p. 765 | Health and Temperance

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Dec 17, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 48.

Health and Temperance.

The Brown God.

A GENTLEMAN informed me a few days ago, that being in attendance at a camp-meeting at Clear Lake, Iowa, last summer, he witnessed a singular occurrence. A man had been seeking the Lord for several days with great earnestness and many tears. He was in terrible distress of mind; but it seemed as though his prayers were unheard, and he was almost at the point of giving up the conflict in despair. When asked whether he had given up everything for Christ's sake, he replied that he had to the best of his knowledge.

Shortly after this, while kneeling, praying and weeping, he was seen to thrust his hand into his pocket, draw out something, and fling it away with loathing and disgust. Immediately he sprang to his feet, praising God and rejoicing in his great salvation. Then some one looked for the object cast away, and lo! it was a piece of tobacco! As soon as he dethroned the brown god, Christ took possession of his heart.

I wonder why Christ would not bless this man clinging to his tobacco! And I wonder, too, if Christ would not give some professors of religion that I know of, if they would get in as deep earnest about their tobacco as this man was, a greater blessing than they can ever have with tobacco in their pockets. We should like to see them try the experiment. After all, it is wiser to never begin the use of tobacco, and then when you seek the Lord this little brown god will not come between you and the blessed Jesus.—S. S. Gem.