Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-01-08

vlctuals at the basement door of an
earthly city. 1t seems to me there
ought to be poorhouse somewhere on
the outskirts of heaven, where those
guilty of such improvidence should be
kept for awhile on thin soup and gristle
instead of sitting down at the Kings
banquet. 1t is said that the church is
a divine institution, and l believe 1t.
Just as certainly are the savings banks
and the life insurance companies divine
institutions. AS out of evil good often
comes so out of the doctrine of proba-
bilities, calculated by Professor Hugens
and Professor Pascal for games of
chance. came the calculation of the
probabilities of human life as used by
lite insurance companies, and no busi-
ness on earth is more stable or honor
able, and no mightier mercy for the
human race has been born since Christ
was born. Bored beyond endurance for
my signature to papers of all sorts,
there is one style of paper that l always
sign with a feeling of gladness and
triumph, and that ls paper which the
life insurance company requires from
the clergyman after decease in his
congregation. in order to the payment
of the policy to the bereft household. l
always write my name then so they can
read it. l cannot help but say to my
self: Good for that man to have look
ed after his wife and children after
earthly departure. May he have one of
the best seats in heavenp' Young
man! The day before or the day after
you get married, go to a life insurance
company of established reputation and
get the. medical examiner to put the
stethoscope to your lungs and his ear
close up to your heart with your vest
off, and have signed, sealed and deliv-
cred to you document that will, in the
case of your sudden departure, make
for that lovely girl the difference be-
tween queen and pauper.
have known men who have had an
income of $4,000, $4,000, $4,000, a
year, who did not leave one farthing to
the surviving household. Now, that
mans death is a defalcation, an out
rage, a swindle. He did not die; he
absconded. There are 100, 900 people in
America today a-hungered through the
sin of improvideDce. But, say some,
my income is SO small cannot afford
to pay the premium on a life insur-
ance." Are you sure about thatr If
you are sure, then you have right to
depend on the promise in jeremiah
xix, II, Leave thy fatherless chill
dren, will preserve them alive, and
let thy widows trust in me-" But If
you are able to, remember you have no
right to ask God to do for your house
hold that which you can do for them
yourself.
For the benefit of those young men
excuse practical personality. Begin
ming my life's work on the muniticent
salary of $500 year and parsonage,
and when the call was placed in my
hands l did not know how in the world
| would ever be able to spend that
amount of money, and remember in
dulging in devout wish that / might
not be led into worldliness and prodi-
gality by such an overplus Of resources,
and at time when articles of food and
clothing were higher than they are
now, felt it religious duty to get my
life insured, and presented myself at
an Office of one of the great companies,
and l stood pale and nervous lest the
medical examiner might have to de-
clare that l had consumption and heart
disease and a half dozen mortal all
ments, but when l got the document,
which / have yet in full force, felt a
sense of manliness and confidence and
quietude and reinforcement, which is q
good thing for any young man to have.
For the lack of that feeling there are
thousands of men today in Greenwood
and Laurel Hill and Mount Auburn
who might as we'll have been alive and
well and supporting their families.
They got a little sick, and they were
SO worried about what would become
of their households in case Of their de-
mise that their agitations overcame the
skill of the physicians, and they died
for fear Of dying. / have for many
years been such an ardent advocate of
life insurance, and my sermon on THE
Crime of Not Insuring" has been go
long used Oil both sides Of the sea by
the chief life insurance companies that
some people have supposed that 1 re-
ceived monetary compensation for what
have said and written. Not penny.
I will give any man 500 for every pen
ny have received from any life insur-
ance company. What ! have said and
written on the subject has resulted
from the conviction that these institu-
tions are a benediction to the human
race. But, alas, for the widespread i'm
providence! You are now in your char
tiles helping to support the families OF
men who had more income than you
now have, or ever have had, or ever
will have, and you can depend on the
improvidence of many for the truth of
my text in all times and In all places,
"Ye have the poor always with you. "
LACK OF MENTAL BALANCE.
Another fact that you may depend
upon for perpetual poverty is the in
capacity of many to achieve liveh-
hood. You can go through any com
munity and find good people with more