The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-01-15
MAsONIC MUTUAL AID.
Annual M Meeting of Mutual Aid Association
 --Oficers Elected


 bers being present. A new board of di- rectors was elected and the new board elected the following officers for the en- suing year; President c. E. Prince; vice president, E, M. Armstrong;; secre- tary, R. l.. Chase; treasurer, H. w. Crawford; medical director, w, Dexter Anderson; attorney. l.. P. Deming; finance committee Lyman H. Johnson, William A. Waterbury and F. Stanley Bradley
 Secretary. Chase and Treasurer Craw- ford are the only changes from last years board. Secretary Chase succeeds Secretary Reuben Tucker, who has been too Ill to perform the duties of the office almost from the time of his election. Mir Chase has been acting secretary during the period of MT. Fuckers ill., ness. Previously MT. Chase was em- ployed on the clerical force of the Shore Line road. His election was practically unanimous Treasurer Crawford sue ceeds c. H. Mersick. Besides the election of officers com- mittee was appointed with power to act in the matter of the association em- ploying an agent to increase it's mem bershp.
 The presidents, secretary's and treas- urer's reports showed that the associa- tion is in prosperous condition. Acting Secretary Chases report fol- lows:
 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. To the Officers and Members of the Ma sonic Mutual Benefit Association of | New Haven, Conn.
 In presenting to you this, the twenty | fourth annual report of this association, | I have carefully reviewed the work of | the past year and given not only an ac- | curate account of the work performed | during this period, but also truthful account of the condition of affairs as | they exist to-day.
 | It is with regret that I am unable to say that we are in a better condition than for years past, yet, considering the financial depression through which we, as all other similar associations have passed, together with the unpleas- ant experiences of the past year, we | are In a condition which must be ad- | HllLlGu IS QulL6 SdlloldCtOIy anu WOllHy i of some praise.
 That we have not increased mem bership is principally due to the fact 1 that for the past six months we have employed no regular agent to solicit for us, which has left this work with the members themselves, and many are to l be congratulated on the results of their | labors Quite a number of brothers have personally applied for membership with us, which goes to show that the good work that has been done in the past is well known and that their confi- dence in our future is firm. l During the year we have added eighty-fve to our rolls, the average age being thirty-two years ten months and l twenty-one days which is little lower l than that of the preceding year.
 The death rate during the year has l been quite heavy. Fifty-seven have 1 died, which is a larger number than for many years past The average age of | these deceased members Is sixty-two years nine months and twentl-one days. | being two years more as compared with l year ago.
 Although we have disbursed $102, ,369.72 l III Dtleut5 uuiluS tilS Sedl, W!llCu iS | S21 ,000 more than in 1896, we have issued 1 but two more cards, the balance having 1 been taken from our contingent fund | thus relieving the members to some cx- l tent.
 l Since the date of our organization, | March IS, 1874, there have been 741 deaths the average amount paid by these deceased brothers being $293. 5S and when we consider the fact that the total amount paid for assessments by a l member holding a $2,000 benefit certifi- cate, from March, 1874. to January, 1898, l Gwenty-four years) Is only $62S.25 the showing is a good one and will stand a comparison with any other similar as | socation.
 During the past twenty-three years | we have paid out in death benefits $1.- | 457, ,27S.72, and the amount of good which this has done can hardly be estimated.
 During the year just passed one of our directors has died, viz, Brother Err nest C. Spencer. a member of Day Spring lodge No 30. He served on the board of directors for eleven years.
 In closing these remarks I think it will not be out of place to make an ap-
 
 creasing our membership We have at present 2,296 members, and should each secure but one new member Cor more) 1t would be an easy matter to double our number in one year. It does not seem an impossible thing to do, and if each one will make it point to do this, surely the result would be well worth the labor.
 The following table gives an account of the work done the past year in de- | tail:
 STATISTICAL.
 Date of organization March 16, 1874. Stated Meetings of Directors-Second ond Monday in each month. | Average age of new members, 1897, S2 l years 10 months 21 days.
 Average age of deceased members, 1897. 62 years g months and 12 days.
 The total amount paid for asses sments by a member holding a $2,O0O benefit certificate, from March, 1874, to Janu- ary, 1898, twenty four years, is S628.25
 Total amount of outstanding certfi- cates, $4,557 ,00O.
 Total amount paid by deceased mem- bers( whose claims are paid), $212, 259.21
 Total number of deaths since organi- zation, Al.