The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1867-03-21
PFEEFIT pF LIFE INSURANCE ILLUS
T3ATED.

surance.
Life Insurance is the child of bcnef |
1t may have a commercial. basis, as all
monetary schemes must have that are
intended for human benefit when unsus-
tanned by aims, nevertheless 1t is con-
trivauce of rich origin, and could only
emanate from a mind thoughtful to lm-
prove the habits Of the whole family of
man. Surely that must be esteemed a
magnificent establishmcntthrough which
We can purchase n fortune b. small an
nual contributions, 50 that when the
contributor dies he can bequcath that
4ert"no 10 whoever he may desire tn
possess it. Even in the first year Of
this arrangement, and if the insurer
should have made but single payment,
the stipulated fortune is still at his dis
posal should he die In fact, it fre-
quently occurs that a man thus purchas-
cs for few dollars a sum that it would
take long lille Of industry to amass, Sc
curing a provision for his wife and tam
lily wholly beyond his reach but ior such
regencrating medium.
ltSuIu IIllC luSulunCC do paw VI
the morality of life, and when a young
man arrives at the age of selfsupport,
one of the first uses that he should make
of his surplus earnings is to secure a
life policy. 1t should be the initial act
OF voluntary prudence, for the rates of
premium arc much less in youth than in
maturer life, and he who insurcs thus
carly will have good reason to congratu.
late himself upon his position when he
may have assumed the responsible obli-
cations Of husband and father.
1t is true that prudence sometimes
cxemplifies itself in other forms as we'll
as IN resort to life insurance but there
is no system by which man can so thor
oughly aad so immediatel y make pro.
vision for his family as through the in =
estimable channel. Let us assume, for
instance, that young man twcnty>six
years of age, with a wife, little family,
and $1,000 per annum, finds that, after
discharging every claim upon him in an
honorable manner, he is able to put aside
$500 per annum as a sinking fund, in
case premature death may make his
wife widow and his children orphans.
1t will take nearly quarter of ccntu0
ry Of such uniform prudence to arlass
the sum of $4,000; but policy of insu-
effected for similar amount upon pay
ment of no more than $685. yearly.
The great triumph, however, in such a
contract is that the insurer secures at
once dover to his wife and a provision
for his children. Thus, it the insurer
dies at thirty.two years Of age, his wife
and family secure from the policy the
full sum Of $4,000 /; if the same calamity
betalls the uninsured, who has pursued
the other course Of prudence, aud he al
so is called from life at thirty-two, he
cannot ocqueath to his widow onesfourth
the amount of him whose Judgment
taught him to insmo, although he has
expended double the money in the at
tempt. No one will hesitate in pro-
nouncing which path it is most profta-
Lle to tottoV.
1t is not only incumbent upon every
man to provide for his family during
his own life, but as a good citizen, as a
worthy christian, and u man of feeling,
10 make such arrangements that it shall
not become either burthen to his
friends or to society after his own death.
The means are within his reach to effect
this great and noble object-it is affor-
ded him by life insurance, a means OF
dispelling poverty and dosolation scarce
ly known to our fathers but which, in
the progress OF society, is introduced to
us in such benevolent form, that the
American people are rapidly eulistiDg
beneath its banners.
An affecting anecdoto was narrated
to Us the other day in relation to this
subject, which we Will hear repeat.
A Clergyman was recently attacked
by sickness, and soon was made aware
that his malady was f fatal character.
He was only thirty three, but had wife
aud four children. He had insured his
life at an early period, and though since
his marriage his means were narrowed
he contrvod to discharge the annual
premiums on his policy. The day be,
fore his dissolution he remarked to his
vile, Mary, it rejoiccs me that you
and my little cherubs will escape the
penury with which my poor mother had
to struggle as a widow, For this you
are indebted to Life Insurance. | cam
not describe to you the grateful feelings
| feel towards these institutions. The
$4,000 which you will receive will be a
fortune in such able hands as yours.
wish my poor congregation could appre
ciate the principle upon which my wild
Ow will be made rich, for many of them
rre as needy as ], and might be benefit
I'd by my example"
The pastor, who was 50 much below
"'l, died, aud we are told that nearly all
;iS congregation insured their lives as a
r;bntc 10 his memory, 50 much did they
we're his dying words, and the course