50 THE ToIJACCo NUISANCE, 



began a career of dissiiiatiou \\\\v\\ tliey liegaii to smoke, I can- 

 not become a party to a })ractice that has so little to be said in 

 its favor. I must have nothing to do with it. 



rerha[>s you wish a " 'I'hus saith the Lord" for what 1 have 

 said. Allow me to say this is not necessary to a command, nor 

 a'-Thoushalt not" to a prohibiti<ni. Princijjles rather than 

 proof texts are to be our guide in regard to vices not known in 

 Bible times, and by r(>snlts we are to determine the character of 

 causes. I do not thiid< Jesus would have used tobacco had it 

 been in Judca in his day as it is in our countiy to-day, nor have 

 I any reason to suppose that INIoses, David, Klijah, Daniel, or 

 Paul would. In all that was good in them it is my duty to 

 imitate, and .so far as i)Ossible seek to reproduce their excel 

 Icncies in my life and conversation. INly position is an impreg- 

 nable one ; from it no argumcmts can drive me, and apostolic 

 l^rccc^pt endor.ses it in the words, "If nu'at make my brother to 

 offend, 1 will eat no more while the world stands." Multitudes 

 of good men everywhere take their stand on Paul's platfoini, 

 and in a s])irit of .self-sacrifice deny themselves in order to bo 

 helpful to their weaker brethren. INI en of weight and standing 

 in the various walks of life have lifted their voices and used 

 their pens against it. The Methodist C^hurch has always op- 

 posed it. 'Y\\v llefoiiued Presbyterian (^hurch will ordain no 

 man as nnnister or elder who us(^s it, ami the Christian .senti- 

 ment of the age is against it. Such te. iiuony with me has 

 great weight, and when I am in doubt as to the propriety of 

 any course, I always feel like asking what is the opinion of the 

 wisest and best of men on the subject. 



1 am aware that this is not an infallible test, for the church 

 has not been right in all her conclusions, nor even good men 

 always to be Ixdieved. P>ut at least they are entitled to respect- 

 ful consideration, and ought not to be rejected without i)roor. 

 In this case the proljabilities are in our favor, the i.roofs an; on 

 our side, and the conviction grows deeper ar.d stronger day by 

 day that it is an evil and must be grap[»led with. If it be true 



