"THE EVILS Of SMOKING."

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12856, 30 October 1912, Page 7

"THE EVILS Of SMOKING."

DISCUSSED AT BAFILST CONFERENCE. REASON FOR THE WEED, "1 LIKE IT." CHRISTCHUKCH, October 2(5. A declaration against- smoking was made by the members of the Baptist Union Conference, when the following motion by Mr Lambert was carried: " That it be an instruction to the Young People's Committee to bring prominently before the Sunday School superintendents, teachers, Bible classes, and Christian Endeavour societies belonging to the denomination, the desirability of impressing upon the children and young people under their charge the evil effects resulting from the use of tobacco, especially upon growing boys and young men." In moving the motion, Mr Lambert said he had brought the matter forward in tho interest of young people. Ho said ho regarded smoking as a great evil. It was another evil that had to be faced, and the sooner the Church rose, and dealt with this question the better. The motion was seconded by Mr Israel. Mr G. H. Maunder 6aid he had never met a man who could say anything in favour of the use of tobacco. AH they could say was " I like it." Speaking of ministers who smoked, Mr Maunder asked why did they not smoke in daylight, if they enjoyed their pipe so much. "I am sorry to hear," he continued, " that there are young men amongst us studying for the Church who are smokers, and 1 think they should be advised " At this stage th§ president interrupted : " Do you want to spend the whole afternoon discussing this matter." —A voice: " If it will do away with smoking wo do." —" This is a perfectly unnecessary discussion, and we "are wasting the afternoon," declared the Rev. J. K. Archer. Ho said he was an anti-smoker, and he thought smoking was a wasteful and extrava~ gant habit, and for this reason he thought it was a waste of time to discuss the matter. Smokers, he said, would continue to smoke just es much, and ho did not think this discussion ■would influence them. The motion was supported by several other speakers, v.iio contended that smoking was a great evil, and that it was not necessary. Opium, alcohol, and tobacco were very much akin, declared one speaker. On the motion being put it*was carried unanimously.