The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1881-12-08
Ouium end Tobacco.

Mr.. Talmage yesterday morning in
the Brooklyn Tabernacle delivered
the first of series of sermons on the
''Ten plaques of New York and
Brooklyn" His text was from Exo-
dus tx, Il: II will at this time send
all my plaques upon thy heart, and
upon thy servants, and upon thy peo-
ple." He said that the first plague of
New Y ork and Brooklyn was the mar
cotic. The use of opium, he said, was
increasing at an alarming rate. In
1861, 100000 pounds of opium were
imported into this country, and in
1880 the amount had increased to
1900 pounds. 1t is estimated that
in 1876 there were 235,000 opium con-
sumers in America, and that now
there are at least 100000. 1t is not
merely Asiatic barbarians who go
down under the drug, but its victims
are found among the most talented
and most fashionable society of the
country. There are 10000 opium
users in Chicago and the same num-
ber in St. Louis. In the same proper
tion there are 10000 in New York
and Brooklyn. In some cases chloral
is taking the place of opium, and it is
imported into this country in hun
dreds Of tons. Look out for hydrate
Of chloral," said Mr.. Talmage. 'Let
me utter quaking, flaming, laundering
shouts Of warning against the plague
narcotic. The devil of morphia in
this country will become greater than
the devil Of alcohol.
"But there is another narcotic. You
know it as inspiring, elevating, para
dising, nerve raising, dyspepsia
breeding, Notwithstanding tobacco.
| shall not be too personal on this
head because | know you all use it.
Laughter. | know by personal ex-
perience its results. | know what it
is to be its slave and know what it
is to be its conqueror. | have no ex-
pectation of breaking many of you of
the habit, but | hope to induce you to
save your children from its evils. To-
bacco is good to kill moths, ticks and
vermin of all kinds and to fumigate
pestiferous places. God created it for
a good purpose, as he did other poi
sons. But the same God gave US COM
mon sense, and we ought to know how
to use the weed. All the medical
fraternity warn the community
against its use. 1t causes seventy
different kinds Of disease. 1t kills
twenty-five per cent Of the physical
vigor Of the country, and damaging
this generation, Injuries the next. 1t
tends to the increased use of intoxl-
cants. There are smokers who do not
drink. but there are very few drinkers
who do not smoke. Horace Greeley
called it 'profane STENCIL One rea--
son that there are so many victims OF
the habit is that so many ministers
indulge in it. They smoke until they
get bronchitis and then ask the dear
congregations to pay their expenses to
Europe. They smoke themselves into
stupidity. A fine inscription on the
tombstones Of many ministers would
be, Killed by too much Cavendlsh!
| have seen a cuspidore in a pulpit III
which the minister dropped his cud
before saying BLESSED are the pure IN
hearth | have seen smoklng-rooms
attached to the conference hall. l
have seen the poisonous saliva on the
beard Of the holy man, and have seen
him looking about for something with
an anxiety which might be mistaken
for a search for the grace OF God,
when in fact he was only searching
for a spot into which to discharge a
mouthful Of nastiness. In my own
experience it took ten cigars to make
one sermon. A minister of God cam
not afford to smoke. The true Cos
pei of the Lord is self-denial for the
good and rescue Of others.-Ihe Re0.
T. De Witt Ta7mage at the Brooklyn
TnheruncZe (PlpsbMeriaM.l