An Australian Aboriginal’s Experience with Tobacco
By B. P. Ridge
WHEN we commenced our work at Kempsey, among the aborigines of this district, we were faced with the problem of the tobacco habit, which has a tremendous hold on this people. With few exceptions, the women as well as the men are enslaved by it. Finding an aboriginal woman of about sixty years who did not smoke, I inquired the reason. She told me the following story: “I found Jesus, and began to know God, and wanted to be sure He would save me in heaven, but the way was not so clear as I wanted it to be. I did not know what was wrong. One night I dreamed. I was trying hard to look up to heaven, and could see nothing but smoke — smoke everywhere. “At last I saw that it all came from my own mouth. I awoke frightened. God showed me that tobacco was no good. In the morning, I told my husband, and we burned our pipes and tobacco. God blessed me; and now you come with the truth, and I see better, and I know God better and better every day, and am not afraid. He looks after me all the time.”