The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-08-22
TOBACCO A GOOD THING,
How n Preacher stopped the Mouth
and Spoiled the Argument of
a User of the Weed.

Some years ago, while laboring as
an evangelist in a country commun-
ity near the city of A, spoke one
evening on the evil of using tobacco.
While making calls among the peo-
pie the next day l visited one of the
leading families of the neighborhood.
L expressed my pleasure at their
regularity in attending the meetings
and invited them to continue to
come. The man of the house re-
marked that he didn't just know
about that, as he was offended at
my remarks about tobacco. l replied
that l would be very sorry indeed to
have him stop coming to meeting.
He said that he was satisfied that
tobacco was a good thing, and he
could prove it to me, and added that
if L could successfully answer his
argument he would continue to at
tend the meetings.
He had large family of boys and
girls, and it being a stormy day, sew
eral of his neighbors had dropped in.
L thought, perhaps, conversation
with him on that subject might be
profitable to them, so l consented to
try and meet his arguments, and
asked him to proceed.
DO you believe that God made to-
bacco?" he asked. Il certainly do
replied. did He not say that all He
made was very good?" he continued.
IF tobacco is good it is not there
fore an evil thing and consequently
it is not wrong for even Christians
to use it if they wanted to do So"
he said, with a look of triumph.
1 answered: my friend, your ar
gument is the best | ever heard in
favor of mankind using tobacco. In
fact, do not believe there is better
one. But it is my turn now to ask
questions. You will kindly answer
mine as frankly as L did yours" To
this he readily consented. every
we'll" said l, ''did God make wolves?"
HE did" he replied. "And did He
not pronounce them with the rest of
creation, good?" 'He certainly did,"
he answered. "Have you flock of
sheep?" L asked. 81 have" he re-
sponded. "Well, sir, seeing that
wolves are good they must be good
for all purposes. Tell me why you
do not get one and use him as
sheep dog?" ''Why, he would kill my
sheep" he exclaimed. "Oh! 1 see
then that according to the nature of
the animal it is not good for it to act
as sheep dog. Now, sir, tell me,
do you think God made snakes?" 81
believe He did," he replied. "And
they are, therefore, good?" I asked.
They must be if God made them"
he answered. 81 see you wear
necktie. Tell me why you do not get
one of those pretty, little streaked
snakes and make a necktie out of
it?'
The boys laughed and the girls
shuddered, while the man, seeing the
weakness of his argument, blushed
and said: st would not do to use
snakes in that way"
$50 then, my friend, while it is
true that God made wolves and
snakes and pronounced them good,
He did not mean that they were
good for all purposes" 81 expect
you are right" answered the con-
fused man. "Now, sir, while it is a
fact that God made tobacco and saw
it was good, do you not see that He
did not intend it for all purposes,
and that it is good only in the place
God intended it to act as a good
thing. [ know of few things in
which it seems to manifest its vir-
tues. Mountain goats and ugly green
worms feed on it. 1t is certainly
good for them. 1t is also used for
dyeing purposes and killing lice on
animals; but because it is good for
these things is no reason to suppose
1t is good to be used in a manner by
men that makes them filthy, and fire.
quently renders others uncomfort-
able. 1t is just as much out of place
in human mouth as wolf is out
OF place as a sheep dog or a snake
used as a necktie."
After few words of prayer [ babe
them cheerful good morning and
passed on my way. He came to the
remainder of the meetings-Earnes
Christian.