Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-01-08
A HISTORY OF COFFEE.
TITS NOT KNOWN WHEN 1T WAS
FIRST USED.
Where the Connection was Considered
as Dangerous as Liquor--Among
tho Egyptians Allowed
Twice Week.

How hong coffee was in use among
Eastern nations before being intro
duced into Europe is not known.
Aljeziri Alhambali. a nsted Arabic
author states that 1t was first made
known about $40 of the Hegira, and SO
/ quickly did coffee houses and booths
multiply throughout Aralia that the
government several times made stren-
uous attempts to suppress them, fear
Ing they would lead the people into idle.
ness. Notwithstanding these efforts.
the coffee habit" took such firm hold
on the people that the beverage was.
made and drank In secret They
even went long distances into the
desert and there prepared the seduc-
tive concoction without fear OF moles-
tation.
Some pious Mohammedans thought
it might be included among the intox-
lcating beverages forbidden by the
Koran. but Alhambali. in an able
pamphlet entitled The Support of
Innocence, proved that it was not in
the prohibitory section OF the book.
AS consequence the followers Of the
delights OF coffee.
Among the Egyptians it was favor
tie drink, but was allowed only twice
a week, In campaign especially assem-.
bled for the purpose the greatest
solemnity being observed on such
occasions.
1t was introduced into CONSTANT
nople in the early part of the seven
teenth century, and writers Of that
time inform us that the inhabitants OF
that city drank it as hot as could be
endured. the decotiop being as black
as SCOT and as Purchos puts it not
much unlike it,"
A Greek merchant introduced it
into 'Merrie England and thus ad-
vertised it: The virtue of the coffee
drinks, first publiquely sold by Pasqua
Rosee In St Michaers Alley, Corn
hill, at the sign of his own head 1t
was not long after the coffee shops be-
came numerous and were extensively
patronized by artists literary men,
merchants and politicians of note
AS early as 1868 it was satirized in
England. and on every hand the Bit
terest invectives were applied to it by
the press and pulpit In one instance
a preacher hurled anthemas at the
heads of those who used as beverage
"a syrup of SCOT and assence Of old
shoes" Probably he had good grounds
for this statement having sampled
some boiled coffee Another divine
denominated it "a poison which God
I hot oh
DEVILS cOlor!" The women also teok
up the cudgels against it for in 1864
a numerously-signed petition pre-
sented by them set forth that coffee
made men as unfruitful as the deserts
whence the unhappy berry /, said to
be brought; that the offspring of our
mighty ancestors would dwindle into
q succession OF apes aud pigmies and
(most objectionable of all sins in their
eyes) ION a domestic message a hus-
band would stop on the way to drink
divers cups of coffeer'
So many coffee houses sprang into
existence during the reign of Charles
III. that he, entertaining a belief that
many political intrigues had their be-
ginning in those places, issued an
edict ordering them TO be closed, Gays
the Detroit Free Press. In this pro-
clamation the following words occur
red: The retailing of coffee or tea
might be an innocent trade but it was
said to nourish sedltion, spread lies
and scandalize great men; it might
also be a common nuisance"
1t was not until 1868 that the French
learned TO drink this ''essence Of old
shoes. and il came about in this wise:
A Turkish ambassador, on the coca
sion Of a dinner given to some public
functionaries, served the drink in ele-
giant porcelain cups. placed on highly
wrought silver salvers. and handed to
the guests by richly caparisoned slaves.
This turned the heads and hearts of
thosS thus honored. and in surpris-
ingly short time drinking be-
came craze among the elegants OF
Paris. Four years later that city
boasted OF having the most magnif-
Gently appointed coffee houses, which
were patronized by all the wits and
geniuses of that period. among whom
were Rosseau Boiudin. Dauchet
Saurin and many other notables
From there it spread to numerous
other portions OF the earth. until now
1t is considered an absolute necessity
in all well-regulated households the
consumption alone amounting to many
million OF pounds per year.
His Means OF support.
This makes the third time that
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