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. 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 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. |