questionable amusements and worthy substitutes-第2部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



McAllister；　of　Utica；　New　York；　says　that　it　〃weakens　the　organs　of

Digestion　and　assimilation；　and　at　length　plunges　one　into　all　the

horrors　of　dyspepsia。〃



*Tobacco　dulls　the　mind。*　　It　does　this　not　only　by　wasting　the　body；　the

physical　basis　of　the　mind；　but　it　does　it　through　habits　of　intellectual

idleness；　which　the　user　of　tobacco　naturally　forms。　　Whoever　heard　of

a　first…class　loafer　who　did　not　e…a…t　the　weed　or　burn　it；　or　both？　　On

the　rail　train　recently　we　were　compelled　to　ride　for　an　hour　in　the

smoking…car；　which　Dr。　Talmage　has　called　〃the　nastiest　place　in

Christendom。〃　　In　front　of　me　sat　a　young　man；　drawing　and　puffing

away　at　a　cigar；　polluting　the　entire　region　about　him。　　In　the　short

hour　enough　time　was　lost　by　that　young　man　to　have　carefully　read　ten

pages　of　the　best　standard　literature。　　All　this　we　observed　by　an

occasional　glance　from　the　delightful　volume　in　our　own　hands。　　The

ordinary　user　of　tobacco　has　little　taste　for　reading；　little　passion　for

knowledge；　and　superficial　habits　of　continued　reasoning。　　His　leisure

moments　are　absorbed　in　the　sense…gratification　of　the　weed。　　But　if　as

much　attention　had　been　given　in　acquiring　the　habit　of　reading　as　had

been　given　in　learning　the　use　of　tobacco；　the　most　valuable　of　all

habits　would　take　the　place　of　one　of　the　most　useless　of　all　habits。

When　we　see　a　person　trying　to　read　with　a　cigar　or　a　pipe　in　his　mouth；

Knowing　that　nine…tenths　of　his　real　consciousness　is　given　to　his

smoking；　and　one…tenth　to　what　he　is　reading；　we　are　reminded　of　the

commercial　traveler　who　〃wanted　to　make　the　show　of　a　library　at

home；　so　he　wrote　to　a　book　merchant　in　London；　saying：　　〃Send　me

six　feet　of　theology；　and　about　as　much　metaphysics；　and　near　a　yard

of　civil　law　in　old　folio。〃　　Not　a　sentimentalist；　a　reformer；　nor　a　crank；

but　Dr。　James　Copeland　says：　　〃Tobacco　weakens　the　nervous　powers；

favors　a　dreamy；　imaginative；　and　imbecile　state　of　mind；　produces

indolence　and　incapacity　for　manly　or　continuous　exertion；　and　sinks

its　votary　into　a　state　of　careless　inactivity　and　selfish　enjoyment　of　vice。〃

Professor　L。　H。　Gause　writes：　　〃The　intellect　becomes　duller　and　duller；

until　at　last　it　is　painful　to　make　any　intellectual　effort；　and　we　sink　into

a　sensuous　or　sensual　animal。　　Any　one　who　would　retain　a　clear　mind；

sound　lungs；　undisturbed　heart；　or　healthy　stomach；　must　not　smoke　or

chew　the　poisonous　plant。〃　　It　is　commonly　known　that　in　a　number　of

American　and　foreign　colleges；　by　actual　testing；　the　non…user　of

tobacco　is　superior　in　mental　vigor　and　scholarship　to　the　user　of　it。　　In

view　of　this　fact；　our　Government　will　not　allow　the　use　of　tobacco　at

West　Point　or　at　Annapolis。　　And　in　the　examinations　in　the　naval

academy　a　large　percentage　of　those　who　fail　to　pass；　fail　because　of　the

evil　effects　of　smoking。



Tobacco　drains　the　pocketbook。　　〃Will　you　please　look　through　my

mouth　and　nose？〃　asked　a　young　man　once　of　a　New　York　physician。

The　man　of　medicine　did　so；　and　reported　nothing　there。　　〃Strange！　　Look

again。　　Why；　sir；　I　have　blown　ten　thousand　dollarsa　great　tobacco

plantation　and　a　score　of　slavesthrough　that　nose。〃　　The　Partido　cigar

