also apparent from their regulations. As shown above, they exclude all
diseased and infirm persons from membership, and of course from all
the "benefits." They generally provide that, in case of sickness or
disability, a member shall receive three dollars per week, and in case
of the death of a member, the sum of thirty dollars shall be
contributed toward defraying his funeral expenses. But all the
associations making such regulations also provide that a member who is
in "arrears for dues" shall receive no aid in case of sickness or
disability; and in case of the death of a member who is "in arrears
for dues" nothing shall be contributed to defray his funeral expenses,
and his wife and children, however destitute they may be, can receive
no aid. In such cases, the destitute widow and orphans must not look
to "the _charitable_ association" of which the departed husband and
father was a member, but to outsiders--yes, to "prejudiced and
ignorant" outsiders--for aid to bury his dead body with decency.
Grosch says, "The philosopher's stone is found by the Odd-fellow in
three words, _Pay in advance_. There are few old members of the order
who can not relate some case of peculiar hardship caused by
non-payment of dues. Some good but careless brother, who neglected
this small item of duty until he was suddenly called out of this life,
was found to be not beneficial, and his widow and orphans, when _most_
in need, were left destitute of all _legal_ claims on the funds he had
for years been aiding to accumulate." (Monitor, p. 198, 199.) Such
facts as these prove secret associations to be exclusive, heartless,
selfish concerns. (See Constitution of Druids, Art. 2, Sec. 1, and
By-laws, Art. 11, Sec. 1; Constitution of Good-fellows, Art. 16, Sec.
1; Constitution of Amer. Prot. Asso., Art. 9, Sec. 1-5.)