p. 77 | Health and Temperance by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Feb 4, 1889

Health and Temperance.

By Editor

HOW TO CONQUER THE TOBACCO HABIT.

THE Rev. A. H. Quint, D. D., in the Congregationalist of December 13, has an article entitled, "Ten Years without Smoke," in which he discusses the various ways of breaking from the tobacco bondage. We quote from his article the following extracts, which we would commend to all Christians:—

I said to myself, "What shall I do?" The question was between a daily habit of many years, and an argument all against it. I decided. I have never since regarded it as an open question. Persons make a mistake in exercising their will power to determine not to smoke; that power should be exercised to refuse to consider the question itself. But I must add, the decision which I made was linked with my theology, namely, the absolute inability of human nature by itself, and the absolute sufficiency of the grace of God. Will one persevere in abstinence? This theology is the only promise.

In fact, it is a little difficult to see how one who exhorts others to that conversion which breaks the bondage of the whole nature, and believes that the grace of God is able to change the whole character, breaking up old habits and destroying old loves—should confess that that grace of God is, in his own case, impotent to destroy a single appetite, if he feels that the appetite is evil. Is it not a Christian belief and the principle of Christian work, that the power of God, while not at once removing what may be called the physical consequences of the violation of law, yet can and does change or remove the tastes for such violation? The consequences of the long use of narcotics may take a life-time to remedy; the craving for them may be conquered by the same grace which led Paul to say, "Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." Therefore, the weak question sometimes found in the religious papers, "What substitute can I use?" is not exactly according to the preaching which holds that "the power of God unto salvation" is sufficient for all conditions. This kind of question, this looking for a substitute, is to my mind a secret of failure. It discusses the question with appetite. It tries to pacify a craving which must be extinguished and not coddled. It keeps the imagination still active and powerful. Most of all, it fails to see that regenerating power is perfectly competent to bring all things into subjection to the divine law. I am writing for Christian believers.