p. 140 | A FOOLED DEACON by A. S. Hutchins

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 1, 1877

A FOOLED DEACON.

By A. S. Hutchins

The definition of fooled, as given by Webster, is quite significant. He renders it, “Disappointed; defeated; deceived; imposed upon.” Now we should suppose that if a man had through life been thus dealt with, and should take the stand and bear public testimony to this fact, he would arouse, break the spell, and free himself from the illusion. We should certainly suppose a deacon would do it.

Not long since, at the close of a discourse in which I made some remarks on the evil tendencies of tobacco-using, a gentleman stepped into the desk, and remarked: “Well, I feel pretty well, have enjoyed the meeting; but I have been fooled all the days of my life by using tobacco.” I asked: Do you not wish you had the victory over it? His response was: “It is a shame that I have not.” “Preach against it,” said he.

The deacon left his confession, and a solemn charge. But will he go on fooled the balance of his life? I am afraid he will. Only think of ministers, deacons, stewards of the church, class-leaders, Sunday-school teachers, gospel-workers, and a host of lay members of churches, thousands and tens of thousands of whom live under the pall of disappointment, defeat, deception, and imposition, practiced upon them by tobacco.

They live in the smoke of this foul weed. They carry with them the miasma of disease and death. It arises and floats in the air from their foul breaths, from their polluted bodies, from their garments, from their beds, and the rooms where they live. Well did the deacon say, “I have been fooled;” and thousands of ministers ought to make a similar confession, and hasten to take the last smoke, chew, or snuff; or what would be wiser and better, forever stop now, or cease to handle the word of God, and to deal in sacred things. “Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.”

But what shall we say of those keeping the Sabbath, who have stood and preached against the sin of tobacco-using, but have again fallen victims to its use? And what shall we say of those who in their baptismal vows have solemnly promised to use tobacco no more, when they return to it again? May we not say, “It has happened unto them according to the true proverb”? 2 Pet. 2: 22.

Solomon speaks of some whose “teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing.” We submit the question whether Solomon would say any such a thing of the teeth, breath, or person, of a tobacco-fooled deacon or minister, while his foolishness remained with him. Such persons might be profited by reflections on Prov. 27: 22; while others may rejoice that in God there is help; and that it is our privilege to be sanctified wholly, spirit, and soul, and body.

A. S. HUTCHINS.