That Little “Black Devil.”
HE hates both God and man. He is an “unclean” spirit. Last year he robbed God of over four hundred millions of dollars, in this country alone. In our meeting last Thursday evening one man out of whom he had been cast said that he had ruined his teeth, injured his lungs, and robbed him of over five hundred dollars, besides the interest on it. Another comparatively young man testified that he had lost eight hundred dollars besides the interest, through his diabolic agency. He dims the eyes, injures the throat, unstrings the nerves, benumbs the brain, pollutes the breath, poisons the blood, sows the seeds of dyspepsia, heart disease, consumption, and cancers in the system, and then laughs as his victim tries to escape from his clutches. Selfishness, stinginess, peevishness, slavishness, and filthiness, all delight to call him “Father.” Drunkenness is his own pet nephew. Strong Drink is his twin brother. Inconsistent as it may seem, he sometimes comes to church, and has often persuaded professed followers of Christ to pay more for his support than for all benevolent purposes combined. His friends usually feel “too poor” to take a religious paper. Like wicked men and other “devils” he is to be annihilated at the end of the world. He can never enter Heaven, for it is written that “no unclean thing can enter there.” His name is Tobacco. Christ can cast him out. Will you let him?—Sel.