THIS little work is from the pen of an earnest man upon a question which will grow in importance with discussion. No one knows the candor and childlike sincerity of Simpson Ely better than myself. If he has spoken strongly it is because he has strong convictions and is deeply impressed with what he regards a portentous evil. There was a time when there were few people who objected to the use of tobacco on other grounds than that it was an offensive habit, but during the last generation, there has been a growing conviction that it is a great moral evil. It has been observed that almost all victims of intemperance were also slaves of the tobacco habit, and this has led to the belief that the enormous increase of intoxication in modern times is, in part, to be attributed to the vitiating influence of tobacco. When a person becomes a slave of one stimulant, he is prepared for bondage to another. It has been thought therefore, that in order to checkmate intemperance, it would be needful to wage war upon what is believed to be a powerful ally of the enemy.

      Whether these views are correct or not, even tobacco users all admit that it is a useless, expensive and offensive habit. They are ready to confess that they wish they had never learned it. There are few of them who have not made efforts to break this chain. I heard a man [3] remark the other day that he would give a hundred dollars never to have tasted it. There are many who would give thousands. These things being admitted it would certainly be well for Christians to abstain from it entirely, and a public sentiment ought to be created which would prevent the children and young men of the country from acquiring the habit. This can hardly be secured while Christian preachers, elders and Sunday-school teachers chew and smoke. It is a source of gratification that the essays of this little volume, as they first appeared in the Christian-Evangelist, have induced a number to reform, and it is hoped that in this revised and permanent shape they will be yet more fruitful of good results. It is with the prayer that they will cause a more earnest seeking for "Whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report" that this appeal is committed to the public.

B. W. J. [4]      

[TACT 3-4.]

      The electronic version of Barton Warren Johnson's "Introduction" to Ten Chapters Against Tobacco by Ely Simpson (St. Louis, MO: Christian Publishing Company, 1886), pp. 3-4, has been produced from a copy of the pamphlet held by the Disciples of Christ Historical Society.

      Pagination in the electronic version has been represented by placing the page number in brackets following the last complete word on the printed page. Inconsistencies in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and typography have been retained; however, corrections have been offered for misspellings and other accidental corruptions. Emendations are as follows:

            Printed Text [ Electronic Text
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 p. 4:      to the public [ to the public.
 

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
373 Wilson Street
Derry, PA 15627-9770
stefanik@westol.com

Created 28 May 1999.