The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1903-10-16
THE TOBACCO HABIT
Has an Airing Before the Tennessee
Methodist Conference.

From the Nashville American, Mon
day, Oct. IL:
There is a great deal of speculation
today among the conference members
concerning the disposition to be made
of the much debated tobacco clause In
the conference report, which was
Yesterday recommltted for modifica
| ton. Some Of the members OF the
committee have openly stated that the
anti tobacco clause in the report was
their conscientious conviction on this
question, and that they could not
consistently recommend the elimina-
ton of this part of the report or favor
any modification Of the declaration
recommended. 1t is certain that un-
less the report upon this proposition is
SO modified as to be more of a recon
mendatlon than mandatory declara-
| ton, 1t will not be adopted at this
session of the Tennessee Conference.
A prominent and influential member
of the conference remarked to your
correspondent, that while he had
never used the weed, he did not believe
that he was any better by reason OF
this than the countless saints who had
preached and wrought for christ since
the beginning of the church and who
used the weed In every form. ut Is
not IN me, F" saia he, ito do or say
aught that might be construed as a
condemnation of those angelic old
mothers who bore and reared many OF
tine best and noblest of the heroes OF the
church, but who ukeO a dip as we'll
las the average farmer likes 'chaw.
The fanatics who try to create a senti-
|ment that the tobacco habit Is the
companion and equal in crime of the
liquor habit, have not only placed the
church in a ridiculous attituoe, but
have done the temperance cause great
harm also. About the only sensible
argument against the tobacco habit Is
that 1t costs little money that could
perhaps be devoted to better purpose.
On the other hand every man who
|enjoys life Is going to spend certain
amount of his income In the pursuit
|of pleasure, highly commendable
purpose a religious man does not
have to spend his days in
fasting and prayer and psalm singing.
know men who derive more pleasure
from i've cent cigar than they could
obtain from the same sum OF money
invested in any other way. To say
that it is degrading, immoral and
|unchristian to use tobacco Is to evince
THE rankest kind of fanaticism, and
|anv declaration to that effect will do
Nc fhern Methodisn lrreparabie harm.
IA Aain, the adoption of the resolution
proposed yesterday would have very
seriously hampered the work Ut the
Church and embarrassed our ministers
III the GAINESVILLE district, where the
greater part of the revenues Of the
church come from people dependent on
tine raising and sale and consumption
|of tobacco. As this business IL legal
land in no sense sinful, such course
would be a declaration to our people
that their contributions were not
welcome, because, after denouncing the
business, the church could not afford
70 live from its profits. The senti
Pment Of this preacher Is the sentiment
bf the conservative element, regardless
bf whether they are addicted to the
weed or not.
II is not unlikely that the reference
70 Peruna In the temperance report
will be eliminated, as war on any
patent medicine would aid rather
han retard it's consumption, by the
rec advertising such medicine would
yet from the church.
GROWTH OF THE CHURCH.
The past year has been . great one
Tor revivals in the Metho1ist church,
|nany hundred conversions being