regularly　retails　at　from　twenty…five　to　thirty　cents　each。　　An　ordinary

smoker　will　smoke　four　cigars　a　day。　　Three　hundred　and　sixty…five

dollars　a　year；　besides　his　treating。　　A　small　fortune　every　ten　years！　　A

neighbor　of　ours　on　the　farm　used　to　go　to　town　in　the　spring　and　buy

enough　chewing　tobacco　to　last　him　until　after　harvest；　and　flour　to　last

the　family　for　two　weeks。　　Among　all　classes　of　people　this　useless　drain

of　the　pocketbook　is　increasing。　　In　our　country　last　year　more　money　was

spent　for　tobacco　than　was　spent　for　foreign　missions；　for　the　Churches；

and　for　public　education；　all　combined。　　Our　tobacco　bill　in　one　year

costs　our　Nation　more　than　our　furniture　and　our　boots　and　shoes；　more

than　our　flour　and　our　silk　goods；　one　hundred　and　forty…five　million

dollars　more　than　all　our　printing　and　publishing；　one　hundred　and

thirty…five　million　dollars　more　than　the　sawed　lumber　of　the　Nation。

Each　year　France　buys　of　us　twenty…nine　million　pounds　of　tobacco；

Great　Britain　fifty　millions；　and　Germany　sixty…nine　million　pounds；　to

say　nothing　of　how　much　these　nations　import　from　other　countries。

Never　before　has　the　use　of　tobacco　been　so　widespread　as　to…day。　　〃The

Turks　and　Persians　are　the　greatest　smokers　in　the　world。　　In　India　all

classes　and　both　sexes　smoke；　in　China　the　practiceperhaps　there　more

ancientis　universal；　and　girls　from　the　age　of　eight　or　nine　wear　as　an

appendage　to　their　dress　a　small　silken　pocket　to　hold　tobacco　and　a

pipe。〃　　Nor　can　the　expense　and　widespread　use　of　tobacco　be　defended　on

the　ground　that　it　is　a　luxury；　for　the　abstainer　from　tobacco　counts　it　the

greater　luxury　not　to　use　it。　　The　only　explanation　for　its　use　is；　that　it　is　a

habit　which　binds　one　hand　and　foot；　and　from　which　no　person　with

ordinary　will　power　in　his　own　strength　can　free　himself。



Tobacco　blunts　the　moral　nature。　　It　is　not　certain　how　long　tobacco　has

been　used　as　a　narcotic。　　Some　authorities　hold　that　the　smoking　of　tobacco

was　an　ancient　custom　among　the　Chinese。　　But　if　this　is　true；　we　know

that　it　did　not　spread　among　the　neighboring　nations。　　When　Columbus

came　to　America　he　found　the　natives　of　the　West　Indies　and　the　American

Indian　smoking　the　weed。　　With　the　Indian　its　use　has　always　had　a

religious　and　legal　significance。　　Early　in　the　sixteenth　century　tobacco

was　introduced　into　England；　later　into　Spain；　and　still　later；　in　1560；　into

Italy。　　Used　for　its　medicinal　properties　at　first；　soon　it　came　to　be　used

as　a　　luxury。　　The　popes　of　Italy　saw　its　harm　and　thundered　against　it。

The　priests　and　sultans　of　Turkey　declared　smoking　a　crime。　　One　sultan

made　it　punishable　with　death。　　The　pipes　of　smokers　were　thrust　through

their　noses　in　Turkey；　and　in　Russia　the　noses　of　smokers　were　cut　off　in

the　earlier　part　of　the　seventeenth　century。　　〃King　James　I　of　England

issued　a　counterblast　to　tobacco；　in　which　he　described　its　use　as　a

'custom　loathsome　to　the　eye；　hateful　to　the　nose；　harmful　to　the　brain；

dangerous　to　the　lungs；　and　in　the　black；　stinking　fumes　thereof　nearest

resembling　the　horrible　Stygian　smoke　of　the　pit　that　is　bottomless。'〃　　As

one　contrasts　this　sentiment　with　the　practice　of　the　present　sovereign　of

England；　his　breath　is　almost　taken　away　in　his　great　fall　from　the

sublime　to　the　ridiculous！



