HISTORICAL SKETCH. Xlll 



or raiser, was tantamount to assaulting a hornet's 

 nest, and we were about as likely to be stung by 

 friend as foe." 



"October 28, 1852. — On my way to the city, I 

 have free talk with Dr. P., who affirms, 'It is an 

 insidious evil ; it injures the individual more than 

 the community ; to fight it is like fighting the mi- 

 asma/ and winds up by saying, 'Brother, I wouldn't 

 fight it another day. Take a parish, be quiet and 

 happy the rest of your life ! ' 



"Right in front of Tremont Temple, a clerical 

 brother takes me by the button, and facetiously 

 asks, 'Brother, have you got all the tobacco out of 

 the world?' 'Not all, brother ; to mend the world 

 is a vast concern. Dr. P. bids me quit this re- 

 form and take a parish.' 'No, no ; go on ; agitate, 

 agitate! It is up-hill work, but in the strength of 

 the Lord, go on.' 



"Called on Professor . He assures me I 



shall do a world of good if I do not carry matters 

 too far. 'I chew a little,' he adds ; 'if I did not, I 

 should be as fat as a pig. The little I chew does 

 me good. I detest smoking; it poisons the com- 

 mon air.' 



" I passed to the seminary to give a lecture to 

 the students. The first I met accosted me : 'Mr. 

 Trask, you are too late to benefit me ; I gave up 

 tobacco three months ago.' 'You smoke, my 

 young brother; I smell it.' 'Yes, I must smoke a 

 little, but I abhor chewing. 9 



