W a lte r L W ilson , M. D.
lune 1, 1947 A LCOH O L , TO BACCO , A N D M Y H EALTH 1 C o r . 3:16, 17
R emorse for F l e s h l y I n d u l g e n c e Psa. 41:4 In my experience through many years with the sick and the dying I have never yet found any person who expressed regret for his failure to be a heavy drinker or smoker. I have, however, heard from many lips deep sorrow and remorse for having wasted time, money, and health on things which had abso lutely no value and which destroyed the body and wrecked the mind. I have heard many people express grief for ever starting to use liquor and tobacco, for they make one an abject slave. This slavery costs money and time. At the end of life, when one looks back over this waste, his heart and mind are filled with remorse for his lack of vision and his waste of opportunity. Let us avoid coming to such an end in life and let us help others to avoid such a path. One’s actions indicate what he is. Those who try to consume all the liquor that is manufactured get a reputation for it. Those who use tobacco constantly are soon known as slaves to the habit. There are surgeons who feel that they cannot operate until they have had a drink of whiskey to steady the nerves, or two or three cigarettes to quiet their hands. The criminal before the judge nervously smokes one cigarette after another and plainly shows that he is a slave to the drugs found in cigarettes. Some salesmen believe they can sell more merchandise by offering whiskey or tobacco to pros pective customers. Even some preach ers feel that a “good smoke” will make the sermon better and will cause it to have more effect upon smokers. Thus, liquor and tobacco become substitutes for the Holy Spirit. May the Lord deliver each one from these two abominations. R e p u t a t io n R e s u l t in g fro m F l e s h l y I n d u l g e n c e Luke 13:32
A HEALTHY, holy, happy body presents a proper channel for God’s blessing to flow through to men. Cravings of the flesh are al most without exception destructive to the flesh. The flesh desires things which are damaging to it and longs for things which hinder a path of godliness and usefulness in this life. The stimulation of alcohol and to bacco, the thrill of the dance, the excitement of the motion picture, the suspense of the card game, all work together against the best interests of the eyes, the brain, the nervous sys tem, and the whole body. Not one of these things can be said to be a blessing to the body or soul or spirit. They cannot be cited as being prof itable for this life or for the next. They may be classified as “lusts of the flesh’’ which produce no good results for the growth of godliness or usefulness in the life of the per son who indulges in them. R e a so n for F l e s h l y I n d u l g e n c e 1 Tim. 3:9 It is most difficult for a Christian to indulge in the lusts of the flesh with a pure conscience. He would not dare to kneel at the altar for prayer with a whiskey bottle in his pocket or a cigarette in his mouth. No person, saved or unsaved, would offer such things to a dying man as a passport to heaven. It is doubtful if any one would say that indul gence in bad habits brings glory to God or blessing to man. The use of liquor and tobacco is not conducive to good health, clear thinking, or godly living and no one claims that it is. These things are used strictly for the satisfaction of the flesh and furnish only a momentary exhilira- tion. The evil results last much longer than the temporary enjoy ment.
T h e E ffe c t of P e r m it t in g F l e s h l y I n d u l g e n c e . H os . 13:9 It has been proved both in the chemical laboratory and in human experience that liquor and tobacco seriously injure the body. Alcohol has a very damaging effect upon the digestive tract and the nerve
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DR. WILSON tissues. The drug content of cig arettes affects the mind to the ex tent that many cigarette addicts will not remain honest under pressure. Cigarettes accompany practically every form of crime. Most criminals are constant cigarette smokers. V i cious attitudes and actions accom pany the use of liquor, for alcohol perverts the brain as well as the appetite. Most people who indulge in the use of these two narcotics do so deliberately, with a full knowl edge of the evil results that will follow.
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