LONGEVITY OF QUAKERS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 137, 18 April 1879, Page 2

LONGEVITY OF QUAKERS.

"A' Quaker" writes : The question of the greater longevity of the members of the Society of Friends than that of the population in which they are placed is one of considerable interestand the citation of some figures throwing additional light on it may be useful. In addition to the annual tabular-, statements of the incomings by births* and outgoings by death, valuable facts may be gathered from the working of the assurance company which exists for assuring the lives of Friends and those coniiected with them. A short time ago an elaborate table was drawn up from all available sources, from which the deduction was ; made",that.the mean future lifetime (or expectation of life) at birth vi.as in the case of a- male: Friend, about 1 45.34 years, the" mean among the general public.being &).36. In the' case of females the difference'was not quite so large—that of the Friend being 45. 72 and that of the general public 42*16 But the average life of the Quaker is above that of the mean value, it having varied in recent years from slightly over 51 years to 58 years. A summary and analysis of the age at death of members who have died, for more tthan 30 years, show that out of. 943 deaths there were 163 of persons under the age of 30 at death, 224 of persons who' died between 30 and 60, 517 whose decease occurred between the ages of 60 and 90, and 39 who died at the age of 90 or above, three being reputed All obtainable facts prove that there is a greater longevity among the Quakers than among other persons ; but. there is room for very great speculation as to its "causes, and as to the probabilities -of its continuance. - It is far from generally known, the writer adds, that the decline in numbers' in the Society of 'Friends has been for many years arrested, and a comparatively rapid rate of growth has been experienced. In 1864 the number of members in Great Britain was 13,656 ; and foy some years that number was not increased by more than half a dozen or so yearly, and that even was an improvement oA the decrease that had. been known for some years previously. In the decade ending .with 1868 there was no addition, to the number of members—the deaths outnumbered the births, and the incoming by other methods barely supplying the deficiency. In the decade ending with 1878 the death rate has still been higher than the births, but the influx of members has more than counterbalanced the loss ; arid thus the total number . of members is raised to about 14,600 —the increase having been the most marked durdng the later years.