While　we　do　not　believe　a　moderate　use　of　tobacco　for　a　mature　person

is　necessarily　a　sin；　yet　we　do　believe　that　it　does　blunt　the　moral　sense；

and　soon　leads　to　spiritual　weakness　and　indifference；　which　are　sins。

To　love　God　with　all　one's　heart；　mind；　soul；　and　strength；　and　one's

neighbor　as　himself；　means　not　only　a　denial　of　that　which　is　questionable

in　morals；　but　a　practice　of　that　which　is　positively　good。　　However　noble

or　worthy　in　character　may　be　some　who　use　tobacco；　yet　by　common

consent　it　is　a　〃tool　of　the　devil。〃　　Every　den　of　gamblers；　every　low…down

grogshop；　every　smoking…car；　every　public　resort　and　waiting…room

departments　for　men；　every　rendezvous　of　rogues；　loafers；　villains；　and

tramps　is　thoroughly　saturated　with　the　vile　stench　of　the　cuspidor　and

the　poisonous　odors　of　the　pipe　and　cigar。　　〃Rev。　Dr。　Cox　abandoned

tobacco　after　a　drunken　loafer　asked　him　for　a　light。〃　　Not　until　then　had

he　seen　and　felt　the　disreputable　fraternity　that　existed　between　the　users

of　tobacco。



Owen　Meredith　gives　us　a　standard　of　strength　and　freedom；　which　is

an　inspiration　to　every　lover　of　rounded；　perfected　manhood　and

womanhood：



　　　　〃Strong　is　that　man；　he　only　strong；

　　　　　To　whose　well…ordered　will　belong；

　　　　　　For　service　and　delight；

　　　　All　powers　that　in　the　face　of　wrong

　　　　　　Establish　right。



　　　　And　free　is　he；　and　only　he；

　　　　Who；　from　his　tyrant　passions　free；

　　　　　　By　fortune　undismayed；

　　　　Has　power　within　himself　to　be；

　　　　　　By　self　obeyed。



　　　　If　such　a　man　there　be；　where'er

　　　　Beneath　the　sun　and　moon　he　fare；

　　　　　　He　can　not　fare　amiss；

　　　　Great　nature　hath　him　in　her　care。

　　　　　　Her　cause　is　his。〃



Only　let　the　〃will；〃　the　〃powers；〃　the　〃freedom；〃　and　the　〃self〃

of　which　the　writer　speaks　become　the　〃Christ　will；〃　the　〃Christ

powers；〃　the　〃Christ　freedom；〃　and　the　〃Christ　self。〃　　Then　the

strongest　chains　of　bondage　must　fly　into　flinters。　　For　〃if　the

Son　make　you　free；　ye　are　free　indeed。〃　　（John　viii；　36。）









II。

DRUNKENNESS。



I。　A　TEMPERANCE　PLATFORM。





WE　bring　to　you　three　words　of　counsel　with　respect　to　this　subject。

First；　Beware　of　the　Social　Glass；　second；　Study　the　Drink　Evil；　third；

Openly　oppose　it。　　This　is　a　Temperance　Platform　upon　which　every

sober；　informed；　and　conscientious　person　may　stand。　　Would　it　be

narrow　or　uncharitable　to　assert　that　not　to　stand　upon　this　platform

argues　that　one　is　not　sober；　or　not　informed；　or　not　conscientious？

The　crying　need　of　to…day　is；　that　men　and　women　shall　be　urged　into

positions　of　conviction　and　activity　against　this　most　colossal　evil　of

our　time。　　In　our　country　the　responsibility　for　drunkenness　rests　not

with　the　illiterate；　blasphemous；　ex…prison　convicts　who　operate　the

250；000　saloons　of　our　Nation；　nor　yet　with　the　250；000　finished

products　of　the　saloon　who　go　down　into　drunkards'　graves　every

year；　but　with　the　sober；　respectable；　hard…working；　voting　citizens

of　our　country。　　Nor　does　this　exempt　women；　whose　opportunity　to

shape　the　moral　and　political　convictions　of　the　home　is　far　greater

than　that　of　the　men。　　When　the　women　of　America　say　to　the　saloon；

You　go！　the　saloon　will　have　to　go。　　The　moral　and　political　measures

of　any　people　are　easily　traceable　to　the　sisters　and　wives　and　mothers

of　that　people。　　You　and　I　an