316 STATE BOAED OF AGKICULTURE. 



DUTY OF THE FARMER TO INSURE AGAINST FIRE. 



BY ELLIOTT H. ATSTGELL. 

 [Read at Leslie Institute] 



Fire iusurance ! What is it? It is a contract by which a number of persons 

 form themselves into an association, mutually agreeing to share each others 

 loss by fire, or a contract by which a stock corporation, in consideration of 

 the payment of a specified sum of money, agrees with an individual to pay to 

 him or to his legal representatives, a stipulated sum of money in case of loss 

 by fire. Now that we have seen what insurance is, the question we wish to 

 consider now is : Is it the duty of farmers to become members of such an 

 association, or enter into a contract with a stock corporation for the purpose 

 of such insurance? 



We will take broad ground in this. We hold that it is a moral, a social, and 

 a religious duty of every owner of inflammable property to avail himself of 

 some means of security against a total loss in case of the destruction of his 

 property by fire. 



The moral responsibility of every man to provide, not only for the present 

 wants of his dependents, but, so far as is in his power, for their future necessi- 

 ties, also, will not be seriously questioned. This responsibility is enforced by 

 ■every moral feeling, by every tie of affection, by every impulse of his nature 

 that tends to awaken sympathy for any in distress who are dependent upon his 

 energy, his foresight, or his wisdom for their support. It is a social duty for 

 every many who has any means to do so to avert as far as possible any calamity 

 that will embarrass his own prosperity or the prosperity and happiness of the 

 society in which he lives. If our buildings are destroyed by fire and we are 

 •obliged to re-build without the aid of insurance, it is liable to place us under 

 embarrassments from which we may never extricate ourselves. Nearly every 

 farmer is already in debt as much as it is prudent for him to undertake to pay. 

 Then if he meets this unexpected demand he is obliged to use money he had 

 promised his creditors, and the creditor is disappointed in getting his dues 

 and must necessarily fail to meet his engagements, and so on indefinitely, thus 

 creating not only a social, but in a small way a financial panic. 



It is a religious duty, for in 1st Timothy, 5 :8, we read : •' If any provide not 

 for his own, especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith 

 and is worse than an infidel." Now if we allow our property to remain exposed 

 to destruction by the devouring element without insurance, and ourselves 

 exposed to financial embarrassment, such as would result from such loss, do 

 we not fail to provide for our own household? Do we not expose to suffering 

 and privation those who should have our first and most anxious consideration? 

 Do we not almost willfully disregard a plainly implied injunction of Scripture? 

 Do we not also subject ourselves to a life of drudgery from which a little 

 exercise of prudential foresight might have saved us? When the subject of 

 insurance is the topic in conversation there are very many who will excuse 

 themselves by saying I am very careful with fire, and will detail to you the 

 very many ways in which they exercise care. 



To such I would say we do not know how or when fire is coming. If we 

 did, we would have but few fires ; we would be there first. The best arranged 

 stoves, pipes, and chimneys cannot save you from a flash of lightning, or the 



