Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-03-14
SECRET SOCIETIES.
knights OF Honor.

any additional information or give any in
sbpctions to parties desiring to organize |
lodges. His address is Nashville.
"The Order of Knights Of Honor, though
yet in its infancy, has already developed
strong elements of success, that viii no
doubt make it one of the most prominent
and useful Orders in the country.
It is now growing rapidly, and is gath
ering into its Franks good and useful
men from al the better grades Of
society. As it tolerates nothing sec
tartan, sectional or political, the platform
it has erected is broad one, embracing all
classes and conditions of men who are hon
orable and honest, and seek the welfare Of
their fellows. Its aims are high, its OBJ
jects noble, and its plan of operation so
simple and comprehensive as 70 recon-
mend themselves to every one who ex-
amines into them. Its founders, availing
themselves Of the long experience of older
associations Of similar character, have
gathered together most of the strong fea-
lures that have rendered them successful,
AID have added still another, that to the
poor man, or the man of moderate means,
outWeighs them all, in an easy, safe, and
sure method Of providing for his family,
should he premsturely fall in the battle Of
life; something tangible and real to allie
viate their distress, and ward off the shafts
of diversity.
The insurance plans Of this Order are,
perhaps, its most distinctive feature. In
most other respects is does not differ ma
terially from other; well-known beneficial
secret associations, and its manner Of car
rying insurance only differs from that of
other mutual insurance companies in that
its premiums are paid in small installments,
aud its policies are held at absolute first
cost, which the experience of similar en-
terprises and the computations of actuaries
show to be about one-third as much as is
usually asked for insurance by companies
who have all their own expenses and sin
cidentals" to pay.
The principles upon which life insurance
companies are managed are well known to
the readinspublic, and need no explana-
lions here. But the manner in which the
insurance department is conducted so as to
be able to furnish its policies at about one
third the rate usually charged for them
needs some explanation. The actual cost
Of insurance is much lighter than is gener-
ally supposed. The calculations Of the
best insurance sctuaIies show that policies
on average lives can be carried at about $40
per annum on each $1,000. Add to this
the additional amounts required for the
payment Of large salaries, per centages,
and the expenses Of running all the COM
plicated machinery Of a well-reguIated and
safe insurance company, and you have the
average amount charged by such companies.
Instead of $40 per 81, 900 therefore which
is the actual cost Of insurance, mutual in
surance companies are obliged to charge
about three times that price on a life policy
their average rate being about $50 on the
81 600. But the Order of Knights Of
Honor are enabled to place insurance at its
first cost price, because it is entirely ex-
empt from all the extravagant expenses
that make other insurance costly. The
machinery necessary for keeping the Order
in successful operation is amply sufficient
to carry out the plans Of its insurance de-
partment without the expenditure Of an
additional dollar, and hence its laws
wisely provide that every dollar Of the
Widows and Orphans Fund is to be held
sacred for that sole purpose, and that nc
portion Of it is to be expended in any other
way than in payment Of the policies Of the
assured members. Every thousand dollar,
placed in the treasury Of the insurance de.
| partment remains a thousand dOllars
and is not to be diminished even BY the
expense Of a single postage stamp. 1t is q
savings bank, conducted without expense
ready to honor the sight drafts of widows
and orphans, by paying back in full al
the moneys intrusted to it by the provideui
brotherhood.
Each and every member, except honor
airy members) upon receiving the third, o.
Degree Of Manhood, pays a fee of one dol
lar if between the ages of twenty-one and
forty-fve years, or proportionatelyi ncreas
ed amount for ages greater than forty-fvc
years, and the same amount on each asses
ment thereafter while he is amember oftht
Order. These fees, thus accumulated from
all the Lodges, go int the Supreme Lodge
Treasury, where they are held sacred anC
distinct from sal other revenues, as the
Widows and Orphans Benefit Fund
Of the Order. Out of this common
fund, the sum Of two thousand dol.
lars is paid upon the death of eacl
and every full-rate member .tO his family
or legal representative. After paying thi:
benefit, if less than two thousand dollars
remain in the Supreme Treasury, then an
assessment is made upon every member OF
the Order, due notice being given through
the Official Journal Of the Order to all the
Lodges, which each member is required to
pay to the Financial Reporter of his
Lodge, within thirty days from the date of
the official call for such assessment or
falling to do so, is liable to suspension
from the benefits of the Order. These
payments being snail, are easily
made, and the machinery for their collec-
ton is so complete and simple that little
or no expense is incurred, and no arrear-
ages or unpaid balances are allowed, each
Lodge being held responsible for the full
collection within the time named. This is
the manner in which the policies Of insur-
ance are carried. The whole expense of
the collection and disbursement and man
agement Of the Widows and Orphans Ben
eft Fund is paid out of the ordinary reve-
nues Of the Lodges, so that every dollar
set apart for the insurance department re-
mains intact.
The safety and security Of these funds is
fully fortified by stringent laws and ample
bonds, as far as all human appliances can
IL IL