A TEXAN'S STRUGGLE WITH THE TOBACCO HABIT.
By E. L. Hutchison
[E. L. Hutchison, in Weekly Witness.] WHEN I was a young boy, about 12 years old (I am now sixty-seven), I thought I could not be a man until I could smoke. Many a time I took my father's pipe and went in some secret place to learn. Many a drunk and vomit from it I experienced, but by persisting I conquered. Finally I got to love it. I became a slave to both chewing and smoking. I would chew and smoke together all day, and often got up at night to smoke. After several years it commenced to tell on my system. From the use of it, I got sick. I managed by a great effort to quit chewing, but smoking held me fast in its chain. I still persisted in smoking; I knew it was killing me, but I could not quit. Some time after, during the Civil War between the North and South, being a soldier in the Southern army, I was made a prisoner and sent to Johnson Island, Lake Erie. A revival was in progress at the time. Through the prayers of my mother I was enabled to see the sinfulness of continuing to smoke. I knew it was on my part a sin, as it was killing me fast. I had to come to some decision. With a determined effort I gave my pipe and tobacco away. I then found my Saviour; but O, the struggle I had afterward! My system was used to it, my craving to take it up again seemed almost unbearable. For ten years I had been an excessive smoker. It took about the same length of time (ten years) before the craving was overcome. I am sorry to say, occasionally during that time I had to smoke a little to satisfy my craving. Thank God, for the last twenty years I have not used it, and I have no desire for it. This is not the experience of all users of tobacco. Some have been enabled to quit without a struggle, while others have had to fight to conquer. I believe it to be the same in the drinking struggle with some, and would be in my case, I know. About the same time I was enticed to drink whisky by my companions. At first I could not see how any one could like the taste for it. I got drunk twice from its effects. I saw it was conquering me fast. In God's strength I was enabled to give it up, too. To-day I thank God for keeping me and enabling me to set an example to my children, which I believe they are following.