422 FIELD — THE SPAN OF LIFE. [Sept. 17, 



nial, was elected to membership October 20, 1893, ^^"^^ unfortu- 

 nately died only six days afterwards, on the 26th. 



The longest membership was that of Thomas Bradford, who was 

 elected May 18, 1768, at twenty-three (23) years of age and died 

 on May 7, 1838, at ninety-three (93), having been a member 

 seventy (70) years, less eleven days. 



Six cases show a membership of sixty-five (65 ) years and over. 



The average age at entry (or at election) was forty-seven and 

 forty-nine one- hundredths (47,49) years. 



From the record it would appear that several persons were elected 

 at a very early age — Rev. Henry Steinhauer as early as thirteen 

 {13), but there are so {^.yf^ that this error (if it be one) could not 

 affect the general finding. 



The general deduction from this study shows : 



TI18 members entering at an average age of. . . .47.49 

 1118 members living after election a total of 



25,312 years or averaging 22.64 



1 1 18 members living 78,403 years or averaging 



at death 70-13 



It is exceedingly interesting and instructive to note that compar- 

 ng this with the "American Experience Table of Mortality," cal- 

 culated from the experience of the insurance companies, we find that 



Persons living at the age of forty-seven and a 

 half. 47.50 



May be expected to live for twenty-two seventy- 

 two one-hundredths years 22.72 



Or to reach the average age of 70.22 



But the editorial refers to " the common belief that, in the United 

 States at least, the activity and restlessness of the people are tend- 

 ing to shorten the period of life enjoyed by the average man." In 

 order to see whether the American members live a shorter time 

 than others, or whether the '* leaven " of the foreign element has 

 increased the apparent longevity, a study was made of the "ex- 

 perience " of the American members alone for twenty-five years. 



The record was studied with reference to the deaths which have 

 occurred during the twenty-five years ending December 31, 1894. 

 Three hundred and fourteen (314) members died during this period, 

 the ages of two hundred and ninety-three (293) of whom are known 



