Democratic messenger., 1894-01-06

ought to he poOrhouse somewhere on
the outskirts of heaven, where those
guilty of such improvIdence should he
kept for awhile on thin soup and gristle
instead Of sitting down at the King's
banquet. II is said that the church is
a divine institution, and l believe it.
Just as certainly are the savings banks
and the life insurance companies divine
institutions. As out of evil good often
comes sa ont of the doctrine of proba-
bilities, calculated by Professor Hugens
and Professor Pascal for games of
chance. came the calculation of the
lite insurance companies. and no bust
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 bcyo.id endurance for
my signature to papers of all sorts.
there is one style Of raper that l always
sign with feeling of gladness and
triumph. and that Is 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. I
always write my name then SO they can
read it. 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 enc Of
the best seats in heaven!" 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 $1,000. $4,000. $1,000. a
year, who did not leave one farthing to
the surviving household. Now, that
mans death is n defalcation, an out
rage, n 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 that? IL
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 IL
YOU are able to. remember you have no
right to ask God to de- for your house
hold that which you can do for them
yourself.
For the benefit of those young men
excuse n practical personality. Begin
ming my life's work on the munificent
salary of $500 year and a parsonage,
and when the call was placed in my
hands did not know how in the world
I would ever he able to spend that
amount of money, and remember in
dulging in n devout wish that might
not bc 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 a religious duty to get my
life insured and presented myself at
an office of ono of the great companies,
and stood pale and nervous lest tho
medical examiner might have to de-
clare that had consumption and heart
disease and a half dozen mortal all
ments. hut when | got the document,
which ! have yet i'll full force, l felt a
sense of manlin"ss and confidence and
quietude and reinforcement, which is a
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 well have been alive and
well and supporting their families.
They got 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 lnsuring" has been go
long used ON both sides of the sea by
IL. hrlStmaS Is, Indeed, n gIorIous -,
.itution. ~
Sick list +. II. Rowlcy. James +. al al
lev. DIR. and Mrs. Mason and Mrs. a.,
orgc Pruiit. 70,
Mr.. Al. Gordv. Of Metompkin. Va, cb
listing his parents near town. ipt
Mr.. Charles = Richardson, com 20
.ing business with pleasure. spent sol
HOLIDAYS with friends in pennsvl- fol
Iia. IN;
Mis- Minnie Townsend. Of Snow ad
II, has been visiting her brother. SP
:. W. I. Townsend. u
Mr.. Cole Watson is home from ~, -,
iladelphia on visit 10 his parents
Mrs. William Conner and James -,
nc>. of Chincotcague. were visitors -,
pur town on "Wednesday. 81;
The oyster season is the. dn!l l2:s.a al com
iiHhncy Et..'iinn good people with moro
than usual mental caliber, who never
have been able to support themselves
and their households. They are nys-
terry to MS. and we say. II do not know
/
Il screw loose somewhere. Some OF
these persons have more brain than
thousands who make splendid sue
cess. Some are too sanguine of tenn
permanent. and they see bargains where
there are none. A common minnow is
to them gold fish. and a quail fla
mingo, and a blind mule on towpath
a Bucephalus. They huy when things
are highest and sell when things are
lowest Some one tells them of city lots
ont west. where the foundation cf the
first house has not yet been laid. They
say. What an opportunity" and they
put down the hard cash for an orna
mented dec. for 10 lots under water.
They hear If II new silver mine opened
in Nevada. and they say. What a
chance." aud they take the little
money they have in the savings bank