The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-02-18
AN ENJOYABLE AFFAIR.
Ravehna Council No. 376, Royal
Arcanum, Tender n Reception
10 Hon. a. NlcI.area,
Grand Regent.
banquet nt The EtnR House. what
was said and Done, and
WhO Were There.

Who Were There.
The Royal Arcanum Society signal
lied its appreciation of the visit of the
Grand Regent, Hon. A. McI4aren, by
rendering himself and wife a Recep-
ton, at the Etna House, on Thursday
evening last. Cards of invitation hav-
ing been issued some days previous. a
full attendance of the members and
their ladies was anticipated, but such
a large aud enthusiastic assembly as
greeted the distinguished guests, was
hardly looked for. The members of
the fraternity gathered at their rooms
at 7.3O p. NJ the ladies being received
at the Etna House, by a committee
composed as follows: Mrs. H. ID.
Seymour, Mrs. w. II. Beebe, Mrs. r.
B. Johnson, Mrs. G. P. Reed, and
Mrs. J. HI. Oakley. While the ladies
were doing their best to entertain
themselves, their absent escorts were
getting in some fine =" work. at their
Lodge room. We are informed that
one or two candidates erode the goat, :"
and that the Grand Regent pronounc-
ed the proficiency attained by the of
ficers in charge as worthy of the high
est praise.
At $50 o'clock the brethren proceed
ed to the hotel, where, after a general
introduction, they all wended their
| way to the dining room. After dis.
cussing most excellent "Menu" pro.
| vided by mein host, Mr.. Ward, a feast
of reason and flow of ..sour' was in
augurated. Master of ceremonies, Ar,
thur E. Seaton, delivered the address
of welcome, his excellent speech
abounding in good sense and keen
wit, was in substance as follows:
Grand Regent MaLaren:
| By virtue of the Office of which / am
an unworthy occupant, the pleasant
duty has devolved on me tonight, OF
bidding you and this company wei
come, in the name of Ravenna Council
[ would be very glad if this duty had
beed assigned to some one better able
to perform it Alright, to some one better
able to express i'll betting manner
the welcome of the Council to its guests
than shall be, If, however, l leave
anything unsaid that should be ap
propriateIy said on an occasion like
this, or if anything unfittingly say
it will be the fault of my poor, falter.
ing tongue and not that of my heart
It has seemed to me fitting that ir
welcoming you here | should say {
few words concerning the rise ant
progress, the objects and aims of Oul
fraternity. Some of our. guests may
want to know little something abOu
their host, and / fear that some o
them, especially the ladies, have rathel
vague ideas as to what the Royal Ar
eannm is and what it does,
The Royal Arcanum, unlike the here
of the story books, was born of rich
but honest parents, in the city of Bos
ton, nine years ago. Nourished afte
the fashien ofits birthplace. on RostOI
baked beans and salt fish, it throw,
and grew apaee. The vigor of the III
FAINT, the rapidity of its growth, ant
the small amount of milk, in the way
of assessments, required for its susie
nance made it an anomaly in the in
surance world, ard its Insurance.
neighbl rs called in to inspect it. Ole
grandfather TOntine, his son, Semi
Tontine. and all the Endowment ant
Investment insurance family, put OIL
their spectacies and surveyed the child
Then began a chorus of doleful predic
tions. The baby had no constitution
its rapid growth was unhealthy ant
would emu in premature decay by th'
way it asserted itself in the presenc
of its elders and betters it was evident
ly affected with with q badly swellet
mead. They sarcastically asked tn,
dOting parents when the funeral wOult
be, ana dismissed the poor infant from
their notice AZ hardly worthy of thei
contempt. But 10 how time has con
founded the counsel of the wise ant
silenced the sneer of the scOrnful. A
of old, HE hath put down the mighty
from their seat, and hath exalted then
of low degree.n In spite Ofsnters ant
SCOTS and adverse criticism,
In spite of rocks and breakers roar.
| In spite of false lights on the shore,
the Royal Arcanum grew and pros
pered, and increased and multiplied
until its Councils were numbered b,
thousands and its members by tens o
thousands, its benefits paid by million
of dollars. 1t reduced the cost of in
surance to lower figure than eve
known, either before or since, it pal,
It's losses with promptness unhear'
of in insurance circles, and it stand
today at the head and front of all lif
, insurance OrganiZationsi in the countr,
1.-The stone rejected of the builders ha
become the corner stone of the fabric.
Meanwhile, time has wrought som
, changes in the ranks of these grand oil
stock companies, these. representative
of " Legitimate Insurance." as thei
devotees term them. These companie
that charge you large premiums, to b
sure, but promise to return them al
after the lapse of few years, plu
steen" per cent. interest, and throw
in sewing machine and a chrome
Some of these companies have gone
well, 1 cannot tell exactly where tn
companies have gone, but the presiden
ana treasurer of these "dear departed
have gone to Canada. The CLOWN,
prospectus of some of these " old line
Insurance organizations showed tn
capital to be represented by a dolla
mark, figure and ever so many ci
; pliers, and the poor policy holder
found that the officers of the compan,
, had taken the figure and dollar mark
and left them the ciphers. 1 do no
wish to be considered as attacking lif
| insurance on The STOCK plan, but
, wish to remind those who believe tha
; there can be no stability in an insur
/, ance organization unless it is backe,
up by a large cash capital, that the,
are, after all, dependent on the honest,
ana integrity of the custodians of thi
mass of wealth, 1t is all question c
, mans honor and integrity after all
and in this view of the case what BET
ter security can an assured ever hav
, than the plighted good faith of tn
. seventy thousand chosen men VIII
, compose the rank and file of our order
Now, ladies, just a word to you,
do not think that many of you apprt
D ciate the Royal Arcanum as you shoul
/, You ladies are too apt to regard thes
r secret societies that make such COZ
venient excuse for your husbands al
sence down town evenings, as rathe
in the light of a rival. Ladies, til
Royal Arcanum, though an organic,
! ton composed of men, is maintaine
/. for your exclusive benefit. 1t is tn
wives and sisters, mothers and daugf
ters of members who are named i
4 their benefit certificates. Our order
4 founded on the sacred duty which eac
i man owes to those dependent on hir
, | tn nIaoa them bayODd the raach Z