A CHRISTIAN TRIUMPH OVER TOBACCO.
AMONG the first things that greeted me, after my birth, was the odor of the tobacco-pipe. My parents both used it. When I was about ten years old, I commenced the58use of tobacco, just for fun. I soon found there was little fun about it. I had chewed the weed for nearly a year before my parents found it out, though I had stolen nearly all my tobacco from them, and used it in their presence constantly, though rather cautiously. As father and myself were at work one day in the field, said he to me, "What in the world makes you spit so much?" "O," said I, carelessly, "it is only a sort of a habit I have got into." "Ah," said he, "I am afraid you are chewing tobacco." I answered, in apparent surprise, "Why didn't you know that I have chewed tobacco for the year past?" "No, indeed!" said he. "And now, my son, you must at once break off from that dirty habit; for I don't want you to use tobacco in any form." "Well," said I, "I'll tell you what I'll do. If you and mother will throw away your old stinking pipes, I will comply with your request at once." "I would gladly do so, if I could," said he; "but I have smoked for so many years, and become so addicted to this habit, that I cannot give it up now." "And that is just the case with me," I replied. "I can't give it up." He said no more, but regaled himself with his pipe as aforetime, and left me undisturbed to chew and spit to my heart's content. For ten years I was in the most degrading bondage to this appetite. Often did I, during that period, form the resolution to break the chains; but my appetite was stronger than my resolution, and held me fast in perpetual bondage. I soon began to feel the effects of the use of tobacco upon my whole being—became painfully conscious I was fearfully deranging my digestive organs, my nervous system, and, worst of all, my intellect. Dyspepsia, with kindred difficulties, began to prey upon me. My nerves were unstrung, my memory became feeble, I became vacillating in my purposes. My intellect seemed to be stupefied and almost paralyzed. I saw clearly the great and only cause of all these terrible evils; I anticipated the ultimate results; and yet I continued to chew and spit the life-destroying drug. During this time I made numerous efforts to overcome this habit, and regain my long lost freedom. I would empty my pockets, and destroy whatever of the weed I happened to have at the time, then muster what little resolution I had left to conquer my enemy; but alas! my appetites had become so strengthened by protracted indulgence, and the power of my will so enfeebled, that I would soon be compelled to abandon my efforts, and reluctantly return to my suicidal practice. As a last resort, I purchased a quantity of the worst tobacco I could find. It was a damaged article, adulterated with copperas. I used it freely, though it made me sick, and poisoned my mouth very badly, hoping thereby to exterminate my insatiable appetite for the weed. But it was all to no purpose. I finally sank down in despair, feeling that I was doomed to be a slave to this unclean monster. In the winter of 1846 and 1847 I became interested in the subject of religion. It was the desire of my soul to become a consistent Christian. From that day my tobacco began to trouble my conscience. I saw the inconsistency of such fleshly lusts with the spirit of true religion. But my conscience was somewhat relieved when I looked around and found old professors of religion, who were esteemed as true children of God, and even ministers of the gospel, pious men, indulging freely, openly, and without rebuke, in the use of this defiling narcotic. Yet I did not feel fully satisfied with the purity of their example in this respect. I began to feel like making this matter a matter of principle. I had resolved, with God's help, to be a Bible Christian; to make the Bible my rule of practice as well as faith. Still I shrank from bringing this habit to the law and the testimony of scripture for two reasons:—first, I feared that, judged by this rule, the practice would stand disclosed as sinful in the sight of God, and that I would be compelled either to lose the favor of God, or to put away this drug and overcome my bondage to it, which I felt to be impossible in my case. Second, I felt ashamed to take this foul practice and the Bible, and go before God, and make the inquiry involved in a scriptural examination of this question. In short, I felt as though it were almost, if not quite, an insult to God to seek light in reference to the moral character of this fleshly appetite. While, for such reasons, I was delaying to make prayerful investigation of this subject, the Spirit of God began to set the whole matter before my mind in a most convincing manner, giving me to understand those passages which refer to the indulgence and crucifixion of the fleshly lusts. I was led to see that I could not defile the temple of God and be a true follower of Christ. The question was brought home to my soul, one morning with great power,—I was in the act of taking a chew of tobacco—"Would Jesus Christ use tobacco? Will you give up your tobacco for Christ? Or, will you give up Christ for your tobacco?" I deeply felt that I could not be a Christian and continue the use of tobacco. I must part with my tobacco or Christ! I did not hesitate long, ere, with a trembling heart and an increasing hope that God would aid me in the undertaking, I deliberately decided this question finally and forever, that, let the consequences be what they might, live or die, I would, with God's help, be a free man, a pure man, and serve this filthy, cruel tyrant no more. I bowed before God in prayer; I confessed my filthy and sinful bondage; I sought forgiveness and assistance; I cast myself upon his strong arm for power to conquer my terrible appetite; I took hold on his promise to "help me." But a few days passed ere all desire for the weed ceased, and I became a free man—W. D. W.—Anti-Tobacco Journal.