Questionable Amusements and Worthy Substitutes | Page 4

Amusements," form both a cause and a result of this
widespread indifference. An underlying cause of this indifference
among those who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ, is lack of
conviction for sin, want of positive faith in the fundamental truths of
the Scriptures, too little and superficial prayer, and lack of personal,
soul-saving work. Is the class-meeting becoming extinct? Is the
prayer-meeting lifeless? Is the revival spirit decaying? Is family
worship formal, or has it ceased? However some may answer these
questions, still we believe that the Church has a warm heart, and that
signs of her vigorous life are expressed in her tenacious hold for high
moral standards, and in her generous GIVING of money and of men.
Our point of view has been that of the person, old or young, regardless
of sect, race, party, occupation, or circumstances, who has a life to live,
and who wants to make the most out of it for himself and for his
fellow- men, and who believes that he will find this life disclosed in
nature, in history, and in the Word of God. J.M.J.

ORFORDVILLE, WIS., March, 1904.
CONTENTS


PART I.
QUESTIONABLE AMUSEMENTS


CHAPTER PAGE
I. TOBACCO,.................13 II. DRUNKENNESS,................26 III.
GAMBLING, CARDS,...............53 IV. DANCING,...................70 V.
THEATER-GOING,..............84


PART II WORTHY SUBSTITUTES
VI. BOOKS AND READING,.............99 VII. SOCIAL
RECREATION,............118 VIII. FRIENDSHIP,.................130 IX.
TRAVEL,...................147 X. HOME AND THE
HOME-MAKER,.........170


PART I.
QUESTIONABLE AMUSEMENTS.
"The excesses of our youth are drafts on our old age, payable about one
hundred years after date without interest."--JOHN RUSKIN.
I. TOBACCO.
Tobacco wastes the body. It is used for the nicotine that is in it. This
peculiar ingredient is a poisonous, oily, colorless liquid, and gives to
tobacco its odor. This odor and the flavor of tobacco are developed by

fermentation in the process of preparation for use. "Poison" is
commonly defined as "any substance that when taken into the system
acts in an injurious manner, tending to cause death or serious detriment
to health." And different poisons are defined as those which act
differently upon the human organism. For example, one class, such as
nicotine in tobacco, is defined as that which acts as a stimulant or an
irritant; while another class, such as opium, acts with a quieting,
soothing influence. But the fact is that poison does not act at all upon
the human system, but the human system acts upon the poison. In one
class of poisons, such as opium, the reason why the system does not
arouse itself and try to cast off the poison, is that the nerves become
paralyzed so that it can not. And in the case of nicotine in tobacco the
nerves are not thus paralyzed, so that they try in every way to cast off
the poison. Let the human body represent the house, and the sensitive
nerves and the delicate blood vessels the sleeping inmates of that house.
Let the Foe Opium come to invade that house and to destroy the
inmates, for every poison is a deadly Foe. At the first appearance of this
subtle Foe terror is struck into the heart of the inmates, so that they fall
back helpless, paralyzed with fear. When the Intruder Tobacco comes,
he comes boisterously, rattling the windows and jostling the furniture,
so that the inmates of the house set up a life-and-death conflict against
him.
This is just what happens when tobacco is taken into the human system.
Every nerve cries out against it, and every effort is made to resist it.
You ask, Will one's body be healthier and live longer without tobacco
than with it? We answer, by asking, Will one's home be happier and
more prosperous without some deadly Foe continually invading it, or
with such a Foe? When the membranes and tissues of the body, with
their host of nerves and blood vessels, have to be fighting against some
deadly poison in connection with their ordinary work, will they not
wear out sooner than if they could be left to do their ordinary work
quietly? To illustrate: A particle of tobacco dust no sooner comes into
contact with the lining membrane of the nose, than violent sneezing is
produced. This is the effort of the besieged nerves and blood vessels to
protect themselves. A bit of tobacco taken into the mouth causes
salivation because the salivary glands recognize the enemy and yield an
increased flow of their precious fluid to wash him away. Taken into the

stomach unaccustomed to its presence, and it produces violent vomiting.
The whole lining membrane of that much- abused organ rebels against
such an Intruder, and tries to eject him. Tobacco dust and smoke taken
into the lungs at once excretes a mucous- like fluid in the mouth, throat,
windpipe, bronchial tubes, and