The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-04-14
FoR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
HOUSE MOUNTAIN. April. 1869

Mr.. Editor,-There are two questions to be
asked about life assurance. The first is, Whether
it is profitable investment? There are two
views of this question The first view is taken
from the age of 20 years, when one has been in
sured for 40 years; the other from the age of 30,
when one is afraid that he may die within year.
In the first view of the case life assurance does
not furnish profitable investment for money in
the second view it does if the fears of the man are
wellfounded. In considering what | shall be able
to do for my children, have concluded that if
reach the age of my fathers, and pine saw log
does not roll over me, | shall be able to give each
of my boys little farm as good as the one on
which | now reside, lit lies on the north side of
the mountain,) and perhaps little money for
stock. Having infinitely examined the insurance
tables, find that cannot do this by investing my
surplus money in any company that | have heard
Of | may just add, that in making the above cal
culation, did not follow the latest Virginia style
of adding to the actual value of the land the sup
posed value of inexhaustble beds of minerals
If this item were added, l am sure that my
children would all be rich, and my widow be ena-
bled to marry second time, which would make
me thoroughly comfortable as to their future
1t is the second view, however, of this question
that is considered to be the most important one,
man may die any day. or be disabled for life,
like my neighbor whose team ran away with him
last Tuesday, breaking his thigh in two places
Now it is certainly a profitable transaction for a
man to leave to his family thousands of dollars for
which he has paid but hundreds. What pity it
is that the policy is not made payable in the event
of death or broken thigh Do you think this
amendment might be brought about?
My neighbor has policy which he cannot trans
fer to anybody. He cannot do stroke of work,
cannot get any money from the insurance com
pany, is afraid that he will forfeit his policy for
non payment OF dues, and in fact is in this awk-
ward predicament, that ths-ouy relief for himself
and his family would be his death.
The liability to accident is certainly as great as
the likelihood of death, and ought to be provided
against.
Having first concluded that if man is tolerably
certain that he will die prematurely, it would be
good investment to bave his life insured, the
second general question about this matter occurred
to me; viz is this sort of transaction right and.
proper for Christian man? There is general
proneness among men to get something for moth
ing, or much for little In examining my consci.
BUSINESS upon this subject of Insurance. find that
my only disposition to insure myself arises from
the belief that dying early will receive more than
pay, for | have settled it in my mind, that if I
live to tolerably old age, it would not be wise to
insure. Now, this disposition seems to me to be
decidedly unchristian one, and 1 do not wish to
cultivate it. Covetousness, which is idolatry lies
at the bottom Of it. But, furthermore, it seems
to me that the principle upon which money is re.
ceived and paid by insurance companies is vicious
one. One of my friends tells me that some of our
ministers make light of the conscientious scruples
of our people about this matter. | am sorry to
hear it. should not be surprised to hear that an
insurance agent did this, but am much surprised
that minister of the gospel should do SO. The
agent tells us that an insurance company is nothing
in the world but jointstock company, working
upon fair and equitable principles. 1t may be
ioint-stock company, but | think it is very bad
stock. In my utter simplicity l supposed that
what partner in joint-stock company received
from the company would bear some sort of relation
to the amount invested, the length of time of the
investment the personal attention given to the
affairs of the company or the amount Of influence