d indulgence; and the host who should intimate that it might
be offensive to some, would be looked upon as having transgressed not
only the rules of modern politeness, but all the laws of hospitality.

Notwithstanding the extent to which smoking prevails, there are some in
almost every family, who are affected with giddiness in the head and
sickness at stomach, whenever they inhale the fumes of the pipe or
cigar, particularly at or near meal time. Yet all this suffering must be
endured, and the fine feelings of the family disregarded. And for what?
Merely to give a Christian, and perhaps a physician or a minister of the
gospel, an opportunity to gratify a vicious appetite which does him no
good, and which, philosophically considered, would disgrace any man who
pretends to be a gentleman.

"What reception," says Dr. Rush, "may we suppose the apostles would have
met with, had they carried into the cities and houses whither they were
sent, snuff-boxes, pipes, cigars, and bundles of cut, or rolls of hog or
pigtail, tobacco? Such a costly and offensive apparatus for gratifying
their depraved appetites would have furnished solid objections to their
persons and doctrines, and would have been a just cause for the clamors
and contumely, with which they were every where assailed."

And yet this very disgusting practice is considered, in these days of
gospel light and civil refinement, almost as an indispensable
prerequisite to fit a minister of Christ to prosecute successfully the
work of a missionary in evangelizing the world. Kindly expostulate with
such Christians, physicians and ministers of the gospel on the propriety
of their conduct, and they meet you with a multitude of the most
frivolous excuses.

One uses tobacco, as the tippler does his rum, as an antidote against a
damp atmosphere. Another, to prevent the accumulation of water or bile
in his stomach; and a third, as a security against the encroachment of
contagious diseases.

But Howard the philanthropist assures us, that it had efficacy neither
in preventing the hospital fever, nor in warding off the deadly plague.
Dr. Rush says, that at Philadelphia it was equally ineffectual, in
preserving its votaries from influenza and yellow fever. Excuse
ourselves as we may, it is at best a disgusting habit, persisted in
against the convictions of our understanding and the dictates of true
politeness, and adapted only to gratify a vitiated and unnatural
appetite.

It is,