The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-07-28

"""s vi tHo Sdiu tFpuplSs or AIUlC<lonS WHICH
| had suffered until now. after thirty-one years
or total abstinence from the tobacco habits, j
now ind my health good and sound at over
eighty-one years of age: can eat and sleep
wen, with an excellent and uniform appetite,
ana me digestion, and now weigh 200 pounds
l quit the tobacco in time to save myself from
a tobacco wreck, and my teeth, too. The old
men VINO have continued to chew have no
teeth. and but very poor health. I know OF
many old men who are tobacco inebriates OF
lohg standing, whose health is now more or
less impaired by the tobacco habit; whose teeth
are gone so that mastication OF food Is very
imperfect, thereby adding to the other bad
effects OF the tobacco, and who habitually visit
the doctor for medicine to patch up the bad
effects of using tobacco. Many or these OLD
men have become enfeebled in body and mind.
ana they tell me they cannot stop using to-
bacco. Such Is the binding power of u bad
slabit. Tobacco is a Slow poison. and liz no
respeoter pf persons, With ali THESE facts
before me, is 1t not the right, the wise thing,
to warn and counsel boys and young men
against the use or tobacco, which Is so hurtful
to health and morals. too?
We gre told by the best informed physicians
who have made 1t a subject of Investigation
that the hahitual> Use of tobacco will produce
insanity, tobacco heart, tobacco liver, tobacco
Diihdness, etc, thus showing that the habituai
use OF tobacco does great injury. The above
expressions are frequently met with in scientific
literature, and our experience and observations
confirm the declarations. But, in spite OF the
hurtful effects of tobacco upon the human sys-
TEN, still the same habits are perpetuated by
the example or groNn-up men upon the rising
generation OF boys and young men, so that
those senseiess, hurtful habits go on from bad
to worse.
Surely Christian men should not be found
using tobacco in any form, and especially
preachers Of the Gospel, some of whom are
occasionally seen with a cigar or a quid of
tobacco in their mouth, thus disregarding their
example and influence upon boys, 1t is said
that uncivilized nations do not US, topacco, but
We know that America Is the exception, for
our forefathers found the Indians smoking to-
bacco, and Our ancestors followed the example
OF the savagess and so that the tobacco habit
has come down through the centuries to us, a
civilized, Christian nation, who have added to-
baeco chewing. What is that but a great shame
to our civilization?
The use of tobacco seems to be closely allied
with the drinking of intoxicating liquors, an
other monster evil; and the two practices or
habts are doing their work Of debauchery and
ruin to the youth and manhood of our land.
and are fast filling the country with a race of
d"arfed men. both physically and mentally.
Especially Is that true in the large. cities.
was reminded lately by a tobacco user, by way
OF Justifying the habit. that q prominent
preacher of the gospel. who lived In Richmond
some years ago, was in the habit of saying: 7
can smoke a cigar To the glory of God" and
there may be some others who take that po-
sition. In reply to all that / would say that
a habit that Is wrong in itself does not become
a right habit because a preacher uses IT. 1t il
true, however, that preachers should have no
habits that will be misleading to boys and
Young men, or anybody else. II is also true
mat the more prominent the man the greater
his influence upon those about him, whether
that influence be for good or evil. Another
gentleman and teacher Of boys In a Sunday
school, in Richmond city, said In my hearing
some months ago, In a speech he addressed to
ms sunday school: Il find nothing said in the
Blole against using tobacco, and whenever
feel like smoking | intend to smoke" thus
showing his utter indifference as to his teach
Ing and example upon the young people In
reference to using tobacco. Well, In the first
place, the Bible does not mention tobacco at
all; and In the second place, the Bible is
against the use of tobacco just as 1t is against
every other hurtfui or wrong thing. 1t nae.s
no argument 10 prove that the Use of tobacco is
not only senseiess. useless. filthy and injurious
TO those who habitualIy use II, but the smoke
ana splitting is q nuisance to everybody else.
AND besides, no man, and especially Christian
men, have any right to abuse their own bodies,
Tor the truthfulness Of which l refer TO Cor.
3: IL; know We not that yc are the temple
OF God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth In
YOU II any man defle destroy the temple
of God. him shall God destroy; for the temple
OF God Is holy, which temple ye are And
Romans IA: Fl. 1T is good neither to eat flesh
tofered TO idols), nor to drink wine. nor any
thing whereby thy brother stuynbIeth tcaused
to SIM, or Is make weak" And the words of
Jesus IN Lux ~: 1 1T Is impossible but that
oneness Will come, but Woe unto him through
whom they come" Also the words of Christ
found In Matthew IS: Z: Woe unto the world
because of offences (of occasions Of sturnbling)
for 1t must needs be that offences come; but
woe to that. man by whom the offence cometh.a
Here We have the Irvine law Of expedisncy
plainly stated for our guidance; and these scrin-
lures lay the axe at the root OF the popular
personal liberty doctrine Of which we hear
SO QiNGN~ r.s .2r@ @H -..- ~
/ am often told by men who uphold the use
of tobacco that there are cases where men
nave lived 100 years or more who used tobacco
All their lives. Yes. that may be true. hut such
cases are rare exceptions, and are not the rule
and they prove nothing.
| we'll remember my old grandmother. who
died at 81 Years of age, and who smoked her
pipe OF weak tobacco three times a dav. Even
In her moderation 1t did her no good. IL II
did no harm. And [ must say it was a habit
not becoming a woman and woman's influence,
she iiVed IN an age when old people did the
smoking, but now tho habit has spread to every
age and class in our communities. Tho cigar
cite smoking was not known then; now even
little boys and women in many places are
cigarettes: and the evil spreads, and
Will continue to spread as long as the men OF
the community get the example.
An ftinerant preacher being refused enter
tainment by an old lady, quoted to her the
passage: BE not forgetrul TO enter
tain strangers, for thereby some have enter
promptly replied: You need not say that, No
angel would Come down here with a, AMID .ar
tobacco in his mouth" To those who wish II
quit chewing tobacco, I suggest that you sub
stitute nepsin gum: and he sure to swallow the
which is needed to aid digestion. ston
smoking is to stop the habit, cut them out en-
ireiy' ana AT once j, w. DOLIN.
Soldiers Home. July 81, 1911,
Editor Richmond Virginian.
sir.--The first edition Of your valuable pas
pie needed, a clean sheet and reliable. The SER
mon by DIR. PerryTnan, The Sabbath Pro-
famed. Would Christ Waep4 Oyer aNorfolk -
and the one copied from Rev. John Wesley.
every one should read. ! wish you great sue
cess MRS. NJ. l. N.
W. Y-I,- o. 1n |