Life Assurance and Total Abstinence. 
 
 The following is an abstract from the pen of Rev. Joseph Cook^ 
 Boston : The law of averages as exhibited in the experience of life 
 as'suranae companies during the last forty years has once for all 
 triumphantly justified the temperance principle of total jabstinence 
 Everyone knows, or ought to know, that for neaaly half a century- 
 many of the best life assurance societies of England have insured 
 jfODEBATE DRINKERS and TOTAL ABSTAINERS in Separate sections, and that 
 a bonus has been oaid to the section made up of total abstainers of 
 7, IB, 17, and in some cases, of *23 per cent over that paid to the section 
 ot moderate drinkers. Here are a few commercial facts of the largest 
 philanthropic ' significance: I hold in my hand the circulars of a very 
 celebrated life assurance company, which I shall not name for fear you 
 will say 1 wish to advertise it, although it is not an American society, 
 and I read in this official document that in 1872 and 1878 the bonus 
 to the temperance section was 14 per cent. I will name a single one of 
 the great life assurance companies in England because its reputation is 
 well established, and I cannot be suspected of having any improper 
 motive for giving its career publicity. I refer to the United Kingdoni 
 Temperance and General Provident Institution. In England its ex- 
 perience is often cited to show the superior value of teetotal lives as 
 compared with those of moderate drinkers. The institution insures 
 members in two sections, one in which all the members are total ab- 
 stainers, in the other moderate drinkers — all intemperate persons 
 being, of course, excluded. The two sections are exactly alike in every 
 other respect, about 20,000 lives being insured in the general section, 
 and 10,000 in the temperance section. Returns of the expected and 
 actual claims in both sections for fifteen years, from' 1860 to 1875, show' 
 that in the general section, 4,450 deaths were expected and 3,444 took 
 place, whereas in the temperance section the expected deaths were 5,002 
 and the actual deaths only l,4b3. During the year 1870 the expected 
 claims in the temperance section were 195 for .^i40,844, the actual claims 
 were 1(14 for .£28,090 ; in the general section 305 were expected for .£64,- 
 343, tl^jB acturl having been 326 for .£74,940. The quinquennial bonuses 
 in the temperance section have been seventeen and a half per cent 
 greater than those in the general section. I have been citing to you 
 not temperance documents, hut the report of life assurance societies. 
 They are not fanatical organizutions, they are not governed by this pet 
 theory or that as to temperance reform. Here is cool, stern business 
 sagacity applied to one of the most complicated matters, and the out- 
 come we have in this great proposition, sustained by the most exact ap- 
 plication of the law of averages, is that nearly twenty-five per cent 
 bonus must be paid ta> total abstainers above what is paid to moderate 
 drinkers. 
 
 Citizen Publishing Co., 19-21 Richmond St. E,, Toronto. .fl.OO per 1,000