1. THIS Society shall be called the “ST. MARY ABBOTT’S KENSINGTON,
CHURCH OF ENGLAND DISTRICT VISITING SOCIETY.”
2. The object of this Society shall be, to improve the temporal and
spiritual condition of the Poor of Kensington.
3. A Fund for that purpose shall be raised by Subscriptions and
Donations; Subscriptions to be due on the first of January in each year.
4. Annual Subscribers of not less than One Guinea shall be Members of
the Society.
5. The business of the Society shall be conducted by a Board, consisting
of a President, Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer, Secretary, and Committee of
Management. The Vicar to be President, ex-officio; the Curates, Members
of the Committee; other twelve members, to be elected at the yearly
general meeting of the Society. A Report of the Proceedings of the Board
shall be presented annually at the General Meeting, and published for the
information of the Parishioners.
6. The Board shall meet on the first Saturday in every Month, to audit
accounts submitted, and decide upon cases referred. Three Members to
form a quorum.
7. The operations of this Society shall be extended over that portion of
Kensington which is in connexion with the Clergy of St. Mary Abbott’s
Church.
8. The Visitors shall all be members of the Established Church; their
business shall be, to keep a List of all the families in their several
Districts, according to a prescribed form; to inquire into all cases
recommended; to administer relief; and to circulate Books and Tracts upon
the List of this Society.
9. Relief shall not be given in any case by the Visitor to a larger
amount than 2s. a week for adults, and 1s. for each child, nor continue
for a longer period than four weeks, without the sanction of the Board,
at its monthly meeting. The Board, however, shall not be subject to the
same restrictions.
10. Relief shall be administered by orders on Shopkeepers, and not in
money, except in extreme cases.
11. No applicant of notoriously immoral character shall be relieved; but
relief shall not be refused to any person on account of his religious
persuasion.
12. No person shall be relieved who has not resided three months in the
Parish, and has not occupied the same house or lodging, unless good
reason be assigned.
13. Subscribers to the Society may recommend cases for inquiry and
relief. Recommendations may be sent to the National School House, whence
they will be forwarded daily to the Visitors. Money remitted to any of
the Parochial Clergy for the relief of particular families shall be
appropriated to that purpose, if they are found to be proper objects of
charity; otherwise it shall be returned to the Donor, or, with his
consent, added to the general fund.
14. Visitors are requested to forward their Books to the Secretaries,
for the consideration of the Board, the Saturday before the monthly
meeting.
15. A Parochial Lending Library shall be provided by the Board, together
with a supply of Books and Tracts, to be either given, lent, or sold by
the Visitors. No Book to be sold at a lower rate than half-price.
16. Cases of sickness shall always be reported by the Visitors to the
Parochial Clergy.
17. The Board, at its monthly meeting, shall supply the Visitors with
funds proportioned to the probable wants of their several Districts.