows this dangerous La
bility. Still another suggestion was made,
backed by medical authority, that, after all,
the worst suffering from this unconscious but
inevitable exhalation from a well-preserved
specimen falls upon his helpless wife and
children; everybody else can keep at a re-
spectful distance. ''If my eating meat
(which is wholesome and good, strengthening
to my body and hurtful to no man causeth
my brother to offend, will eat no meat
while the world standeth ;''--thus st. Paul.
If using tobacco-which, for full and dire
effect on self and rising generation, see Trask's
Unabridged-then will smoke and chew as
long as have breath to draw, for no man
shall interfere with my rights" Thus the
humble follower who fancies he miglt have
been favored friend and helper of the Great
Apostle if he had only been born in due time; /;
and very likely he might have been. despise
tobacco, but the best friend ever had was
great lover Of it, He has, however, lately
renounced the word, the flesh, and the devil,
and now his breath is sweet and his teeth are
white, saying nothing Of his soul. Another
point in the lesson was that Paul did not say,
'If my eating offends my BROTHER" but, elf
my eating causeth him to offend,' which is a
very different matter. On the whole, it seems
to me the time was quite as well spent as it
would have been had we occupied it in dis
cussing the nature of those other idols to
whom the people sacrificed so much of their
substance and dignity 20C0 years ago.
Springfield Republican