Tea Does not Hurt Me by R. F. COTTRELL.

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 9, 1867

“Tea Does not Hurt Me.”

By R. F. COTTRELL.

So said a sister who is in the habit of drinking it strong three times a day. Her tone of voice and manner of speech showed that she was irritated, and not in a proper mood to reason upon the subject, so all present forebore to press the subject or try to show that tea is injurious. The fact was, it was later than her usual dinner time, and her tea was not yet ready. After dinner her spirit was quite changed, she seemed more mild and reasonable, and better prepared to take counsel.

Science may demonstrate, and experience may bear witness, that stimulants are hurtful to all who use them; but the person whose nerves are all unstrung by their use cannot see it so. The tea drinker will still claim that tea does not injure him, and the victim of tobacco and spirituous liquors will claim that these things do him no harm, but on the contrary are a benefit. Their nervous system is so unstrung, and their moral vision so beclouded by the use of these things that it is hard to make them see the necessity of reform. If men were not so darkened by intemperate habits of living, their moral and religious reformation would not be so nearly hopeless. Oh, that abused and debased humanity could see that it needs reformation! R. F. COTTRELL.