Now what is the meaning of abstinence? Abstinence means abstaining,
refraining, keeping back of your own will from doing something which
you might do. Take an example. When a man for his health's sake, or
his purse's sake, or any other good reason, drinks less liquor than
he might if he chose, he abstains from liquor. He uses abstinence
about liquor. There are other things in which a man may abstain.
Indeed, he may abstain from doing anything he likes. He may abstain
from eating too much; from lying in bed too long; from reading too
much; from taking too much pleasure; from making money; from spending
money; from right things; from wrong things; from things which are
neither right nor wrong; on all these he may use abstinence. He may
abstain for many reasons; for good ones, or for bad ones. A miser
will abstain from all sorts of comforts to hoard up money. A
superstitious man may abstain from comforts, because he thinks God
grudges them to him, or because he thinks God is pleased by the
unhappiness of His creatures, or because he has been taught, poor
wretch, that if he makes himself uncomfortable in this life, he shall
have more comfort, more honour, more reason for pride and self-
glorification, in the life to come.
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