The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-07-07
PARABLE OF THE TOBACCO SEED
1t Is a Plague Next to the Drink Evil
An Orlando School Girl Enters
a Plea and a Protest

Then shall the kingdom of Satan
be likened to a grain of tobacco seed,
which though exceedingly small being
cast into the ground, grew and be-
came a great plant and spread its
leaves rank and broad, so that vile
worms formed habitation thereon.
And it came to pass in the course
of time that the sons of men looked
upon it and thought it beautiful, to
make them big and manly, the lads
put forth their hands and took chew
thereof, and some, it made sick, and
others to vomit most filthy.
And further, it came to pass that
they, who chewed it, became weake
and unmanly, and said, eve are en-
shaved, and can't cease chewing it,
and the mouths of all who were en-
shaved became foul, and. they were
seized with a violent splitting, and did
spit even in the ladies' parlors, and in
the house of the Lord of Hosts, and
the Saints of the most High were
greatly plagued thereby.
And in the course of time, it came
also to pass that others snuffed it and
they were taken suddenly with fits,
and they did sneeze with great and
many sneezes, insomuch, that their
eyes filed with tears, and they did
look exceedingly silly. And yet others
cunningly wrought the leaves thereof,
into rolls, and did set fire to the end
thereof, and did look very grave and
calf-like sucking it, and the smoke.
And the cultivation thereof, became
a great and mighty business in the
earth, and the merchantmen waxed
rich by the commerce thereof. And it
came to pass that the Saints of the
most High defiled themselves, and the
poor who could not buy bread nor
shoes nor books for the little ones,
spent their money for it, and the Lord
was sore displeased Herewith, and
said, wherefore this waste, and why
do these little ones lack bread and
shoes and books?"
Turn your attention to change
this wicked evil, which has grown up
in a gospel land-turn your fields into
corn and wheat, and defile not your
selves any more, and God will bless
you and shine upon you. But with
on accord. they all exclaimed, I'VE
cannot cease from chewing and snuff
fing and putting. We are slaves to
the evil plague"
Il shall pass this way but once;
any good thing therefore that can do
or any kindness that l can show to
any human being, let me do it now
Let me not defer it nor neglect, for
] shall not pass this way again"
Can 81 speak out in meetin'" lit
tie while? Mrs. Rattle's communica-
ton appealed to me, her reference to
misfortune overtaking u.s. and our
thinking that We are immune to
them. has put me into a brown
study" and want to say that we can
help the unfortunate more, if we
would deny ourselves of some of the
luxuries. Men who smoke cigars or
use tobacco in any way, did you ever
stop to think how much you spend for
them in one year? and in life time,
the amount runs up into thousands of
dollars, just for the sake of self-in-
diligence docking manly, maybe), of
a poisonous, filthy weed, that nothing
will eat, except man and worms.
The number of men and boys who
use cigars, cigarettes, pipes and chew,
is alarming, and the money spent for
such things, would make every poor
person comfortable in this fair land
of our.
And, fathers, did you ever stop to
think what an example you are set
ting before your boy? but perhaps you
do not care; but l suppose your wife
does. Mother. did you know your lit
tie boy smoked cigarettes? Well, he
does, or at least l have seen some of
them smoaking. who are not much too
large for the nursery, and the other
day, oh the pity of it; l saw a boy
not over ten years of age with pipe,
putting away. l wondered if he had
a mother, if she knew it, and when
see little boys smoaking cigarettes,
want to go to them and put my arms
around them, and beg them to stop,
but then l think it is not my bust
ness. Yet, something whispers, Am
l not my brothers keeper" until 1
almost grow desperate and feel that
/ would make any sacrifice to infiu-
ence just one man or just one boy to
leave off the filthy, injurious, expen-
sive and disgusting habit, "he that
converteth a man from the error of
his way, has saved a soul from death.
and will hide a multitude of sins"
That is from the Holy Writ" The