The Grange advance., 1874-10-21

MIR. spurgesa - 's.aokiag.
Last Sunday evening, at the Metro
politan Tabernacle, says the London
Telegraph, Of Sept. %. the deservedly
popular, ,unquestionably benevolent and
eminently shrewd Mr.. Spurgcon was
preaching a sermon on the sinfulness
of little sins-a somewhat favorite TOPIC
among non-contormist clergymen, and
on which, under the title Of the ''Little
Foxes some curious lay sermons have
been written by Mrs. Harriet Beecher
Stowe. The gist of Mr.. Spurgeon's
discourse was that habitual indulgence
in little sins leads to the commission of
great oncs-a position enforced by one
of the most famous English divines in
the illustration Of the ''boy who plays
with the devils rattles.'' At.the close
of his useful sermon the minister
introduced an American clergyman
who, he said, was anxious to address
few words to the congregation. This
reverend gentleman improved the op-
portunity'' by invcighing fierceiy
against the sin of smoking tobacco, es-
pecialfy in the form Of cigars, and told
his hearers how he had struggled and
fought against the pernicious habit, and
how at last, by the blessing and with
the assistance of Providence. he had
conquered his addictedness to the weed.
Then up rose Mr.. Spurgeon, and, with
quiet humor, remarked that he would
not allow the congregation to separate
without telling them that he did not
consider smoking to be sin, and that,
by the grace of God, he hoped to en-
joy good cigar before goirg to bed
that night.
Mr.. Spurgeon writes to the London
Telegraph in reply to some structures
on certain remarks of his in defense of
smoking, and says:
II demur altogether, and most posi-
lively, to the statement that to smoke
tobacco is in its:lf sin. It may be-
come so, as any other Indifferent action
may, but as an action it is no sin. To-
gether with hundreds of thousands of
my fellow Christians, l have smoked,
and with them am under the condem-
nation Of living in habitual sin, if Ger.
tain accusers are to be believed. As I
would not knowingly live even in
the smallest violation Of the law Of God,
and sin is the transgression of the law,
| will not own to sin when I am not
conscious of it. There is growing up
in society Pharisaic system which adds
to the commands Of God the precepts
of men; to that system I will not yield
for an hour. The preservation of my
liberty may bring upon me the upbrid.
ings of many of the good, and the
sneers of the self-righteous; but shall
endure both with serenity, so long as l
fell clear in my conscience before God;
'TEe expression smoking to the glo-
ry of God standing alone has an i'll
sound, and do not justify it3 but in
the sense in which l employed it I still
stand to it. No Christian should do
anything in which he can not glorify
God-and this may be done, according
to Scripture, in eating and drinking and
the common actions Of life. When I
have found intense pain relieved, a
weary brain soothed, and calm, refresh
ing sleep obtained by cigar, have felt
grateful to God, and have blessed His
name; this is what I meant. and by no
means did I use sacred words trifiingly.
1fthrough smoking I had wasted an hour
Of time-if I had stinted my gifts 10
the poor-if l had rendered my mind
less vigorous-I trust [ should see my
fault and turn from it; but he who
charges me with these things shall have
no answer but my forgiveness.
II am told that my open avowal will
lessen my influence, and my reply is
that if l have gained any influence
through being thought different from
what am, have no wish to retain it.
I will do nothing upon the sly, and
nothing about which have doubt. !
am most sorry that prominence has
been given to what seems to me small
matter. and the last thing in my
thoughts would have been the mention
of it from the pulpit; ;obut was placed
in such position that I must either by
my silence plead guilty to living in sin,
or else bring down upon my unfortunate
self the fierce re5ukes of the anti.tooac.
co advocates by speaking out honestly
chose the latter; and although I am
now the target of these worthy breth'
rem, could sooner endure their scverest
censures than sneakingly do what
could not justify, and earn immunity
from their criticism by tamely submit
ting to be charged with sin in an action
which my conscience allows.'
a Romance Of Real Life..L0ve,a
Stea1faStness.
Every once in while passage in
the history Of life is brought to light
viii III is strange and more romantic
than any fiction. Notwithstanding the