The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-12-17
Another Lot of Yictimizel People.

The newspapers bring the intelligence
Of the failure of the Mutual Self
Eudowmentand Benevolent Association"
in which association quite number of
our citizens have recently invested SUR
plus cash. The President Ct this col
lapsed concern, like many managers of
ether great swindles, offers faint hope
to those who are most Immediately inter.
ested in its financial status. We repro
duce President May6eld's side of the
question because it will be found ex-
tremely interesting reading to all those
who have been induced to invest their
earnings in an institution which was
most fair to the promise, but which
could be, in the nature of things, nothing
bul false to the fulillment.
This grand Mutual elf.Endowmept
and Benevolent Association" had a
preacher at its head. This fact, of itself.
we think, was enough to secure the
downfall of the concern. Besides having
preacher. president, it seemed to pro-
vice profitable employment for host Of
other preachers as sub agents. AS rule
preachers are looked upon by the mem.
bels of their focks as the embodiment OF
all that is wise and true in every relation
of life. Besides this, they, to greater
or less extent, idolize him as their spirit
ual adviser. 1t is, we presume, for these
reasons that swindlers of all classes and
every degree seek the aid and counte'
nance not only of the preachers Of the
gospel, but also of the religious newspa-
pels. Swindlers know The value of the
preachers influence, and they are perfect
" aware of the fact that they can afford
to pay almost any price to get their
advertisements in the religious newspa-
per.
They, therefore, make it point to win
the favorable consideration of the pulpit
and the religious press. Honest, corhd.
ing preachers, and the publishers Of
religious newspapers who sell space to
whomsoever may apply, are deceived by
plausible talk and fair promises. Rev.
DIR. MayfeId, We have no doubt, entered
into the management of this great
Benevolent Association in perfect good
faith, and perhaps asked divine bless,
ing on the enterprise. as a matter Of
course preacher is not supposed to know
ANYTHING of insurance. 1t is a subject
which requires much study. Having
devoted his life to the study of the plan
OF salvation as found in the Scriptures,
his information on life insurance must
have necessarily been neglected. Blind
ly accepting the statements of otherg
who sought to make MIN their tool, and
who wanted the magnetic effort which
the sanctity of his prieslly robes would
give to the scheme for sharing the
ionocents. In like manner other preach
ers Joined this holy gpuging company
and proceeded to the work of gathering
up the money Of their parishioners who
could in many instances, i'll afford to lose
it.
When thirty dollars were received by
the agent lis own family was benefited
to The amount of ten dollars. Then we
presume the chief preacher, the grand
cycops of the concern, got another big
per cent, leaving perhaps enough OF the
original sum to advertise the splendol
and excellence of this grand promising
concern. We make no reflection on the
sincerity Of the preachers who may have
been connected with this cheat. They
like other agents, no doubt were perfectly
sincere in al that they did. But they q;
individuals were doubtless sought ou
because of the priestly Office which they
held aud being unsuspecting, they were
themselves deceived.
We would warn the public against al
exclusively secular enterprises which
have at their head preachers of the gos
pei. Of all men on the face of the eart}
preachers are the most gullable. Being
honest themselves, they do not suspec
evil OF others.-Press and Banner.