SOJOURNER TRUTH ON TEMPERANCE.
By Editor
THERE are few people in the United States, perhaps, who have not at least heard of Sojourner Truth. Born a slave, and unable to read or write, she has a wonderful gift as a speaker, and, although over a hundred years old, is still very active. She is a shrewd observer, and, as will be seen by the following extract from a speech lately delivered by her in Chicago, observes to some purpose. A better temperance sermon could not be given in the same space:— "As I have said a number of times, there is no need of sending the gospel to the heathen abroad. There are heathen at home. God will take care of the heathen as he took care of me. "I want to bring forward the truth that we don't live in self-denial. I know many 'temperance' people who profess to be temperate, yet they chew tobacco and smoke. What kind of 'temperance' people are they? We never can gain any ground without denying ourselves. They would not deny themselves a cigar or a chew of tobacco for Jesus Christ. It is the truth. I have known ministers who smoked. What dirty mouths to take the name of Jesus in! Tobacco will kill a snake if you put it in its mouth. Do you think that the spirit of Jesus gets into the body of the man who has tobacco rolling around his tongue, and who slobbers around? No, never! Jesus is pure and undefiled. I was at a 'temperance' meeting this fall, where they were praying and talking, and the president was a smoker. Think of it! He spoke about whisky and purifying the men in the traffic. He needed purifying himself. Think not that tobacco-chewers are any better than whisky-drinkers in the sight of God! They set an example to children—little boys—Sabbath-school scholars. See them around the cars at the depots picking up the ends of cigars and smoking them! Do 'temperance' people ever look at that? "Talk about 'temperance'! A chew of tobacco makes an appetite for spirits. Havn't you got sense enough to know it? If you belong to the 'temperance' people throw tobacco overboard as well as whisky. I have seen 'temperance' people in the church chewing and making a puddie on the floor almost big enough for a bug to swim in. I have seen that in the churches and on the cars, and the chewers were religious people too. I have seen ministers lay aside a quid, pray, and then put the tobacco back into their mouths again. Only think of it! Look at the heathen at home. "I am putting these things before 'temperance' people that you may see what belongs to 'temperance.' There are enough who talk about whisky. I talk about the things you don't talk about at all. You talk about whisky enough, but you don't talk about tobacco. The biggest part of society, I have found, are tobacco chewers. You cannot be 'temperance' people without cutting loose from tobacco—the nasty weed. "But I must hurry because I suppose some one wants to take my place. This dwells on my mind—seeing so many young men and women who will not deny themselves of the ungodly things of the world for the sake of Jesus. They tell how much they love him, but won't throw a single idol away for him."