p. 157 | Intoxicating Drugs

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 25, 1868

Intoxicating Drugs.

THE whole world is intoxicated. “Every nation,” says a French medical writer, “uses some peculiar intoxicating drug.” There are some eleven of these, the principal of which are hasheesh, opium, and tobacco. The first is used by over three hundred millions of people, and we will suppose it to cost five hundred millions of dollars per annum. The second is used by four hundred millions, and five hundred millions of pounds are consumed annually; which, at but six dollars a pound, or half the retail price in the United States, would amount to three thousand millions of dollars. It is estimated that this drug alone, which Christian England forced on to the Chinese, at the cannon’s mouth, destroys four hundred thousand of that besotted people every year. The third named drug, tobacco, is used by four hundred millions of people, and costs, annually, four hundred millions of dollars; while all other drugs cost millions more. Here we learn, that nearly four thousand millions of dollars are spent by the inhabitants of our world for three poisonous, narcotic drugs. The world is mad.

This immense sum squandered on human lust, though not half equal to the combined war debts of England and our own country, would well support two millions of clergymen, at two thousand dollars per annum; it would build eight hundred thousand school-houses, costing five thousand dollars apiece; it would erect four hundred churches, at ten thousand dollars apiece; it would support one missionary to every two hundred and fifty of the world’s heathen, at a cost of four thousand dollars each; it would furnish three Bibles to each inhabitant of the entire world, at a cost of one dollar each Bible.

And if these figures are frightful, what shall we say when the money that the governments of England, Prussia, and the United States owe for carnage, rapine, slaughter, and destruction of the race in war, exceeds twice this estimate, and might do twice as much good? It is the nineteenth century, but alas! too sadly true are the mournful words of Louis Kossuth, “There is not a Christian nation on earth.” Satan is the “God of this age;” (2 Cor. iv. 4,) and, claiming undisputed right to “all the kingdoms of the world,” (Luke iv. 4,) he relaxes not his terrible grasp. The figures and facts herein presented, exhibit the utter abandonment of the world of mankind to evil habit, vice, and ruin. “The earth is given into the hand of the wicked.” Job ix. 24.

Ten years ago, Dr. Beard estimated that the Protestant Christians of this country raised twenty-five millions of dollars annually for the sustenance and promotion of Christianity at home and abroad. If we make this forty millions, at the present time, the god Tabacum costs an equal sum, and the demon Rum nearly sixty times the money bestowed in the interests of Christianity. A very small proportion of this forty millions goes abroad; for this sum, divided among our forty thousand clergymen, would give them but one thousand dollars apiece.—Few Saved.