1883 



JUVEKILE GLEANINGS. 



793 



way of our progress from earth to heaven is 

 just because we refuse to accept that sim- 

 ple little phrase in the prayer our Savior 

 gives us — '' Our Father who art in heaven"? 



%€bm§€ Selm^n. 



WANTS TO KNOW, YOU KNOW. 



SHOULD like to inquire, not in a captious spirit, 

 but for information, what is your objection to 

 the use of tobacco ? I can understand a cru- 

 sade against whisky, for a blind man can discover 

 the evils of intemperance; tut I don't see why in- 

 dulgence in tobacco is any more sinful than the use 

 of tea, cofifee, or any other luxury which is not an 

 actual necessity. C. W. Young. 



Stratford, Ont. 



Friend Y., I know there are some who 

 claim there are two sides to the tobacco 

 question; but as they are mostly tobacco- 

 users, it seems to me their evidence is not 

 quite the kind we want. We have abund- 

 ance of testimony to the hurtfulness of to- 

 bacco, physically, morally, and spiritually, by 

 those who have given up its use. That evi- 

 dence I should consider safe, is it notV 

 Those who have not used it may not be able 

 to look on both sides of the question ; but 

 they have saved their money, health, etc. 

 At a public lecture a short time ago, the 

 speaker surprised me a little by stating that 

 tobacco was doing more harm to-day in our 

 land than all intoxicating liquors together. 

 I turned to a gentleman by my side who is 

 highly educated, and, well posted in regard to 

 matters of this sort, being principal of the 

 public schools of Medina. He nodded as- 

 sent. After the lecture was over, I ques- 

 tioned him there in regard to the matter, 

 lie said he had not a bit of doubt about that 

 statement being true. In surprise, I stated 

 the case to many of the most intelligent and 

 best men I am acquainted with, and the 

 verdict was, I am free to say, to my great 

 .surprise, that tobacco is doing more harm 

 to-day than all the intoxicating liquors to- 

 gether. Suppose you propound the question 

 to the most energetic, earnest, and honest 

 reformers you are acquainted with, and see 

 what they say to^t^ 



THE NEED OF A CHRISTIAN SPIIilT IN ALL OUR 

 DISCUSSIONS. 



In the last number of Gleanings, on page 763, you 

 comment on my late letter to you on the tobacco 

 question. After reading that comment, I can only 

 say that I, for one, care not how much you differ 

 With me on the use of it, or how much you crusade 

 and write against it, if it be only done in the tone 

 you, in your said paragraph, use. That tone is 

 gentlemanly, and worthy a Christian; and to such I 

 have no exception to take; but when, instead of 

 argument, or fair remonstrance, I read abuse and 

 sneers, it does cause me to feel a little irritable. I 

 think your comment was perhaps better than pub- 

 lishing my letter, as " grievous words " do very fre- 

 quently " stir up anger," and there is altogether too 

 much snarling in the world already. 



Austin, Tex., Deo. 8,1883. It. J. Kendall. 



Friend K., may God bless you for these 

 kind words I I confess, that when I read 

 them I felt like saying, "May God have mer- 



cy on me for not having shown more of the 

 spirit you commend." I do know and realize 

 that the use of harsh, abusive, and unfeeling 

 words is a greater evil than the use of tobac- 

 co—if the use of tobacco be indeed an evil ; 

 and I do know, too, that we have no right to 

 dictate to others what their duty is in such 

 matters. Even if you use tobacco, friend K., 

 and think proper to continue its use so long 

 as you live, right gladly I would grasp your 

 hand, and call you brother, even though at 

 the time I did it I might smell the odor of 

 tobacco in your breath ; and I would say, 

 give us the tobacco, by all means, rather than 

 the unfeeling words, if we must have one or 

 the other. May God help me to show forth 

 this spirit you allude to, amid all these many 

 and varied cares. Again I thank you for 

 your kind and courteous words, and especial- 

 ly for so cheerfully acquiescing when I 

 thought best not to publish your letter. 



A CONFESSION OF FAILURE. 



I have been watching the Tobacco Column for 

 quite a while, thinking that perhaps someone would 

 break his promise, and hand over the $100; but I 

 have seen no account of any failures. I am glad 

 that I have scon none, and am sorry that I have 

 failed; so, according to promise, I hand you $1.25 to 

 pay for my smoker. Many thanks, friend Root. 



Edgerton, Kan., Oct. 23, 1883. W. J. Endley. 



Friend E., I am very sorry that you have 

 failed ; but I rejoice to know that you are 

 prompt and honorable in the matter. If you 

 will read our back numbers carefully, I 

 think you will find that something like half 

 a dozen have owned up, and paid in the way 

 in which you did^ 



I see by Gleanings you give a smoker to every 

 one who stops using tobacco. I used it for about 20 

 years; but six months ago I quit using it; and if I 

 ever attempt using it again, I agree to pay you for 

 the smoker. A. V. Harlan. 



Pendleton, Ind., Oct. 31, 1883. 



Having seen that you would mail free a smoker to 

 all those who would abandon the use of tobacco, I 

 will promise from this day I will never use the nasty 

 weed again, if you will so reward me. G. H. Gross. 



Tower Hill, 111. 



For three years I used tobacco; but I stopped last 

 March. I hear you send smokers to those who have 

 stopped using. If so, please send me one. If I begin 

 again, I will pay you for it. S. Bailey. 



Kenton, O., Feb. 2C, 1883. 



I quit chewing about 3 months ago; and if 1 ever 

 use it again, I will pay you for the smoker. 



Pendleton, Ind., Nov. 13, 1883. G. M. Harlan. 

 We gladly send you a smoker, friends, 

 with a prayer that God may help you to be 

 successful in breaking away from the bond- 

 age of tobacco. Some have written us that 

 they broke off a great many years ago, and 

 wanted to know if they were entitled to a 

 smoker. If I am correct, friends, the ar- 

 rangement has been to give smokers to all 

 who give up tobacco after seeing this col- 

 umn here in Gleanings, and the smoker is 

 a little object-lesson, as it were, to close the 

 bargain and remind them of the pledge here 

 given publicly before all the readers of this 

 journal. 



