Ministers and Tobacco by Wm. E. Caviness

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 24, 1885

Ministers and Tobacco.

By Wm. E. Caviness

Bro. White: Finding the following in an Eastern paper, I thought it would be a suitable piece to publish in the Review, as it shows the injurious effects of tobacco.

Wm. E. Caviness.

“The Rev. Bishop Ames, of the M. E. Church, while holding a Conference recently, expressed the opinion that a very large proportion of the funds which are collected for superannuated preachers, are paid to men, who by the excessive use of tobacco have mentally and physically disqualified themselves for the itinerant work.”

A religious journal commenting on this, remarks:

“Is the body, mind, and usefulness of God's ministers to be sacrificed to this indulgence, and then are the church to be called upon to sustain them when laid aside? But the usefulness of young ministers [yes, and of older ones too,] is retarded beyond what they have any conception of. One whom we have well known, and loved, and admired for his former piety, his bright and ready conversational powers, is now so engrossed with his pipe, that a single question has to be put to him the second time before his attention can be gained; and he is so irritable, so short, and indifferent in his reply, and so intent on his smoke, as to put an end to social intercourse; and, may it not be added, to study and to active duties.

“The use of tobacco, in or out of the pulpit, stupefies the brain, injures the vision, the hearing, and the voice; blunts the memory, begets dyspepsia, engenders bronchitis and other throat diseases, paralyzes the energies, and brings on premature old age and decay. We question the purity and healthiness of any man's blood or belief who is an habitual smoker, snuffier, or chewer of tobacco, or drinker of beer or alcoholic liquors. He certainly is not so perfect a Christian, nor so perfect a medium between men and their Maker. We read of the 'blind leading the blind,' and if the use of liquors and tobacco by clergymen is not an evil, a perversion, yea, a downright sin, then we are mistaken. Be it ours to correct, though we may not convert, these wicked sinners, who with grog and pipe become pensioners, and live on charity.”

To all of which we say, AMEN.