The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-01-11
MASONIC MUTUAL BENEFIT
THE eeND ANNUAL MEETING OF
 THE ASSOCIATION

Basis Reports all or a Gratifying Nature rho Annual Election of Officers.
 The twenty-second annual meeting of the Masonic Mutual Benefit association was held at Masonic hall, No. ST Church street. this city, last evening. The pres ident, c. E. Prince, presided All the officers, a large number of the directors and good delegation of the member ship in general were present.
 President Prince in his annual report congratulated the association upon the excellent showing of its work of the year. The association was in a marked improved condition.
 "The average age of new members admitted during the year 1895 has been about 34 years and of these over 50 per- cent. were under 30 years of age. This is satisfactory, showing as it does the infusion of younger blood into the as' sociation. The average age of the pres ent membership of the association IS about 52 years 3 months--a slight dc- crease from a year ago. This IS also source of satisfaction in that it shows even to small degree with the asso- citation year older a lessened average risk. We commence the new year wIth only three deaths unassessed,as against twelve at the beginning of our last fis- cal year.
 At the last session of the legislature bill was introduced having for Its object the placing of all fraternal ln- surance associations doing business in this state under the jurisdiction of the insurance commissioner. This informa- tion was promptly submitted to the board of directors by our attorney Brother Deming. A committees, con sisting of the president, secretary and attorney, was appointed to take such action as would protect our association from any legislation which would affect our interests unfavorably. The com nittee instructed Brother Deming to ap- pear before the committee of the legis lajture having this matter in charge and the result of his efforts were eminently satisfactory, and a bill was passed which is of great importance and benefit to all local associations, -inasmuch as it places all foreign fraternal associations under the supervision of the insurance commissioner; and in this direction tends to regulate some of these associ- ations doing business in our state whose agents misrepresent our local associa- tions for the purpose of inducing appl- cants to become members of the associ- ation they represent and to the datri- rnent of the home Institution
 The report of the secretary notes that the financial condition of the association Is excellent
 We have paid all claims prompt- Ny, especially during the latter part of the year; we have bsen enabled to pay almost upon the presentation of the proofs of death and before the assess ment has been laid"
 Tt does seem that all Masons in our state who are eligible ought to make provision for the future benefit of their families by enrolling their names with us. TO relieve the distressed is duty incumbent on all men, more especially upon Masons who are bound together by an indissoluble chain of friendship and affection. This being SO how bet ter can we do this than in a systematic way How much distress has been re- lieved by us as an association none can tell, as it is impossible even for your officers to see every case; suffice it to say that there are many who have bless ed the association for the good it has done and yet may do,
 While we may think the cards come often, still the amounts called for are small, and when added together at the end of the year is not large The mem
 
 rolls from it's organization twenty two years ago have paid into it's funds but a fraction over 25 per cent of the amount of the benefit.
 Take for instance the holder of certi- ficate No. 3, our first vice president, who is still alive and a member with us, and who is now sixty-nine years of age, his total amount paid in assess ments and dues from the organization to the present time on 1000 certificate has been but $565.25, being an average of $2569 or $12SS per thousand per an- num- Could we ask for better show ing?
 Many of our members will take our heaviest year and compute the cost of their benefit therefrom. It seems to me the only fair way is to take an aver age of a number of years
 It may be interesting to many of our members to know the number of assess ments we have had per annum since our organization which is as follows: 1874, ?: 1875 1 1876, 4; 1877, 15; 1878, "A; 1879, 1e; 1880, 16; 1881, 26; 1882, IS; 1883, "A; 1884, 22 1885, 31; 1886, 30; 1887, 24; 1sSs IS; 1SS9 22 1890, 9; 1891, 22; 1892, 24; 1893, 24 1894, 2S; 1885. 50. Total, 443.
 It will be seen that there were larger number of assessments during 1895 than any year of our existence. We have been paying full benefits of $2 006 each since October, 1877.
 Since our organization we have had little to do with litigation. There have been several cases where there have been two or more claimants to the mon ey due. During the past year we had one such case, where the widow and son both claimed the benefit; we placed the money in the jurisdiction of the court by bill of interpleader, that the court should determine which was the rightful claimant and which of the two should receive the money. The case was compromised before coming to trial and amicably adjusted. The facts in the case were, the son paid the applica- tion fee for the father to become menl- Der and also paid the assessments for a