Tobacco is not mentioned in the Scripture, but its effects are, and we are positively commanded to remedy such effects. Paul says, “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” 2 Cor. 7:1. One effect of tobacco using is “filthiness,” from which we are commanded to cleanse ourselves. But few people are not ready to admit that using tobacco is a filthy habit. Then since the Word of God condemns filthiness, the tobacco habit stands condemned. It is indeed a sin-seared and tobacco-stunned conscience that denies the use of tobacco being a lust of the flesh. It can be [pg 294] nothing else but a fleshly lust. How frequently the lust of the flesh is condemned in the Holy Scriptures. It wars against the soul. It is enmity against God. It lusteth against the Spirit.
Dear reader, will you listen to reason and truth? We are aware how difficult it is for man to see and acknowledge the truth when some cherished idol stands between him and the truth. It is not a difficult thing to help him to comprehend the sinfulness of some evil thing which his heart is not set upon, but he is blinded to any sin in the cherished object of his affections.
Recently there were in a meeting two middle aged ladies. One of them was fashionably dressed, while the other was uncommonly plain in her apparel. The lady in the plain dress was addicted to the habit of using snuff. The lady in the fashionable dress abhorred such a filthy practise. When the Word of God was read on the comeliness and plainness of female attire, the lady in the plain dress smiled and nodded assent. The lady whose heart was set on costly apparel, expressed a rejection of God's Word in her countenance and manner. In the discourse the subject was changed from the wearing of gay clothing to the practise of tobacco using. When the habit of using snuff was mentioned the plain lady's smile was turned to a sneer, and the fashionable lady's sneer was turned to a smile. Afterwards in conversation the fashionable lady said she believed it was a sin to [pg 295] use snuff, but she could not see any evil in wearing gay and fine clothing. The plain lady said she thought it was a sin to wear such plumed hats and beaded dresses, but she could see no harm in using snuff. This proved to us what we have before mentioned, that it is difficult for man to see any sin in his idol.
If you are not very careful you will be seeking to justify yourself in your indulgences, though they be wrong. So if you, dear reader, will lay down all prejudice, with a heart open to reason and truth, we will consider with you the use of tobacco. We claim, first, that tobacco is injurious to health. The Bible tells us that we are not our own, but are bought with a price; therefore we should glorify God in our body and spirit which are his. 1 Cor. 6:19, 20. Also that whether we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do, we should do all to the glory of God. 1 Cor. 10:31. We can not indulge in anything injurious to the health of the body without incurring the displeasure of God. Now we frequently meet strong looking, and apparently healthy men, who have used tobacco for several years. Such are often ready to say, “Tobacco does not hurt me.” They are honest in this. Being strongly constituted the poison of tobacco has not as yet succeeded in affecting them to a noticeable extent. Sooner or later, however, it will make its awful sting to be felt. Some men may expose themselves to the most inclement weather for years and experience no visible injurious effects; however, slowly, but surely, such [pg 296] negligence is undermining the general health, and the pains of his old days will repay him for the fool-hardiness of his youth.
We have read may works on hygiene, and never a one but what has without hesitancy pronounced tobacco and alcohol very injurious poisons. We have a few by us and will give you some short quotations.
“It tends to debilitate the organs, it weakens the memory. By the use of tobacco we entail upon ourselves a whole train of nervous maladies. It will bow down to the earth an intellect of giant strength and make it grind in bondage like Samson shorn of his strength.”—Hitchcock.
“It impairs the functions of the brain, clouds the understanding, and enfeebles the memory.”—Dr. Stevens.
“In whatever way it is used, tobacco is a narcotic and a poison. Its injurious effects are due to its active principle called ‘nicotine,’ which is of itself a narcotic poison. The extent to which the body may be injured by tobacco depends upon its moderate or excessive use. Even in moderate use it is hurtful to young persons, and by no means free from harm to adults. It produces an artificial exhaustion, as it were, of the nerve-centers. It certainly does no good, even when used in moderation. Tobacco produces functional derangement of the nervous system, palpitation of the heart, certain forms of dyspepsia, and more or less irritation of the throat and lungs. Sometimes [pg 297] after long smoking, a sudden sensation of dizziness, with a momentary loss of consciousness is experienced. At other times, if walking, there is a sudden sensation of falling forward, or as if the feet were touching cotton-wool. While the stomach is empty, protracted smoking will often produce a feeling of nausea, accompanied with a headache. The external application of tobacco to chafed surfaces, and even to the healthy skin, will occasion severe, and sometimes fatal results. A tea made of tobacco and applied to the skin has caused death in three hours. A tobacco enema has resulted fatally within a few minutes. The excessive smoking of tobacco has been known to produce violent and fatal effects. Nicotine is one of the most rapidly fatal poisons known. It rivals prussic acid in this respect. It takes about one minute for a single drop of nicotine to kill a fullgrown cat. A single drop has killed a rabbit in three minutes. The old tobacco-user is often cross, irritable and liable to outbursts of passion. The memory is also quite often impaired for the same reason. The narcotic principle, the deadly nicotine, has become soaked into the delicate nerve-pulp, retarding its nutrition. The nerve-centers are no longer able to hoard up their usual amount of vital energy.”—Young Folk's Physiology.
Thus we could go on and quote volumes, if need be, but we will close our quotations with the words of Dr. Fowler, as quoted by W. J. Henry in “Tobacco and Its Effects.” “The actual loss of intellectual [pg 298] power which tobacco has hitherto occasioned, and is still causing in this Christian nation, is immense. How much so, it is impossible to calculate. Many a man who might have been respectable and useful has sunk into obscurity and buried his talent in the earth. This commands a consideration of deepest interest to every philanthropist, patriot and Christian in the land, and especially to all our youth. We live in a time and under circumstances which call for the exertion of all our intellectual strength, cultivated, improved and sanctified to the highest measure of possibility. Error, ignorance and sin must be met and vanquished by light and love. The eyes of the angels are upon us. The eye of God is upon us. Shall we fetter and paralyze our intellectual capabilities for the sake of enjoying the paltry pleasure of tasting the most loathsome and destructive weed in the whole vegetable kingdom?” Oh, for shame!
Tobacco is not a natural food. No one ever thinks of giving it to their children as a food. It is a habit, something to be acquired. Whatever God has given us as food for the sustenance of the body is natural with us and we do not have to become habituated to its use. Where is the individual that will deny that it is a habit? It must be, since it has to be acquired or learned. Who will say it is a good habit? Who will deny that it is a bad habit? Do you not think it much better that we as moral citizens, and much more as professed Christians, leave off our bad habits?