The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-11-22
(For 1hc Intclliycncer.)
Fraterniiy-Its Scope, Influence and
l}enev0lence.


EDITOR INTELLIGENCER In this age
OF industrial, commercial and territorial
expansion. in this age of progress, edu-
cation and good will toward men, the
| average tOiler or breadwinncr takes no
time to acqIaint himself or inquire into
| the merits of social and benevolent
features OF fraternity. Often through
prejudice and Ignorance one is persua-
ded to believe that all fraterna1 orders
are on the decay, and that it is only
| question of time before all of them will
disappear and become relic of the
| past. How much truth can be found in
such idle assertions when properly and
honestly analysed? One of the great
est. noblcst, purest and most sincere
and upright statesmen, better known
as the Grand Old Man" the late Rt.
Honorable VIM. T.. Gladstone, said with
reference to fraternal orders:
lOu go into these societies to seek
your own good through the good of
others. Friendly societies have be-
come so important and telling Il feature
IN the constitution Of English society
IN It's broadc>t and most fundamental
part. that any account of his nation,
of tins people to whom we rejoice to
| belong. would deserve no attention us
Il really comprehensive account il it
excluded the element of such societies"
There are ninety odd fratcrnai orders
reporting to the Chief Registrar of the
English parliament, each more than
one hundred years old, and comprising
a ne m,,'tnlbership of oyer eight millions.
in 1863, i'll the reign of King John, is
!3l years old and solvent TO- day. The
Royal Evanus, established in 1857, is
SAG years old and solvent day. The
Dc Foe benefit has existed for over eli
! years without Il defalcntiOn.
The knights of Honor, in existence
out over siXty-e million dollars in
benefits, which means that it has re-
lieved millions of families who, through
| the loss OF the brcau-winner, would
have been in distress and perhaps pau
! pcrs day.
In Anderson alone fifty eight thous-
| and dollars have been paid by this or
whom were in need OF it when the head
OF the family was lost to them, and
without this small protection, rs some
would call it, there would have been
great suffering in our midst.
The figures from the last New York
insurance Report of December 31st,
1898, shows that As fratcrnal orders paid
OF 1t for moment only, that these
millions were paid to widows and or
phans whose husbands and fathers
| could not have paid the heavy premi-
inns demanded twelve months in ad-
vance by insurance companies. and that
this protection was secured through
the inStrumcntality of these fratcrni-
ties, who are furnishing its members
protection ut cost, and that these as
scssments are paid i'll small sums
monthly.
Would these millions have been paid
out If such benevolent, charitable and
traternal orders were not Ill existence!
Is any one justified i'll abusing and
slanucrinE these societies by predicting
decay, when in the face of such figures
struggling humanity is hourly and dali
! ly relieved from dire suffering? Isany
| stronger argument needed than the
! presentation: CT these figures which
| are staggering to all who would dare
| say word against these fraternities?
The knights OF Honor, as fraternal,
benevOlent and charitable order, has,
during its 26 years of existence, saved
many Il home from foreclosure, has
helped many young boy and girl re-
ceive an education that would be other
wise neglected and day are happy,
prosperous and blessed with home Of
| their own.
Should we not feel grateful that all
who wish to become identified with this
noble order can easily dc sc now since
! the membership fee of $40 heretofore
charged to applicants, has been remoy-
| Ell. Only the medical examiners fee,
one quarters dues and one months as
sessment is all that is required of the
! applican'
You insure your house, your gin
house, your stock of goods, why not in
sure your life when such an Opportuni-
| ty is before yOu7
The assessment principle is easy to
understand. 1t is not constructed upon
q system of abstruse calculations that
only IN expert actuary can understand,
and moreover one always knows lust
what he rs paying for II have butone
lamp by whichmy feetare guided" said
Patrick Henry. "and that is the lamp of
experience. know of no way of iudg-
ing of the future but by the past.8
This ls good rule to apply to q judg-
ment of thc order to which we belong.
OLD MEMBER X. OF H.
| On tho 1tjth of Dacamha. 1907 D..